The news-democrat. (Providence, R.I.) 1906-1909, 1907-11-21

New York, Nov. 21-"We should not
now have the spectacle of our strenuom
president playing hide-and-seek with the
American people"
With this statement Justice David A.
Brewer OF the United States supreme
court surprised a large and notable audi
ence at Carnegie hall last night
The occasion was the first public meet
ing OF the Civic Forum. Justice Brewer
was Illustrating a point that he had
made, and had declared that he was one
of those who believe the trainers OF the
constitution made mistake In not leav-
ing it as IL was originally drawn, with
the presidential term fixed at seven years
and with a prohibition upon reelection.
Justice Brewer not only reflected upon
the president openly. but by innuendo. He
openly contrasted Roosevelt and Hughes.
The governor who was one Of the speak
ers, escaped embarrassment by leaving
early.
He was not there when Justice Brewer
intimated broadly that he was a safer
and wiser man than the president III
was said that Mr.. Hughes had no knowl-
edge of what Justice Brewer intended to
say.
Justice Brewer said that Carlyle looked
upon democracy as an evil, and had anti
cipated frenzied finance, frenzied politics.
frenzied law and frenzied Justice. II he
were alive today he would probably say:
81 told you So"
The justice spoke OF the sacredness of
the constitution and passed to the sub
ject OF rulers He added:
mo one doubts that IL Is base be-
trayal of trust for an officer elected upon
one platform to turn around after secur-
ing office and support the opposite side.
THE president Is the chief magistrate
of this nation. We sometimes speak OF
yth on
when we have In mind the vast number
OF ministerial officials doing purely clert-
cal work, calling them public servants IL
not improper, but putting these ministe-
rial officials to one side and considering
only those who are the different legis-
lative and executive officials, there Is
ever present the idea OF ruling and ruler.
IDEA OF SHORT TERM.
Take the office OF president. the high
est executive office in the nation. His
term Is four years, subject to reelection.
The Idea that fixed a short term Is that
OF preventing permanent injurious results
from the arbitrary and unauthorized ac-
tion OF some ambitious and unprincipled
president. II ever there should be one
such I'm office.
1T may not be generally known that
the convention that framed the consti-
tuition at first prescribed a presidential
term OF seven years. with prohibition
upon reelection: and only as the con-
vention was nearing its end-and so far
as the record shows-without any discus
sion or suggestion or reason therefor.
this was changed to four-years term
and without the ineligibility. In the judg-
ment OF men, among whom | am one,
there was a mistake In that change. In
the light OF history. I think II would have
been better to have left the presidential
term of seven years. with an accom-
panying ineligibility.
''If that were the provision we should
not now have the spectacle OF our strenu-
Gus president playing a game OF hide
and seek with the American people"
Justice Brewer then said that ruler
should not yield to local popular clamor,
and added:
"It is disgraceful for him to adopt the
politicians trick of being for the law,
but against It's enforcement"
Justice Brewer went on:
"As 1 said, n wise ruler is not indffer-
ent TO the wishes OF the people. AS he
is but one and they are many, he may
well defer to them in all minor matters.
For instance, Il would be foolish to
quarrel with them about simplihed SPELL
ing. Perhaps II would be foolish for
anybody TO quarrel about that. So In
matters OF governmental policy he nat
urally and wisely seeks harmonious re-
lations with them And yet harmony
and peace are not always possible with
out n sacrifice on his part greater than
he can rlghtfully make.
AS TO TREACHERY.
FOR fnstnace. even in economic mat
.ers. questions OF governmental policy, ne
should never turn his back on the ex-
pressed principles OF the party which
elected him. In other words, he never
should take office on an implied promise
and then repudlate that promise. Such
conduct II political treachery"
Justice Brewer used President Roose-
velts name In connection with that OF
Governor Hughes, declaring one spec