Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1912-10-02

OF bosses, the ameli0ration or social
conditions and 30 on through tho long
list of issues raised in the course OF
this extraordinary anyas for bopu.
lar support.
No matter what importance may be
attached TO other questions the third
term proposition is actually the most
vitality significant. 1t Is impossible
to dodge Il in behalf of Roosevelt by
the declaration that II elected his ser.
vice would have been interrupted by
q lapse Of four years. And 1t Is equal.
ly impossible to set up a defense for
his present position as candidate FOR q
third term on the ground that his
first was not a full one. but covered
only three years and a half. When
he left the White House the Attn
OF March, 1909, he was regarded by
| the people as having served two pres.
dental terms, On the night OF his
first election, in November, 1904, he
had declared in the most positive. ex.
plicit terms that he would not again
in any circumstances be a candidate
for the Office for he recognized that
the American people were unalter.
ably opposed to third presidential
term for any one man, and he later
rcatiirmed this voluntary remuneration
of all conceivable claim to a renomin-
alton, declaring that he regarded the
spirit and not the letter of the tradi.
ton as governing him, and forbidding
any continuance in the presidential
Office after the close Of his second
| term. The only excuse he has OFFER
ed for his present position is a
shameless pretense that on these two
occasions when he voluntarily read
himelf out OF any future race he
meant the third consecutive term.
A third nomination was denied to
Gen. Grant after the lapse of a term
| following his two terms in Office, on
the ground that the inviolated tradi.
lions of the country were against the
return of any man to the presidency
for q third period Of service. II he
had been nominated by dint Of the
Persistence OF his enthusiastic parti-
! sans he would undoubtedly have been
defeated on this score, despite the
high regard in which he vas held by
the people. of the United States.
It may be that the third term issue
is not regarded seriously by the pub
lie because of the feeling that Roose-
welt is not at all likely to be elected
| in November and that the question is
| therefore only academic. This is a
seriously mistaken view. Regardless
OF Roosevelt's chances, the third term
question should be considered as OF
paramount Importance. 1t is a re.
Election upon the good faith of those
who have in the past upheld and pro-.
claimed the tradition against a third
presidential term that, for purposes
Of factional revenge or through blind
hero worship, they should be now
supporting a candidacy which strikes
at one of the fundamental principles
of American government.
The president deserves great praise
for extending the classified service
over the $4,000 fouth-class postmast-
ers still outside OF 1t. Yet one car.
not but regret that he left this action
until the closing months OF his adj
ministrati0n, especially as he has
often expressed the conviction that
all officers below the grade Of cabinet
members should be removed from the
Influence Of craftsmanship. The hist.
DRY Of civil service reform is as odd
a series OF spasmodic steps as could
well be imagined. The idea has long
been accepted by all parties and has
come to be singled out for especial
notice from presidential candidates.
And yet, from the manner in which
successive steps are taken, II ignor-
ant of its successful working might
suppose that in every fresh extension
Of the classified service there was a
grave doubt as to whether It was a
safe thing to break away from the
spells system. AS a matter of fact,
it may 1e doubted whether all the
new devices for purifying our politics,
such as presidential primaries and
corrupt practice acts equal in import
ance this taking Of myriads OF offices
out Of the hands Of those who would
continue to make them the medium o.
political exchange.
Col. Roosevelt sometimes, speaks
with the same impetuous freedom
that he exercised when the Office he
held compelled at least the appear.
ance Of respectful attention. He fails