The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-04-30
4 vew Thtrd.term pevelopment.

4 New Thfrd.term Development.
In view Of the prevalent talk regarding
second elective term" for President
/ Roosevelt. particular Importance at
taches 10 the recent declaration of tbs
Chicago Tribune that 1t is opposed &c
electing or nominating him for anothel
/ four years. The Tribune, with possibly
one exception, has been the most ardent
Roosevelt paper in the United States In
both its news pages and its editorial
columns it has upheld the President
policies, and has seldom or never criticised
him. Up TO d short time ago, one OF It's
principal owners occupied a prominent
diplomatic post. IN every way, the papei
! has been close to the White House
| In the last few weeks there has been
/ in evidence an inclination liz some quar-
ters to attribute the advocacy of another
/ term for the President TO a desire on the
I part Of the '.reactionaries" 10 injure him
/ in the eyes of the American public, rather
than to a sincere and earnest popular
wish 10 make certain the continuation
of the course of action with which his
name is InseparabIy connected. We con
! fcss that this view of the matter does
not appeal 10 us. There is one predomi-
Inant reason for the third-term sentiment
and that is. as we view il, that great
many people all over the country are
anxious 20 see the policies Of the present
administration carried out, and believe
I the way to do IT Is 10 re-elect Mr.. ROose
welt. Naturally if the matter is looked Al
in this light, a broad field Of speculation
is opened by opposition to the second
elective term" plan from newspapers and
individuals which heretofore have been
constant supporters OF the Chief Execu-
tive.
In any event. the arguments submit
ted by the Chicago Tribune in support OF
! the position it has taken are entitled &c
| consideration. The first of these, which
seems TO be regarded as the most potent
is that Mr.. Roosevelt has announced re-
t-peatedly that he will not accept another
term. Another is that the Tribune is
| opposed to a third term on principle, and
that it is not willing to admit that there is
/ bat one man in the United States who IS
/ capable Of serving as President 1t points
out that it risked much IN 1880 when il
! combated the denomination Of Gen. Grant
/ for third term, and that it would risk
as much in 1898 II il should become neces-
sary TO oppose the denomination of Presi
( dent Roosevelt under similar conditions.
/ 4 particularly interesting part Of thg
/ Tribune's editorial is the statement that
/ it is not sure Mr.. Roosevelt could be
elected again, on account of the "deeI
and abiding feeling among the people
/ that two terms is enough for any man.
( This feeling may not be aroused now, Fl
the opinion of the Chicago newspaper
but would be when the campaign cam,
on If a popular candidate should be Op
posed to Mr. Roosevelt on the other side,
( because then We would be tending toward
imperialism and an indefinite number OF
I terms for any one man. All of this doe.
not seem to be in cOnsonance with tins
actual situation,
Much viii depend on whether o.
not the other Republican papers fol
low the lead of the Tribune-some
thing that they have not even shown
/ an inclination 20 do thus far. by the way
/ Mtills some fNepNbAc@ls WHO are u
rovocably opposed to the President ar
now declaring their loyalty 10 him. AM
proclaiming him as the logical candidate
next year. in order TO maintain thei
standing with the people where the vote
come from, we DO not believe that Their
is the slightest faint of hypocrisy in tn
/ suggestions and demands for anothe
term which come from the people.
This sentiment seems 10 ignore entirel,
1 the old objections to a third term.
there is any marked tendency on the par
Of the Republican press to take its GU
/ from our Chicago contemporary thos
who have the welfare of the party a
heart doubtless would do well to bring u
light the real reason therefor. In on
opinion. such development would indI
cate the line Of cleavage between tn
radical and conservative wings Of tl
party more clearly than anything tina
has yet occurred.