The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-11-22
Friday, November e, 1907.
THE PRESIDENTIAL OFFICE.

When citizen of the personal and
oflcial dignity of Justice Brewer OF
the Supreme Court Of the United
States considers important the length
of service to be granted the occupant
of the presidential Office it is fair to
conclude that as principle it has
come to be of widespread interest. 1t
may be fairly said perhaps that his
consideration of the subject at this
particular time is more or less pro-
voked by the persistent gossip with re-
gard to President Roosevelt's alleged
willingness to succeed himself under
certain prescribed conditions and to
the poorly concealed fact that Justice
Brewer is not an admirer of that dis
tinguished gentleman, but it has be-
come nevertheless live subject OF
speculation
The Journal and Courier has never
wavered in its belief that President
Roosevelt meant just what he said
when on election night he informed
the assembled newspaper men at the
White House that he would not be d
candidate for reelection 1t is entirely
possible that urgent friends have so
presented to him the unfortunate side
OF that voluntary pledge as to at times
make him wonder II after all he had
acted too fmpulsively, or placed HIM
self mistakenly in a position where he
must suffer misinterpretatlon. 1t is not
possible that having taken the pledge
he should under any circumstances be
willing to break it. That would so con-
filct with our understanding Of the sin
cerfty Of the man as to force a con-
clusion as to his real character, which
IL would be impossible to express in
words that would save a bit of the
personal reputation he has built up
with such persistent assertion. We
ttoNC lIOb pCCA uOlV W ulluCl lllo
conduct In all of its bearings nor have
we been mystified at the attitude of
those who, measuring him differently,
have been unable to take him at his
word and have even given 1t as their
judgment that he is candidate for
the nomination by acclamation. Our
misunderstanding of his conduct pro-
ceeds not from his dignified refusal to
meet with fresh denial each new
story Of his secret intent but from
what 1t must have been In the case Of
those who have called upon him at the
White House or his summer home on
iy to state TO the newspapers that the
President VIII be selected to succeed
himself. He could not have shown that
impatience with the suggestion that ne
would have to run which could be rec
onclled with his original sincerity. II
we were not convinced that he is an
honorable man, however at times
flighty, his conduct in the presence OF
friendly callers would embarrass u:
too.
II Is the deliberate opinion of JUS
tice Brewer that President Roosevelt i!
"playing game of hide and seek will
the American people," and because h
Is doing that would have the origina
idea of the founders adopted, which
makes the term Of the presidential of
fee cover seven years and its incum
bent ineligible for reelection. The ide
Is q debatable one whether Presi len
Roosevelt Is playing hide and seek o
not and can be discussed entirel
apart from his behavior, The theor
OF the proposition is of course tina
the incumbent of the Office, KNOWN
that he is limited to a specified terri
SO use the power entrusted to him a
to make himself politically invinciblt
IAllS III TURN WOuiu lAloPliS tiAiI
Judge of all matters which come unde
his official scrutiny with but one en-
in view, the concrete betterment {
the conditions of American If
Whether in view of President RoosC
velt's known choice of Secretary Ia
for his successor his ineligibilit
would have deferred him from unde
taking that gentleman's nomination
doubtful. Even with no written lin
set to the number of terms pres
dent may fill out, it has not been Il
practice of presidential incumbents
undertake the choice of their success
sors for the purpose of eentinuir
their policies, or for any other reaso
1t may be said that Mr.. Roosevelt
the exception to all conventional rul
and that is true, but then the possih
discovery of another such at anoth
time does nevertheless soften the }
fidence of men in one term, with Il
inelIgibnity clause attached, witho