Los Angeles herald., 1907-09-29
THIRD TERM QUESTION

and one of the brainiest men in
the Republican party, contributes an
article to the New York World on the
subject of third terms for presidents
of the United States, in which he says,
among other things:
I'm 1880, during the contest in favor
of Blaine for president and against
Gen. Grant for a third term, my views
became fixed that a third election of
the same citizen as president would
be an injurious mistake for our repub-
lic-is an injury to any republic which
adopts the practice. A government of
the people, by the people and for the
people should not allow any one of it's
citizens to become Indispensable to its
successful administration. If any one
seems to be approaching such a status
and means to get along without him
the better for it's permanent national
welfare Our forefathers had no doubt
on the subject and expressed them
selves very clearly Washington, JEFF
ferson, Madison and Monroe are the
favor of rotation in office, which should
be the governing principle of every
republic, and was clearly so announced
in some of the early state constitutions,
like that of Maryland in 17fSS That a
long continuance in the first executive
departments of power or trust is dan
gerous to liberty; rotation, therefore,
in those departments is one of the
best securities of permanent freedom.
See also Massachusetts. Vermont, ct al.
"There is no doubt strong popular
feeling, which is not 'unthinking senti-
ment,' in the United States against
third terms. which would make itself
forcibly felt if there should come oc-
casion for it's demonstration. No third
term would be in case of such a NOM
ination the sole issue, all Others for
that canvass dropping out of sight.
Fortunately for the country such an
issue is not TO be presented in 1908.
nor 1 trust for a long time in the
future"
In view of the sporadic and internIit-
tent cries of interested parties for
Roosevelt to succeed himself" this is
good reading. If any one man can be
truthfully said to voice the unofficial
views of Republicans that man is for
mer Senator Chandler, and he here
gives the mandatory will of that party
for a new man as candidate for the
presidency No man should doubt
President Roosevelts positive state
ment that he would not run, made
some months since and published over
his name, but the evident scheming
of great financial interests behind the
standpat element of the Republican
party exhibits dread of the chances
of q less popular man against DEM
ocrat pledged to tariff revision and the
cutting out of all onerous kindred leg
islation, and so keep alive the hope
that Roosevelt may be tempted to see
fate in third term and change his
mind.
Judged by his record there can be no
hope that he would accept even nom
ination by acclamation (and it is on the
slate to make an attempt to do this),
and so it is wise to view the field as
containing another personality for the
campaign. Taft seems now to have
the preference and probably will be the
man to run, and his utterances are
guides to his policy if he shall receive
the suffrages of the people.
The four cardinal supports of our
honored presidential monument, viz.
Washington, Jefferson. Madison and
Monroe, would be a combination of
past grandeur and high attainment
which even Taft with all the known
scheming of his party would not care
to combat on the stump, and it is a
foregone conclusion that the person
ality of Roosevelt Though not his great
political power, will be absent from
the coming campaign
This is as it should be, and warrants
the current belief of the people that
healthy government can come only by
rotation in office of mSn and meas
ures, giving to the peopk the right and
privilege of holding the office to be
greater than any man, and treating
it accordingly.
The Herald agrees with Mr.. Chandler
that If any unlocked for contingencies
should conspire to make Roosevelt the
nominee of the Republican party all
other issues of whatever name or ma
ture would be dwarfed before the vital
one of denying third term in the
presidency to any man.