The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1909-02-27
PRESIDENT FOR LIFE.

PRESIDENT FOR LIFE,
Who could believe that any Ameri-
can would have the audacity to stand
on a public platform and favor a life
term for president in these United
States? But that is what Gov. John
Franklin Fort Of New Jersey did on
Washington day before the Republi.
can Union League in Chicago. Perhaps
we should not be surprised at anything
from the governor Of the Mosquito
State, which may be called the mother
Of trusts, as Virginia used to be called
the mother of presidents. Coz. Fort
said there was danger in short terms,
but the report of his address says that
the revival of the theory opposed by
Washington himself in 1887 caused a
sensation among the auditors of the
New Jersey executive. He not only
favored life term for the president
but long terms for all executives in
the United States-in municipalities,
states and nation. He referred to the
declaration Of Hamilton at the conven-
ton which adopted the constitution,
that it would be better to give the
executive a life tenure because there
was more danger in a fixed term than
in a permanent position. ~, /
Every reader of American history
knows that Hamilton leaned to mon
archy and aristocracy and did not be.
lteve In democracy, or government
by the people, as referred to by Lin
coin in his Gettysburg address. The
Republican party of today makes
Hamilton its patron saint, and not
Lincoln, who stood for the plain PEG.
pie whom God loved because there
were so many of them. The pluto
Gratis in the Republican party of
Roosevelt and Taft are believers in
the Hamiltonian principle Of govern
ment, and have no use for Lincoln's
government of the people, for the
people and by the people, but the
constitution Of the United States is in
the way and declares that the presi-
dent "shall hold his office during the
term of four years." and before enter.
Ing on the execution Of his office he
shall take an oath or affirmation that
he will to the best of his abolity, "pre-
serve, protect and defend the consti-
tuition of the United States" dur,ag his
incumbency Of the Office. Amendments
to the constitution may be made by
congress whenever two.thirds of both
houses shall deem 1t necessary, but
we firmly believe it will be difficult
for the disciples of Hamilton in con-
gress to make any change in the cleo.
ton of president. If any president
of the United States wants longer
term than four years, he may run for
a second term Of the same duration,
but IL he tries to get third term, as
Grant did, he will be defeated in his
ambition. ,5s ,z..E
Why should any man get. elected for
life as chief magistrate Of this ri.
public? Do we want a dictator!
The Republican party as constituted
and controlled today has no veneration
for the constitution Of the country,
and probably that is the reason 1t does
not follow the flag into the Philippines
and Porto Rico, and why the outgo.
ing president and his predecessor
winked at 1t when carrying out their
policy Of benevolent assimilation" Of
inferior races for the benefit. Of the
American plutocracy.
That President Roosevelt, believer
in the Hamiltonian principle Of govern
|ment, has violated the constitution on
various occasions, is well known. In
the fall Of 1907 he permitted the steel
trust, one Of the greatest monopolfes
In the country to swallow into it's
capacious NAV the Tennessee Coal.
Iron ana Railroad company, iii viola
ton Of the, Sherman law, on the plea
that It was necessary to save large
financial concern and stop the panic.
a special committee Of the senate de-
clares he acted without authority.
What would he not do II he was pr4si.
dent for lifef Z. NJ. ,:.s9.
f. The consti tution expressly directs
ders tnvestiga tion by every means ia
sths pfssids t Is g I. 4 6 thAt III