The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1907-12-12
NO THIRD TERM.
RooSeyeItD eC|dreSPOSitive.
" He Will Not Accept.
WAITED FOR CONVENTION GALL
"Under No Circumstances VIII | Be
a Candidate"
WAITED FOR CONVENTION GALL
FIELD CLEAR FOR FIVE ASPIRANTS

oMciaI Statement From white House
Issued Last Night Sets the Country
snd the Mind Of Politicians At Rest
~ Is Position Of Theodore Roose-
vslt In Regard to Presidential Race
For 1o0s-The Many Candidates Can
New Present Their Claims TO the
Millions Of Electors Throughout
The Union Unhampered by the
Thought That the Present Execu-
tive Had visions Of = Further Elk
tension of His Term Of Oace.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 12.-President
Roosevelt will not be candidate for
q third term. All doubt on this point
was last night dispelled by an authori-
tative statement by him at the White
House that he still adheres to the dec
laration of remuneration made on the
night of the election three years ago.
In the statement President Roose
welt says he has not changed and shah
not change the decision communicated
to the American people in 1904.
1t appears that the president had
been awaiting the call for the Repub-
Iican national convention to afford the
proper opportunity for making his po-
sition clear ana unmistakable. thus
leaving the field clear for Fairbanks.
Taft, Cannon, Knox, Foraker and 9TH
er declared or receptive candidates for
the Republican, nomination.
The presidents statement follows:
ION the night after the election I
made the following announcement: L
am deeply sensible of the honor done
me by the American people in thus
expressing their confidence I'm what |
have done and have tried to do. APP
preciate to the full the solemn re-
sponsibility this confidence imposes
upon me, and shall do all that in my
power lies not to forfeit 1t. On the
4th Of March next shall have served
three and half years. and these three
and half years constitute my first
term. The wise custom which limits
the president to two terms regards the
substance and not the form. and un-
der no circumstances will be can
didate for or accept another nomina-
tion.'
II have not changed and shall not
change the decision thus announced"
The official announcement from the
White House that President Roosevelt
will adhere to his earlier determine
ton not to accept denomination was
received with interest, but hardly with
surprise, by party leaders generally.
The president has always been taken
at his word, and those in whose po-
litical Judgment more confidence Is
felt had anticipated this important
statement
While 1t was pointed out that the
argument that the president might by
sheer force Of circumstances be COM
PEELED to accept third term nomina-
ton against his will was as potent as
ever, the consensus of opinion among
those seen was that Mr.. Roosevelts
clear cut and decisive language had
taken him out of the situation. The
suggestion that Mr.. Roosevelt could
consistently accept second elective"
term was disposed of, 1t was thought,
by the presidents own words.
1t was generally agreed that the
Of Mr.. Roosevelt's name
brings that Of Governor Hughes as
New York's candidate sharply to the
front Chairman Timothy l.. Wood
run of the Republican state committee
Is at his camp in the Adirondacks and
could not be reached, and no. one who
could speak for the New York state
would be quoted as to the
future attitude of that body.
Senator Horace White Of Syracuse
made a statement in which he said:
with President Roosevelt eliminat-
ed from the situation the people UNI
aoubtsdly would turn to Governor
Hughes first In my part of the state.
II the people once got the idea that
Roosevelt were absolutely out Of 1t
think that Hughes would undoubtedly
be the leading candidate In this state
FOR president"
Governor Hughes never has permit
ted others to speak for him. but Sena-
tor Alfred r. Page Is probably as close
70 the governor as any one Is allowed
70 get. When here last Saturday Sem
ator Page said:
Without exception the friends Of