The Birmingham age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1902-1950, 1912-06-26
Says Cause of Government
Has Been Set Back
by the Chicago
Spectacle
HE PAYS TRIBUTE TO
THE LEADERSHIP OF
UNDERWOOD IN HOUSE
Says Republican Party Has Enriched
Few at Expense of Many--Have
Encouraged Combinations
in Restraint of
Trade

Baltimore. June 25.---Alton B. Parker
In his keynote speech to the convention
severely criticised the recent spectacle
lat Chicago and advocated constitu.
tional restriction limiting the number
of terms that a President may serve
Judge Parker scored the republicans
for holding up the tariff duties and ex
ltolled the leadership OF the House oi
Representatives. While he was dis
|cussing the work of the House he wa.
interrupted by cries of Underwood
Underwood" from the galleries.
The speech of Judge Parker was as fol
lows, in part
I'VE meet while the hills yet echo tc
wild cries of thief and traitor and furious
walls of fraud, bribery. treaehery anc
corruption, and our ears are weary Will
the din of the articulate shrieking and
passionate vilihcation of the most shame
full brawl of our political history.
Our candidates; however are without
exception men of such lofty mien that we
meet immune from the distemper which
seized the Chicago convention and privi-
legged to discharge a solemn duty calm
~, deliberately.
Aut Nduot VI 6bNCliliibil ny ZIG Ito-
pie the world over has been materially
checked by the disgraceful brawl which
terminated in the bedlam of Chicago
Every good citizen has been put to shame
by the brutality and abuse which eharac-
terized this wrangle between President
and ex-President. Gratitude, friendship,
party loyalty, patriotism and common de-
cency were forgotten in the tnssle.
Need Law Written
THE assault upon the unwritten prohi-
bition against third term made III the
wild scramble for the republican nenlna-
ton warns us of the Vital necessity Of
Incorporating in our constitution safe
guard against repeated terms.
I'm the very beginning of our legisla-
tion making, II was urged by delegates
participating that safety required Inn
itation OF the period OF years one man
might hold the office of President His
tory warned them of the coming of a
man whose Unsuitable lust of power would
be as consuming as Caesars, towering
high above his love of country. The dam
ger seemed. even to the pessimists, to
have passed with the establishment of a
precedent by Washington. Jefferson and
three successors.
Indeed where lives the man who has
not heard or said that an unwritten law
forbids more than two terms, and II any
one could be so foolhardy as to seek
further, he would be crushed by the
wrath OF patriotic and intelligent pub
lie.
The man who split his party at Chicago
once recognized the third term and ac-
knowledges its application to his situa-
ton. On the eve Of his triumph in 1904
he said:
:" The wise custom which limits the
President to two terms regards the sub
stance and not the form. and under no
circumstances will be a candidate or ac-
cept another nomination
Wrong In this year of grace. he was
right on that Peradventure he was
honest with his soul and he may have
may be tempted to resort to sordid de-
vices and shameless opportunities to gain
his ambition. If SO. he was In mental
condition to realize to the full the dan
ger to the republic involved In setting
aside a custom Of the constitution the
only bullwark against the assaults of
men whose ambition shocks their patriot
ism and whose selfish desire for personal
victory and power throftles those morals
with which they once were endowed
Would Want More Than Three
would the man who threw his hat
in the ring and sought TO slug his oppo-
nent over the ropes-in his fight for a
third term rest satisfied with its achieve
ment? Clearly his lust OF power would
have brookeds no such limitation. A third
term would but have whetted his desire
for more and as the terms slipped away
each renewal would discover greater in
Jury to our constitution and government
established under II. This Is the man
who rnenaced us with an Increase of fed
eral power by usurpation of states rights
and without authority of constitutional
amendment: the man who took the 18th
mus of Panama and let Congress debate
about II afterward;' the man who not
having enough money TO send the feet
on the famous cruise TO the Pacific sent
1t without sanction Of Congress- leaving
IT to appropriate the money for the re-
turn when Congress deemed that neres-
sary This is the man who advocated
federal incorporation for the increase Of
power at washington and the tightening
of legal burdens on the corporations: the
man who authorized the absorption of the
Tennessee Coal and Iron company by
the steel trust; the man who by many
such drastic acts and by unnumbered
words has sought to batter down our
statutory and constitutional safeguards
.'Do we envy Mexico her % years OF
welded life. or the war divorce from
DIaz, precipitated, the end OF which no
man can pfopnefyg 4 ne way TO prevent
a like series of terrors Is TO prevent tha
present attempt TO recnpture the office.
One of our opportunities In this carupairn
is to lead the fight against a third tern
That opportunity should anpeal to every
drop Of blood flowing in our veins.
Tradition Not Sufficient
"rnquestionablv we have been wrong
in assuming that tradition against a
third term constitutes sufficient safe
guard against unscrupulous ambition for
unlimited power. We need definite con-
siii nal limitation which shall prevent
if4os listic souls from forcing personal
alton in Office for long periods or
t W and the personal selection of a
ssi~ sr in office. And the constitution
json should 60 one step further
sisen recently assailed tradition. The
fTa N should limit 10 sinele term.
viii the occupants of the office
fore them the ambition so to full
~ great trust reposed in them that
trement they shall hear from a
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