Weekly Arizona journal-miner. [volume] (Prescott, Ariz.) 1903-1908, 1907-12-25
A FREE FIELD FOR PRESIDENT

In repeating his election night an
nounccment that he will not accept an
ether nomination. Mr.. Roosevelt takes
himself formally and finally out of the
list of possibilities for 1905 and gives
each of the avowcd aspirants new
and direct interest IN the contest.
There is no good reason for surprise at
what the President has just said.
When, ON tnc night of November :,
1904. he declared that he should con.
sider March !. 1905. as constituting his
first term. AMI that he would not ne.
ccpt another term after that To which
he had just been CHOSEN. the country
took him ut his word. II believed that
he meant everything that he said.
Some of his enemies. however, had re-
Gently been charging that lac would
not refuse another nomination If the
convention should declare for him.
purpose of embarrassing him, and with
the hope of arousing the jealousy of
the regular aspiranis and of hamper
ing the Republican party. These mis-.
chief makers will now be silenccd. No
more tnirlterm talk will get any at
tention from the country.
When, in the latter part of January,
1883, James g. Blaine, writing from
Florence, Italy, to Chairman Jones Of
ths Republican National Committee,
announced that, for reasons personal
20 himself, his name would not be pre-.
Gully few months distant, he threw
kiS importers, who constituted a large
majority Of the party, into confusion,
and he changed the whole face of af.
fairs for the convention. Blaine had
been beaten by Cleveland in 1854, but
the defeat was brought about by a
series Of accidents sucn as would not
DO likely TO come together again In
century. Cleveland first term
aroused dissatisfaction throughout the
country. His tariff message Of Decem.
Der, 1887, raised up many new enemies
against him. The Republicans felt
confident that they could carry the
country in 1888, and a large majority
Of them turned instinetivcly to Blaine
for leadership in the approaching cam.
paign. The fight for 1884 was NO be
bought over again, under the standard
bearers Of that year, with the chances
this time all in favor Of the Republi-
cans. The country expected in
1883 to have repetition Of
the canvasses Of 1900 and 1898, when
victory came 10 candidates who had
been beaten four years earlier. Some
thing like CONSERVATION, therefore,
was caused in the ranks of the Repub-
licnn party when Blame abruptly bat
race. Had he remained on the track
he probably would have won by large
ma iority on the first ballot in the con.
vention Of 1855. And. as the sequel
showed when Harrison became the can.
didatc, Blaine would have carried the
country.
Ia 1907 the situation is somewhat
different. The withdrawal in Roosc.
welt y ease had been male before tho
new term began. In repeating now
this he will remain out Of the can
vass for 1905 tnc President has merely
reiterated n previous pledge. The
country had no right To suppose that
the President had changed his mind
Stree the election night Of three years
ngo. Nevertheless. the fact that he
mas taken pains 20 renew the avowai,
aud 10 DO il in ms emphatic language
- ~ he could employ, has large inter.
Isl for the country. II removes what.
ever uncertainty there may have been