The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1909-08-05

In Massachusetts, where because of the supposed
effect Of the traditional habit of thought the people
might be expected to look with favor on long tenure
of public office, the governor OF the state is elected
yearly The mayor Of the city OF Boston also holds
office only for twcvcmonth Massachusetts and Hos.
ton are no weakliugs commercially. There has been.
however tendency in the OF the Union to length.
on the terms Of the chief executives That which seems
wise today would have been deemed folly half n cen.
fury ago The people have found that they trust
themselves to keep away from the pit of apathy for
three or four years and that all possessed
of dangerous ambitions
The recurring talk of n term Of six years for the
president aud the talk of senators for life is prob
ably but talk for talks sake Anything that has politics
for basis is of interest to the live American and the
and each can back the name given with reasons that
for which the adyanccr couldn't get yote-not even
his own.
American politics deal largely in futures. The nam
ing Of presidents is done many thousands Of times
before the convention days that figures cannot keep the
count The question of the multitude that witnesses the
oath tnking of president the platform of the
capitol Is: who will take the oath four years from
today" There are some thousands of individual
bers OF the multitude who will be quick give answer
and each can back the given name with reasons that
he believes all convincing. 1t is a great game and it
makes for safety
There has been a time since Washington was
inaugurated in the city of New York that the
Of legislation. matter how vital the country have
been strong enough to keep politics and the matter of
the presidential succession out of the peoples minds
The American thriyes politics-proof enough per.
haps, that It is a healthy food.
There has been the eycr-ready sneer ut American
methods OF naming president Men who think
well of popular government have said until by
iteration they have to believe their words.
that the politicians and the Office holders aso poll
ticians do the presdcntnaming for the people 1t is
a statement that bears test. When Mr.. Roosevelt
began the outlining Of his policies there hardly
politician in the land who approved. The members of
congress who friendly to the presidents
could be counted with knowledge of counting MeasA
went through that the congressman who
voted aye loathed in their souls.
What was the of II all? The people them.
selves were voting using unwilling but finally politically
wise agents to do the voting for them The who
wants to succeed himself in Office has eye and
for his constituents II he to commit political
suicide he becomes temporarily blind and deaf The
force OF public opinion never more sharply shown
than In the United States senate winter before last
when senator after senator voted for measures thar
three years ago they would openly declared be
Ubiquitous because they might disturb business inter
ests business interests being the interests OF corpora
lions which people say little and reap plente
ously.
AS the house OF representatives, the men who
stood against the presidential policies still clinging
the belief that the majority of the people was not In
sympathy with the administration, found their mis-
take at the convention later at the polls.
All this part and parcel of the plan of pres.
dentuaming by the people. 1t is certain mundane
things can certain that IL the politicians of either
party and their allies succeed in thwaTtng the win of
the at national convention there is always the