The Washington times., 1907-09-13
THIRD TERM
IS DOOMED BY
CONGRESSMEN
President May Be Forced
to State His At
titude.
Politicians Shout "RooSe-
Velt" to Further
Own Ends.

For reasons that are variously inter
pTeted. Republican members Of the
House and Senate who are beginning 70
drift into Washington are showing much
unanimity in urging that President
Roosevelt be given a third term. II is
clear that when the President gets back
to Washington there will be a great
revival OF the third-term talk, provided
he is given a hearty reception IL the
West, on his trip to Canton and down
the Mississippi. This talk will start
with members OF the House in districts
where the third-term sentiment is strong
and from Senators from States that
have a powerful Roosevelt following.
Others OF Congress than these may
find II polite to talk in favor OF third
term, whether they desire II or not.
This week, there has been a lot OF
third-term talk from Senators and Rep
resentatives ana there is no question
much more Will be heard Of II when
the President gets back to Washington
for the season and the members OF Con-
Eress begin to gather in Washington
more thickly 10 get reafy for the open
ing Of Congress and 10 look after mat
ters at the White House and about the
departments for their constituents. At
that time there VIII be opportunity for
judging what the third-term advocates
are going to accomplish. II the Presi-
dent is disposed TO give encouragement
10 the thlrd-term talk, as he is charged
with so freely, II viii probably develop
this fall; II he IS set against IL. as his
friends insist. and is bent on nominating
Taft, this fact will probably be made
manifest.
May Force Presidents Hand.
A good many believe that the third
term movement will be presented TO the
President before he has been IN Wash
ington any length Of time in so serious
light that he win be impelled TO deal
with Il IN a further statement There
has been much said from time TO time
that the President would issue a state
ment. but the idea put out from men
close 10 him has been that & was not
vet time and that the President was
willing to let the third-term talk 60 on
IN the hope that through II some good
would come to Taft.
Lately Senator Clapp OF Minnesota has
come to washington declaring that in
Minnesota and the Northwest the peo-
pie want the President TO run again,
and until convinced that he cannot be
swerved from his course they viii not
pay much attention to Taft or any other
candidate. He said there was a remark
able undercurrent OF Roosevelt feeling
and that Roosevelt's admirers thought
when the time came he would allow the
Use OF his name
others who have talked IN ike vein
are Senator Curtis Of Kansas, Senator
McCumber % North Dakota. and Sena-
tor Scott OF West Virginia, Representa-
tive Hull of Iowa has said substantially
the same thing, and there is no man
ton for being a keen and clever poll
tician than the head OF the House Mill
tary Affairs Committee. A number OF
others have expressed views recently.
but the ones named have all been heard
from the last several days
Taft Managers Worried.
Just what to make OF all this talk is
giving the Taft managers a lot OF
worrying. They are fearful so much
talk in Congressional circles in favor
Of renominating the President will give
impetus to the third-term movement.
They also recognize that the longer the
third-term talk is kept up the more DIFF
fcult 1t will be to get delegates com
mitted TO Taft. One of the great OBJ
stacles OF the Taft movement has been
the persistency with which many men
who would otherwise be for the Ohio
candidate have clung to the belief that
Roosevelt would run again.
Politicians are beginning to realize,
through the strength OF the talk among
members of Congress for the renomina-
tion Of the President, that a strong
number Of Senators and Representative
are going to keep trying 10 force the
of President Roosevelt for /
their own purposes. In the last cam
paigp for the election Of House mem |
bers7 plenty of candidates who did not
like Roosevelt went out on the stump /
and shouted themselves hOarse for
Roosevelt and the Roosevelt policies. |
They did this because they knew &c |
was popular in their sections and be-
cause they were aware 1t would help
to reelection. That the same motives
are at work now with a good many
members Of Congress Is becoming clear. /
Want Roosevelt to Carry Them
Many IN House and Senate see that
If Roosevelt is once more at the head |
OF the ticket the Republican party will /
carry their State or district, as It hap
pens TO be- Senators in some cases see
that denomination OF Roosevelt will help
powerfully IN eleeting a Republican
Legislature. Members Of the House /
seeking reelection In shaky districts
where Roosevelt is popular want his /
denomination In order to help carry
those districts Under those circuun- /
stances. it is to be expected that the |
Roosevelt third-term talk coming from
members Of House ard Senate will be
voluninous until it Il. settled whether
Mr.. Roosevelt can be swerved away
from the stand he has taken.
Many member of Congress takes the !
view that with Taft, Fairbanks Knox
Continued on Second Page.)