The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1907-05-02
NO THIRD TERM.

The Tribune is not for the renomina-
tion and reelection OF President Roose-
welt. 1t does not even favor his cleo
tion to what some of his admirers
choose to call second elective term"
There are a number of reasons why
the Tribune is not in favor of Roose-
velt's reelection.
One of them is that he has solemnly
declared that he will, under no circum-
stances accept another term if it should
be offered to him-that he would not be
a candidate or permit a nomination to
be forced upon him.
In this we think the president is wise.
While he has not served two full terms,
he has had seven years of the presi-
dency. and if he were to be elected for
another term, would serve more years
than Washington or any other presi-
dent. He has had seven laborious and
useful years in the white house, and
has more than met the just expecta-
tions of his countrymen. His fame
could not be greater than it is. He
could not at the end of another four
years term be any more popular or
more firmly intrenched in the affections
OF his countrymen.
President Roosevelt is amazingly
popular. The railroad men do not like
him, aud great many men engaged in
finance think he might be improved
upon. Even Mr.. G. B. NJ. Harvey has
visited upon him tokens of his disap-
prevail. But it is only necessary to go
about the streets, on the railroad trains
and in places of public assemblage to
I discover that President Roosevelt is as
highly regarded by his countrymen at
the present moment as he ever was.
The Tribune is opposed on principle
to the third term. 1t risked much in
1880 when it opposed the denomination
+ of General Grant for third term. 1t
would risk as much in 1908 if it should
become necessary to oppose the renom.
ination of President Roosevelt under
simimilar conditions.
The Tribune, for one, is not willing tc
admit that there is but one man in the
United States who is capable of serving
as president. There are S0,000,000 PEG
pie here, and among them all there
must be more than one who is fit tc
occupy the white house and discharge
the duties of the chief magistrate. We
believe that there must be more than 6
dozen in the republican party alone.
Moreover, it is by no means certain
that the denomination of President
Roosevelt for third term would be fol
lowed by an election. The Tribune may
be mistaken on this subject, but it be-
lieves there is a deep, abiding feeling
among the people that two terms arr
enough for any man. Part of this feel
ing may be latent. 1t may not have
been aroused. 1t would be when tn,
campaign came on if popular candi
date should be opposed to Mr.. Roose
welt on the other side. 1t would b.
proclaimed that we were tending to
wards Imperialism, and we would be
Ii the tradition in regard to the thirt
term should be broken down there is nc
reason why it should not be followed b.
fourth or fifth term, and as Mr.
Roosevelt is comparatively young
man he might continue to be elected
for several terms more.
The people are not ready for that
They believe a change in the white
house is good thing, as we'll as ;
change in other political Offices. In
deed, the superstition that the life ten
ure for Judges is an admirable thing i:
rapidly dying out. There are objection
to it!which have been sufficiently demon
strated in England, and sometimes il
this country. The life tenure of feder
al judges has it's drawbacks. There ar
some federal judges who should not b
in Office today, and who would not be
it were question either of reelection
or reappointment. A long term and
large salary, as in New York, would b
preferable to the life term. A life ten
ure seems to be an invitation to the ar
bitrary use of power, and sometimes t.
I laziness, self-indulgence, and self-ex
ploiUation, instead of devotion to bust
ness.
No man is good enough to be presi
dent forever, and the Tribune, for one
will not admit that among the $4,000
Il 900 people in the United States there
not one so good as Theodore Roosevelt
a who may be chosen to succeed him i
the white house. Chicago Tribune.
Admiral Winfield Scott Schley was in
formed the other day that he was agai