Decorah public opinion. (Decorah, Winneshiek County [Iowa]) 1895-1928, 1912-10-23
STATESMAN'S WARNING
.Ex-GoyernOr Horace BOies Gives the
Exact Situation i'm Strong
| FN Letter.
PATRIOTIC STATEMENT.
distinguished Citizen of Iowa Places
Country's Welfare Above Party
Fealty i'm Appeal to Nation.

president gives the democratic party
tremendous advantage in this cam
paign, The split in the republican
party makes the chance of electine
Wilson doubly strong.
Ex-Governor Horace Boies, one oi
the MOST distinguished men and
ablest citizens of Iowa, the only man
elected governor by the democratic
party lin this state in fifty years,
knows full we'll that votes for Roose-
welt means aid to his party. And
yet, placing patriotism and the well
fare of the nation above party
fealty, straightforward, honest and
sincere, he speaks to the people OF
Iowa and the nation in one of the
strongest statements we have seen
! during the campaign. We ask every
reader of this paper to read the
letter carefully. Then ask yourself
if you cam deny any statement made
therein:
ITO me at least it seems there is
one subject in the present political
discussion that is not receiving the
attention ii deserves That subject
is the effect OF Mr.. Roosevelt's elec-
tion on the precedent established by
Washington of two terms only for a
president, and treligiously observed
by every occupant of that position
from his day ia, this, for the effort
to nominate Grant for third term
was no act of his own, but instead
thereof an effort of others who, be-
cause of his distinguished services in
saving this union, believed him en-
titled to honors more pronounced
than ever before accorded to living
American. But great as his services
had been, deeply indebted as the
American people were ito him, the
sober second thought OF his own
party denied him the honor Of a
third term nomination and thereby
preserved the precedent OF Washing
ton
1t must be plain to every one that
the election of Mr., Roosevelt this fall
would mean the final and conclusive
overthrow of that precedent and the
exposure of this government TO every
evil it was intended to guard against.
| know Mr.. Roosevelt now claims
the precedent applies to consecutive
terms only, and as understand as
signs the only reason for it, the abil-
lily OF a retiring president to renom7
mate and reelect himself through the
aid of patronage he was able to be-
stow while in office. Mr. Roosevelt
is the first man in American history
that ever discovered that fact, If II
is a fact, and he discovered it only
when it became necessary to find IL in
order TO Justify his own course.
If patronage would enable a presi-
dent to renominate and reflect him.
self, Mr.. Roosevelt has 1t behind him
today in the person of every man on
whom he bestowed it during his two
terms of office, with the bare eXcep-
tion of those who have since died or
removed from the United States, and
that objection applies to him much
more strongly than it did TO his op-
ponent in the Chicago convention.
The reason for the precedent is
far deeper and wider than the one
assigned by him. It's basis is the in
Justice to others which would result
from allowing one man to enjoy the
distinction of first place in a govern
ment like ours for more than two
terms, thereby depriving all others
equally entitled to the honor to like
distinction.
II Mr.. Roosevelt is elected presi-
dent this fall he will necessarily be
entitled to denomination for an
other term to follow it. A refusal of
such a nomination by his party would
be a distinct insult and disgrace to
him, for it would be nothing less than
a public reputation of the man as
unfit for the place he had filled, and
for him to refuse the nomination
would be an admission on his part
of his unfitness for the place. The
result is, If Mr.. Roosevelt is elected
now and equally successful four years
from now, we will have a period of
twenty years in the history of this
nation in which one man has been its
chief magistrate sixteen years of that
time Then let us suppose he is will
ing to retire for another four years,
at the end of which time he thinks
he discovers that he is again needed
for another term and If successful
still another in approval of the for
mer and is again successful, the re-
suit would be for a period of sub
stantially a full generation in the
history OF this nation one man would
have occupied the place of president
twoaty-four years and some other
man or two men at most of the per-
iod for eight years, and every other
man IN the nation would have been
deprived of the distinction although
equally entitled to it.
How long does anyone suppose this
government would endure under such
conditions, and yet to elect any one
man in this nation for third term
is to expose this government for all
time 10 come to the danger which
washington foresaw and tried to pre-
went?
We have only 10 look to our sister
republic of Mexico for sample of
the results which flow from too long
continued occupancy by one man of