The Delta independent., 1908-04-17
Reasons Advanced why the People Should
Demand and He Should Accept
Second Elective Term.
StaemanIke Presentation of the Subject Drawn by Com
petative Writing.

This paper. submitted in competi-
ton with hundreds of others, was
awarded the prize of 81 900 offered
by the Hon. Jonathan Bourne, United
States Senator from Oregon, for the
best argument in support of certain
propositions, which he laid down, to
the effect that Theodore Roosevelt
should and would be selected and
elected for a second elective term.
The assertion that ''the sovereign
people and not Theodore Roosevelt,
the individual and public servant.
will decide who shall be his success
or" is SO manifest that it will not ad-
NIT of argument to the contrary.
The views of the President are en-
titled to most respectful coEsidera
tion, but they are not necessarily
conclusive. even where the question
is whether he shall succeed himself.
The position of the President re-
garding his own candidacy is well
known. Immediately following the
election of 1904 he issued a state
ment to the people, which statement
he reiterated on the 11th of Decem-
Der last. upon the occasion of the call
OF the Republican National Commit
tee for the convention at Chicago.
That statement is as follows:
Il am deeply sensible Of the honor
done me by the American people in
thus expressing their confidence in
what | have done and have tried to
do. | appreciate to the full the
solemn responsibility this confidence
imposes upon me, and l shall do all
that in my power lies not to forfeit
1t. On the 4th of March next | shall
have served three and a half years
and these three and a half years con-
stitute my first term. The wise Gus
tom which limits the President to
two terms regards the substance and
not the form, and under no circum-
stances will l be candidate for or
accept another nomination"
There is no reason why the fore
cepted by the American people as
conclusive simply because it comes
from Mr.. Roosevelt. II there is room
for a difference of opinion as to fact
or reason, or both. the good Judgment
OF the whole people must be, and is.
decisive.
The only custom that prevails in
this country regarding the terms of
Office of our Presidents applies to
elective terms. The President, un-
questionably. does not come within
the letter of this custom. If the Gus
tom is to undergo modification. Mr..
Roosevelt certainly has not the right
to all the say regarding that modifi-
cation. Doubtless, when Mr.. Roose
welt issued the foregoing statement,
he was prompted more or less by
modesty. For him to insist, however,
that the views therein expressed are
conclusive would be the height of ar
rogance. 1t Is probably the fact that
the people do not care for any limo
The great mass of the American peo
pie are well pleased with the admin
istration of President Roosevelt. The.
want him for two elective terms. anG
they have the right to say whether
his reelection will be violation of Z
custom of debatable wisdom. Mr.
Roosevelt has never been an advocat'
of short measure in any of his deal
ings with the people There is Meth,
er reason nor consistency in his say
ing now that the people shall accept
three and half years as full tern
when they are entitled to four. Tho
citizens of this country are alway
entitled to the full bushel OF wheat
II, in order to obtain 1t, they mus
take II heaped and running over. wht
will object. unless 1t be those who
for personal reasons, do not want th'
people to have all that is coming t.
them?
The only reason offered by tho
President why he will not again be
come caHuluHte is lh"' ~ VIII VI"
late the Substance" of the custom
To insist upon such a conclusion, II
view of all the facts to be considered
would place "his own personal de
sires or egotistical opinions para
mount to the combined wishes ant
intelligence OF the Republican part.
and the electorate OF the nation" A
matter OF fact. the people will no
have had the substance Of two ad
ministrations OF President Roosevelt