The Birmingham age-herald., 1911-12-13
Roosevelt and Third-termism

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 Roosevelt is still magical name tc the ardent admirers of the strenuous ex-President. No matter how em- phatic may be his protestations to the effect that he would in no sense be a candidate for the republican nomina- tion in 1912, President Taft's sup porters will breathe freer when the convention shall have named the ticket.
 While MT. Roosevelt served as President seven years and half practically two terms-he filled the executive office by election only four years. Those republicans, there fore, who have been eager to have Roosevelt run again have insisted , that the third term prejudice, which is deep seated in every section of the country, would not apply in his case simply because he had received only
 
 one nomination for the presidency, and was only once balloted for as a presidential candidate. But as he was President, to all extent and pur- poses, two terms, if he were to ac- cept a nomination again the cry of third term" would come spontane- ously, and would be heard from Maine to Texas and from New York to San Francisco.
 Mr. Roosevelt is a man of wonder sul personality. Everyone who comes within the sound of his voice is drawn to the man. He has more close personal friends, perhaps, than any other man in political life. Yet with all his popularity he could hardly be reelected. The mo third term" issue would be stressed by the opposition; and even if Roosevelt were more pop rlar than he is, he might find it next to impossible to overcome the charge of third-termism.
 The ex-President liked the White House "job." At a banquet given in honor of Roosevelt in Birmingham not long since he made it clear that it was a job especially to his liking. Everyone who has given MT. Roose- velt's character or personality a thought sees that he covets rulership. He feels that he was born to domi- nate; but the American people have become so used to seeing Presidents step out of office after the first or second term that they will never will ingly consent to any third term prop osition.
 It is interesting, however, to find men who still have dream of seeing Roosevelt once more in the executive chair. Whenever prominent republi cans assemble, as at the meeting ol the national convention in Washing ton yesterday, the question of Roose velt's candidacy comes to the front If the sage of Oyster Bay were tc issue statement every day betweer now and June IS, 1912, saying tha under no circumstances would he ac cept nomination, thousands of re publicans would continue to think o- him hopefully as the next republican nominee.
 It is believed that Washington could have continued in the presidenc, practically for life, but he declined tt be candidate for a third term Thomas Jefferson might have beer President third term, but he would not have it so. He had very stront views on the subject of presidentia terms. He believed that one tern was all any President should serve He was in favor of making the tern longer than four years. Seven O eight years would have met his views but he was opposed on principle to President succeeding himself; he wa induced, however, to accept a secon nomination, but nothing could hay induced him to have been a candidat again.
 By the time the presidency ha 4 reached Monroe the feeling .agains the Virginia dynasty" was maxim itself felt, and although Monroe's ad ministration was popular, there wa no mention of third term. Ther was much third term talk in Andre' Jackson's time. Old Hickory coul