Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-08-07
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
Is POLITICS aaaa
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Presidential Candidates.
OF THE DAY !

Presidential Candidates.
Is President Roosevelt secretly seek
Ing denomination for third term in
spite Of his repeated declaration that
he stands on his statement given to
the public on election night in 1904?
One can hardly believe the President
would do this thing, but the evidence
Is accommodating that he may go back
on his promises to the people and to
the aspiring politicians in his own par
ty. Nearly every prominent man that
visits the President somehow comes
away impressed with the idea that
President Roosevelt will try to succeed
himself. The general reason given is
that it is necessary for him to again
be candidate to save the party and
to further carry out my policies"
The most direct statement that has
appeared Is by former Circuit Judge
Seldom P. Spencer at Omaha after re-
turning from Washington. who said I:
"Hc had been in conference with per-
sons authorized to speak the Presidents
mind" II think" said Judge Spencer,
II am in position to say that the
President has decided he cannot decline
the nomination If rendered him unani-
mously. He realizes his position would
be weakened should he at this time an
nounce himself candidate"
II this Is all true, and on It's face
1t appears to be, 1t opens up serious
question Sor the Republican voters to
again settle which was thought to have
been previously settled when General
Grant was refused a nomination for a
third term. Democrats are opposed to
third terms and no Democrat, however
popular or able, would undertake to at
tain what Washington and Jefferson re-
fused to consider. There is similar
ity between this crisis In the history
Of the Republican party and Of the
Democracy, for the proposal to renom-
mate Mr.. Bryan as the candidate for
the third time, although he wasRtwice
defeated at the polls. verges on the
third term issue. There is, of course,
this great difference, that Mr.. Bryan
cannot use the power of the presiden-
tial office to further his ambition, while
Mr.. Roosevelt can and is apparently do
ing so.
There Is another parallel between the
existing conditions in the two parties,
for there is strong minority of the
voters in each party opposed to these
two leading candidates. In the case
of Mr.. Bryan, experience shows that
the opposition in his own party is
enough to defeat his eleetion and Mr..
Roosevelt may find similar conditions
confront him If he runs for third
term and the Democratic candidate is
one who can unite the voters of that
party.
AS Democrats, we have no political
influence with our Republican friends.
They must submit to the Roosevelt
domination or fight 1t. But we all have
voice in selecting the Democratic can
didate, and the question of availability
Is paramount one. Those who admire
Mr.. Bryan would be doing him a griev-
GUS injury to aid in nominating him
for the third time, IL he Is again to be
defeated. That would forever shelve
him as far MS the presidency Is con-
cerned. But in the happy event of
Democratic success his commanding po-
sjtiOn in the marty would Drohahly ro,