The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-11-26
THAT SINGLE TERM PLANK.

Baltimore platform, that III THINKS mas not hao
the attention of one person in Ave hundred.
joker that may be made potent as disturbel
of the peace several years hence unless
its ambiguousness is removed by COM
mon sense Interpretation while the proceedings
and purposes of the convention yet fresh
in the public mind.
The plank to which The state has reference
Is that which pledges the party to a single term
for the president. and it reads thus;
We favor single presidential term. and To
thar end we urge the adoption of an amend
fnent to the constitution making the president
n the United States ineligible for reelection,
we pledge the candidate of this conven'
10 this principle
AS we view it, the Democratic party went on
record at the Baltimore convention as favor
ing single term for the presidency, but as
the preconvention and convention discussion
which led up to the insertion of that plank
was all In favor of term of six years. 1t lie
tacitly understood OF course that the party
leaders. when they frame the proposed amend
ment to the constitution, will make the presi-
Dental terms six years instead OF four. We
take 1t that Mr.. Wilson is pledged by the con-
vention to support that amendment when 1t
Is presented aud stand or fall by its provisions.
but In the event that the proposed amendment
fails, that the people do not want 1t, We do
net see how 1t could be construed to mean
that Mr.. Wilson Is pledged not to accept
second term If the people want him. Certainly
the convention did not pledge MIR Wilson not
TO accept a second term If he sees fit TO stand
for reelection and the people see fit to re-
elect him While the candidate of the party
is bound by the platform. in the making Of
which has has no hand usually, and which
was adopted before he himself was selected as
the standardbearer. We cannot see how the Ian
euage might be contorted into placing pledge
i- Mr. Wilson's mouth that he would regard
himself ineligible for second term regard
of the action of the States In amending the
constitution. In the first place the process
oil amending the constitution Is so laborious
and slow task that even If the proposed
amendment was presented in the near future,
the task would hardly be completed during
Mr. Wilson's first term, and certainly II Is
Illogical and unreasonable to ask the party or
the party leaders to abide the principle of a
sii gle term before that principle is adopted
BY the country through a constitutional amend
ment We agree with the State that the lam
gpage OF the plank is ambiguous, and agree
with it further that 1t should have explicitly
stated a single presidential term of six
years" While ii was tactly understood to be
the idea OF those who drafted the platform,
nj thing should have been left to be taken
fer granted The opposition never fails to
take advantage of any opportunity for mis-
construction. Witness, for example. this refer
ence from the single term plank from the
Washington Stdr. a so-called independent,
which supported Mr.. TAFT.
THE task set for Mr. wilson is enormous. He
10 expected to show the way in at least three
matters OF very great importance. In, his recon-
tariff problem, the trust problem and the cur
rency prob EN-. Others are pressing. but those
three cannot watt And each one will tax
both his resources and those of congress when
taken IN. Al three can not poySby be dis
posed of by the s'xty-th'rd congress and one
ut least--p-ohab'y the currency probIern---w1I
90 over 10 the sixtv-fourth congress which will
begin business epv. sore.ssiS months before
g the next Democratic national convention Is
held.
.'The eve OF next nomination tive. tha-efc~e
viii .hnd Mr.. Wilson sti'i graphing with the
nranfate he has iust received. He will not
have executed his fnil task. VIII he he dis
turbed while work? WIN sentiment In
hts party council against Fnch "A ste0o is II
not certain to do so II he shall have succeeded
fsitsy well with the tariff and the trusts? If
the sixty-fcur'h congress Is Democratic the
record what prevent the denomination of
the then in the White House? III the
Is Democracy In cfice fails in the next two years
and The sixty-four'h congress is Republican
foreshaNow'ng a Republican president two
years later. who will 10 contest with Mr.
Wilson for empty honor?
ar Bryan urging enc term will not he
impressive. In the light of the fact that ne
has had three nominations, and would have ac-
Gerted fourth at Baltimore. And the general
! unde-rta nding ia that he is figuring on a fourth
4 a. 1915.
Mr.. Bryan wrong when he said -four
II pears Ii long enough for good man and too
s hong for bad one" That single term Is too
u long for a bad man. is obivous. but 1t is not
h kong enough for good one II ii is to be limited
y ~ four years; II is not long enough for Mr..
Wilson and the Democratic party to accom-
r1ish the great tasks that lie before them.
u M fact, Mr.. Bryan himself admits his error,
When. Ii his summary OF the platform he re-
II ltyred 10 the single term plank as advocating
! aiaxls six-year term" il
4 IrX 4<N SrM rs