Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1907-05-15
Gbe Df ntorrat.
WEDNESDAY, MAY Is, 1907.
The Third Term.

The Third Term.
The Chicago Tribune. recognized
as the most influential republican
paper of the middle west, flies in the
face of the predominant sentiment
of its party in relation to a third
term for President Roosevelt, and
comes out in the following editorial
headed mo Third Term"
The Tribune is not for the renom-
ination and reelection of President
Roosevelt 1t does not even favor
his election to what some of his adj
mirers choose to call second ell
ective term"
There are number Of reasons
why the Tribune is not in favor of
Roosevelt's reelection
One Of them is that he has solemn
~ declared that he will, under
no circumstances, accept another
term If it should be offered to him
that he would not be candidate
or permit a nomination to be forced
upon him.
In this we think the president is
wise. While he has not served two
full terms, he has had seven years
Of the presidency, and if he we're to
be elected for another term would
serve more years than Washington
or any other president He has had
seven laborious and useful years in
the White house, and has more than
met the just expectations Of his
countrymen. His fame could not
be greater than it >is. He could not
at the end Of another four years
term Ee any more popular or more
firmly entrenched in the affections
of his countrymen.
President Roosevelt is amazingly
popular. The railroad men do not
like him, and a great many men en-
gagged in finance think he might be
improved upon. Even Mr.. G. B. NJ
Harvey has visited upon him tokens
of his disapproval. But it is only
necessary to 60 about the streets, on
the railroad trains, and in places Of
public assemblage to discover that
President Roosevelt is as highly re.
gsrded by his countrymen at the
present moment as he ever was.
The Tribune is opposed on prin-
ciple to the third term. 1t risked
much in 1880 when it opposed the
denomination of Gen. Grant for 8
third time. 1t would risk as much
in 1908 if it should become neces.
sary to oppose the denomination Of
President Roosevelt under similar
conditions.
Ihs Tribune for one is not willing
to admit that there is but one mar
in the United States who is capable
of serving as president. There art
80,OO0,00O people here, and among
them all there must be moro thar
one who is fit to occupy the White
house and discharge the duties o.
the chief magistrate. We believe
that there must be more than doz.
en- in the republican party alone.
Moreover, it is by no means Ger.
tain that the denomination of Presi.
dent Roosevelt for third tern
would be followed by an election
Yhe Tribune may Do mistaken gu
this subject, but it believes there il
deep abiding feeling among the
people that two terms are enough
for any man. Part of this feeling
may be latent. It may not have
been aroused. twould be when thu
campaign came on if a popular can
didate should be opposed to Mr.
Roosevelt on the other side. /
would be proclaimed that we wer'
tending towards imperialism, ane
we would be. If the tradition il
regard to the third term should b,
broken down there is no reason VIII,
it should not be followed by fourtl
or fifth term, and as Mr.. Roose
welt is comparatively young man
he might continue to be elected TO
several terms more,
The people are not ready for that
They believe change in the Whit
house is good thing, as we'll as
change in other political Offices
Indeed, the superstition that tn
life tenure for judges is an admi,
able thing is rapidly dying out
There are objections to it whic
have been sufficiently demonstrate
in England, and sometimes in thi
country. The life tenure of federt
judges has its drawbacks. Their
are some federal judges who shout
not be in Office today, and who woul
not be if it were question eitht
of reelection or disappointment.
long term and large salary, as
New York, would be preferable
the life term. A life tenure seen
to be an invitation to the arbita
use of power, and sometimes to laz
ness, self-indulgence. and seize
ploitation, instead of devotion
business.
No man is good enough to
president forever, and the Tribun
for one, will not admit that amol
the 100000 people in the Unit
States there is not one 80 good
Theodore Roosevelt who may
chosen to succeed him in the Viii
house.
Congressman Birdsall held up t
Manchester postotfice appointing
until both sides got pretty sore, al
they appear to be in that conditi