Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1912-03-15
THE THIRD TEN.


pie, he stated. 81 stated it as
clearly as | could in 1904 and
reiterated it in 1907. / said
that | would not accept a nomi-
nation for a third term under
any circumstances, meaning. Of
course, a third consecutive
term. | could not have said
less at the time nor could | have
said more. OF course I could
not known then whether or not
there would be a demand for
me TO accept a nomination at
some future time. And believ-
ing as | do that the selection Of
candidates for the presidency
rests entirely with the people,
! could not say that at no time
in my life would | accept an
other nomination. 1t must be
clear to any reasonable man
that the precedent which for
bids a third term has reference
solely to a third consecutive
term. 1t grew out Of the fact
that a president of the United
States, under the present con-
vention system of electing
delegates, can, if he knows how
to use the machinery at his dis
posal, renominate himself, even
though the majority Of his
party is against him. But
af, er he has been out Of office
for a term he has lost control of
that machinery. He is in the
position absolutely of any pri-
vate citizen. The machinery is
then in the hands Of the nan
occupying the office Of presi-
dent" y
The colonel can not deny THE
statements made "as clearly is ht
in 1904 and again iuf 1907
because both Of them were made by
him. and not by anybody else.
The third term was declined BY
Washington.
Jefferson, at the beginning of hi;
second term, in reply to the sug.
gestion of a third term, said:
General Washington set the
example of voluntary retire
ment after eight years. ] shall
follow it and a few more pre-
cedents will oppose the obstacle
to any one after a. while who
shall endeayor To extend his
term
Madison, Monroe and Jackson did
not seek it, and when it was sught
for, but not by, General Grant after
Hayes intervening term it was re-
fused by the people. The term
for General Grant was not a
consecutive" term
Declined by Washington, his ex-
ample followed by Jefferson in 1905,
acquiesced in by every mar who
has been president for two terms.
whether consecutive" or not, and
confirmed by the public, the GUS
Of limiting the presidential
terms to two has become a tradi-
ton having the force and sanctity
Of a law. Undoubtedly Colonel
Roosevelt so regarded it, when,
grateful for the high honor shown
by the people, he voluntarily de-
,lared as plainly as he could that
he ''would not accept a third term
nomination for a third term
under any circumstances, and re-
Iterated it in 1907" This declara-
lion is without qualification, and no
man could attempt to avoid its
plain meaning without casting
doubt in the public mind on his
integrity.
Unfortunately for the colonel. he
had forgotten when he interpolated
The word Consecutive the letter
written to a friend June q, 1911.
n which he said: I.
have expressed myself per-
fectly freely to a large number
of men in this matter, always
to the same effect; telling you,
for instance, personally, and
those who were with you at a
lunch at my house, and telling
Clifford Pinchot, Jim Garfield
and Congressman Madison and
Billy Loeb and Secretary Meyer
and Secretary Stimson, all
alike, just exactly what | have,
said always, that | would not
be a candidate in 1912 myself
and that had M i~ntnn+inn of