Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1908-06-16
WORLDWIDE INTEREST
The Great Third Term Fight
BY FREDERIC ]. HAskIN

ination for president, to be defeated py
an Ohio dark horse, Rutherford IS.
HAYES. Indeed, Conkiing was engin-
eering the Grant boom as the only
means OF defeating Blaine, whom ne
hated with all the strength or MS I'M
perious soul. ~
rngersoll had nominated Blaine in the
famous "plumed knight" speech, wnicn
still stands at the head OF the great
convention speeches. This time an
other great speech was made, one tiist
ranks second only to lngersoils $. ~
was Conkling's speech nominating
Grant.
when asked what state he halls from'
Our sole reply shall be,
HE comes from Appomattox.
And its famous apple tree.
That was the beginning of a power
full appeal to the country that was
grateful to Grant for his services IN
saving the Union. So much OF the
brief speech as was devoted to Grant
was powerful and effective. But
Conkling could not stop with an APP
peal for his own candidate. His hatred
of Blaine was so great that 1t whelmed
his better judgment, and he concluded
the speech with a few sentences that
set the teeth OF every Blaine man in
the country. Conkling's sneers were
mOre potent ZOE INJURY 10 HIS SduSc
than his eloquence of advocacy could
overcome.
The balioting began. On the first test
Grant had 304 votes and Blaine 2S4, while
37S votes were required to nominate
After the two leaders the strongest
candidate in the field was John Sher-
man OF Ohio He had SO votes on the
first ballot and increased to 1T on the
thirty-second ballot. Grants rose to
313 at one time, but never fell below
306 after the first ballot.
Shermap's name had been placed be-
fore the convention by James A. Gar
field. Garfield knew from the first
that Sherman could not win. He was
convinced that none OF the prominent
candidates could defeat Grant. He saw
that the prize was within his own grasp
and well did he play his game. His
speech nominating Sherman was a plea
for peace--for peace and harmony.
what do we want?" he asked, sug-
costing that the reply be peace" But
a delegate shouted 1--WE want Garfield"
After the first ballot Garfield received
one or two votes on each ballot and
several times waves of Garfield enthu-
siasm swept over the convention.
On the thirty-fourth ballot the Wis
consin delegates cast sixteen votes for
Garfield, giving him total of II. When
| and made the point OF order that the
| result as announced was erroneous be-
cause it contained votes cast for him,
whose name was not before the con-
vention. AS he had not made the point
on thirty-two previous ballots In which
he had received votes 1t is not to be
| supposed that he was chagrined when
the chairman decided that the point
was not well taken. That began the
49, .x,AA "a ..A., l. II
lot Garfield was nominated. But the
Immortal S06" were still standing true
| to the colors of General Grant.
Each one of the 3c6 delegates who
stayed by Grant all through the bal
loting was given bronze medal ex-
pressing the appreciation of the sup
ports of the great popular hero. But
when Conkling failed to win in that
great fight wise men were heard to say:
"The American people will never con-
slider giving any president a third term.
Washington declined 1t, establishing q
tradition. II that tradition is so strong
| that a popular war hero like General
Grant cannot break 1t down 1t Is strong
enough to stand forever" Since that
| time wise men have referred to the
defeat of Grant for third term as the
Endorsement by the American public
of the Washington principle that two
terms are enough. .
But the third term idea was not dead.
Mr.. Roosevelt had served over three
years as president by succession when
he was elected to full term of four
years. On the night OF the election he
gave out a statement that he would
not be candidate for reelection 1t
wasn't taken seriously by many peo-
pie. and three years later there was a
third term t,om of considerable pro-
p0rtiOna The fart that Rnnaaualf q n
been elected but once was relied upon
| to ease the conscience of those people
to whom the Washington tradition
| meant something. The phrase second
elective term" was coined.
Long silence from the White House
caused men to believe that the presi-
| dent was not unwilling to consider a.
reconsideration of his election night
statement Then came the discovery
of the subterranean Cortelyou boom,
the blowing up of an alleged "con-
spiracy" and the fiat reiteration of the
Roosevelt refusal to be a candidate
Even that did not stop the activity of
some of the third termers, although O.
general campaign had to be abandoned.
1t Is passing strange, reviewing the
history of the third term booms In
this country, that the Republican
leaders have approached this conven-
ton with the fear that it would re-
nominate Mr.. Roosevelt in spite OF
precedent, in spite of the third term
boyle, in spite of himself. Everybody
knows that he could have had it If he
wished. which knowledge sets aside the
deliverances handed down by the wise
men when Grant was defeated in 1885,
| Copyright. 1908, by Frederic J. Heskin)
Tomorrow--Great National saenserfest.