The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1908-02-24
Third Term Is Reasonable.

Editor The Washington Herald
In the matter Of Senator BOurne's 81, 900
Roosevelt prize for the best argument
in support Of why Roosevelt should
serve another term" are, among others,
two assertions TO defend, viz:
First-That the sovereign people and
not Theodore Roosevelt, the individual
and public servant. win decide who shall
be his successor.
/ Second-That Theodore Roosevelt can
not decline a second elective term OF at
tempt to name his successor. without
making his own personal desires and
egotisticaI opinions paramount to the
combined wishes and intelligence Of the
Republican party and the electorate of
the nation
The question whether President Roose-
Welt shall be the peoples choice to sue
ceed himself. or be permitted to name
! his successor. involves a discussion Of his
! eligibility for another term and the right
Of the people to decide his successor. as
also the Presidents right TO name his
successor.
There is nothing against President
7
everything against his naming his sue
cessor.
There is no Unconstitutional. written.
or unwritten--or policy. or reasonable SEN
ument. against Rooseveits having an
other term.
The fathers oE the Constitution. and the
sovereign people ratifying it, saw no dan
ger in, and placed no barrier against, two
or more terms for President. In their
wisdom, they did not limit the high Office
TO one term. long or short, or 70 any num-
/ Der of terms. In their great wisdom. they
knew in limitation was admission of fail
ure Of free government. or majority rule
and that ii would not only be a useless
act in attempted subversion, but con-
trary TO sovereigntys indisputable, inner
ent prerogative-right of choice OF Chief
Magistrate. They saw harm in Limitation
and left it open for opportunity not only
for the earliest possible radiance OF weak
lings. or would-be dictators. but for reten-
ton, through several terms. of trained
craftsmanship and continuity Of policy.
Third terms. therefore, being cOnstitu-
tional, no power can make them uncon-
stitutionaI except as the Constitution pro-
vides. Congress cannot do IL. nor Presi-
dents practice. If Washingtonian third
termism were national policy. Washing
toms example would not be contra. for
reason that President Roosevelt has not
yet served one term within the sense OF
the rule Of exclusion, nor even in the
substance; for, upon President McKin-
/ ley's death. his party the press. and the
people absolutely demanded that Roose-
welt. his successor, carry out his policies.
Roosevelt, patriot. responded afirma-
lively. ana stood. as it were, in McKin-
ley's shoes, and carried out Mckinley S
policies, while closing his eyes to his
own. In all but name. then, IL was Nc
Kinley's administration. not Roosevelt's s.
Roosevelt then went TO the country on
his own policies. appealed to the people,
who elected him by the most numerous
majority ever given a Presidential candi-
date He then entered on his own first
term, not yet ended. and inaugurated his
own policies. not yet contaminated The
people think that the peculiar exigencies
of the times require Roosevelt TO carry
his policies 20 legitimate conclusion.
There is nothing against 1t except the
cry of third-termism, based on Washing
tons conception and example, followed by
Jefferson and Madison. which to-day is
referred to as "unwritten law"
Third-termism is not unwritten law In
written law cannot arise against written
law Third terms not being inhibited by
the Constitution, are constitutional-given
rights. as are second terms. and cannot
be displaced by other force. for the power
which makes must unmake, and. in this
case. the making power being the SOW
ereign people, the sovereign people must
unmake, and by form laid in the Con-
stitution, else law and order give way
to chaos. Washington's third-term con-
cepton is not unwritten law. II was
without power Of origin. Admitting il to
have arisen, in due course. to be of the
force of unwritten law. there must have
been, OF necessity. continuity which has
not been Jackson treated II with con-
tempt. and made his successor who was
President de jure, while he was President
de facto. Lincoln likewise named John
son to run with him. and TO succeed him
IN emergency. Grant wished a third term,
was party-faction nearly chosen, but
whole party and majority electorate
wanted another. The people never voted
on tnird-termism, even as a policy It's
true use has been party slogan to- get
somebody out of Office or to get some
body In. There is nothing. then. against
Roosevelt's having another term. whether
a second elective. or so-called third
term. or even a fourth, or fifth term If
the sovereign people decide It TO be best
The Wattersonian cry OF Mexicaaiza-