The Washington herald., 1908-05-22
Argument from the West for
His Reelection.
HAS NOT SERVED TWO TERMS
Custom and Tradition Held Not to
apply so HIS Case, Since the Frae-
tiOn OF a Term Was Devoted 10
Carrying Out Mckinley Policies.
His own Work Unfinished.

IL tG AliE uuAF VI tie AAllGA4LG4E NtUUtE
70 elect President Roosevelt for q second
term. His enemies have only themselves
to thank for calling public attention to
the fact that he is now serving his first
term, For everywhere previous to his
election in 1904 they asserted he was not
President OF his own right. but only an
accident His two and a half million
plurality pretty effectually hushed the
cry OF accident but his enemies spoke
the truth when they said he was not
President of his own right And 1t is
President Roosevelt himself who proved
the truth OF their assertion. For when
he was sworn in as President at Buffalo
on September Il. 1901. he declared ne
would endeavor faithfully 10 carry out
the policies OF President Mckinley during
the remainder of the term. Having thus
voluntarily renouneed his own policies
for the following three and q half years.
he waived the right to consider that frae-
tional part Of MeKinley's term as his
own, and is now estopped from claim
ing il.
Moreover, what he has been pleased to
style his first term was but a fraction
Of term. Let Us suppose that Presi-
dent Mckinley had not been assassinated
until within month OF the expiration Of
his term; would even Theodore Roose-
welt regard that month as his first term
Assuredly not. Suppose. again, he had
| served one year; would that year have
constituted a full term? Why, then, con-
CfdaF nA 10
eights Of a term. as a full term7 No
one would consider a small fractional
part as a full term. Why. then. should
any one consider any fractional part as
q full term?
A Massachusetts Precedent.
Furthermore. the wise custom OF linz
iting the term OF service OF Presidents
Of The United States to two terms is no
lore fixed than has been the custom In
! the Commonwealth OF Massachusetts,
since the civil war, Of limiting the serv-
ice Of its governors TO three terms. A
case precisely analogous occurred when
Gov. Greenhalge died in office early in
1885. and the lieutenant governor Roger
| Woleott, became governor. He served
the balance OF the year, fve-slxths Of
the full term. He was then elected for
three more successive terms. Before his
last nomination there was considerable
discussion that this would make a fourth
term: but the citizens OF Massachusetts,
saw that his service during the unex-
plred term OF Gov. Greenhalge could not
be counted as his term. and triumphantiy
noFutuaFpa and aIeeFad aim
Last year a statue OF Gov. Wolc0tt
was placed IN the Statehouse in Boston,
bearing this inscription; Governor OF
Massachusetts, 1897. 1895. 1929. Nothing Is
said Of that fiye-sixths OF term in lSs5.
Shall history also record that President
Roosevelt served but one term? Shall we.
his fellow-eitizens, refuse him a second
term?
When Theodore Roosevelt wrote his
famous election night declaration that un-
der no circumstances would he accept an
other nomination, the precedent Of Massa-
chusetts was undoubtedly unknown TO
him. And we have all, even the New
York sun. admired the steadfastness OF
the man when he lately repeated the
| declaration with the additional sentence,
I have not changed and shall not change
the decision thus announced.
Would Serve II Elected.
Fortunately. however. he builded bet
ter than he knew. Search his declaration
as you will. you will find no words there
barring him from serving the people II
reelected. He simply says he viii not
accept another nomination. What do we
care whether he accepts or rejects the
nomination? The election. and not the
nomination. is the great question. His
latest declaration that he viii not change
the decision already announced forbids
him to alter that statement by further
addition. He may refuse to accept the
nomination. but he cannot refuse to ac-
cept the election. Let US. therefore, n0mi-
nate him. and disregaTding any accept
anCe o. refusal of the nomination, tTium-
phantly elect him for second term.
'The American people do not need TO
be reminded Of his peculiar fitness for
his office. Born of a Southern mother,
with a Northern father educated in the
East, and invigorated by the West what
wonder he appeals to all quarters OF our
land? Nor is It necessary 10 dwell upon
his versatility. Ever since he graduated
from Harverd College they have seen him
5toW- W AEtLEI dS 4GStoiAtblf aallCuHis
Civil Service Commissioners. head of the
New York police, author, Assistant Secre-
tary of the Navy, colonel of the Rough
Riders governor of New York. Vice
President, or President of the United
States, he has LETT an indelible record
upon the minds Of his countrymen. The
mere recital Of his services as President,
to our country and TO humanity must
suffice.
Tremendous Achievements.
I'VE all remember his settlement
Of the Russo-Japanese war by the treaty
Of Portsmouth with its consequent win
ming Of the Nobel prize, whereby he was
adjudged, not by ourselves, but by a
foreign government. TO have done the
most effective work for peace. Then there
have been his effective handling of the
Cuban crisis, and the japanese question,
the impetus given TO the construction of
the Panama Canal. the railroad rate bill.
the pure food bill, his campaign for the
preservation OF our forests. for the i'm
provement of the navy. and for civic
righteousness. The tremendous achieve
ments during his administration have
already entitled aim to a place among
American Presidents second only 10
Washington and Lincoln Not only is he
the representative American of the pres
ent generation. but he stands pre-eminent
in the world to-day
Those words Of Cicero are no less true
now than when he spoke them twenty
centuries ago, InaHnuch as the life Of
man is uncertain and brief. so much the
more ought the State. while it is allow
ed by the grace Of Heaven, to enjoy the
life and power Of a supremely great
man..
Needed by the Country.
Shall we give up this man in the full
power Of his intellect and abilities? To-
day we are in the midst of the struggle
for cizrfr. yfU Fopov and Cs,,E..,