Manchester Democrat. [volume] (Manchester, Iowa) 1875-1930, 1912-01-10
ROOSEVELT AND THE THlRC
a3 TERM TRADITION.
u (From the New Yor World. }

(FTOm the New YOf WOrlQ.)
The World cannot agree with it's
old friend Henry Watterson that "the
third term tradition is all that stands
between us and. life tenure In the
Presidential office"
The third-term tradition has UNI
doubtedly had its uses yet we think
those uses hav been greatly overes-
timated. The tradition lis of less
Importance than the character of the
President upon whom the third term
is to be- conferred :. A third term for
Washington Of Jefferson or Jackson
would not and could not have meant
life tenure Had Lincoln been spar
ed, a third term in his case might
have averted the terrible tragedy Of
reconstruction without diminishing
by a single grain the sum total Of
American liberty
n A nation that is wholly tit for self
government, that respects it's own in
stitutions, that believes in due pro-
cess Of law and Is still attached to-
the basic principles of human free
dom, has little to fear from q third
term or even a fourth term Its. po-
litical salvation Is always in its own
hands and it remains the strongest
guarantee Of It's own liberties
The menace Of the Roosevelt cam
paign does not lie In the attack up
on the third-term tradition but In
the state Of mind that could desire
four years more OF Theodore Roose-
welt in the White Housefoar years
more OF personal government, four
years more Of Presidential lawless--
ness, four years more OF autocratie
rule, four years more OF Executive
contempt for Congress, courts and
Constitution, four years more Of CEN
ltralizatdon, four years more Of jingo-
ism, -four years more OF wanton e1-
ftravagance, four years more OF de
nuncdation and demagogy-in thu
state Of mind that wants the New
Nationailsm, that wants Little Faith
er that wants Federal interference
with every form Of human industry
and activity, that wants the state
stripped OF heir powers, that wants
the minority deprived Of all safe
guards against the tyranny OF tn
majority and bureaucracy substitute,
fort he BIN OF Rights.
This Is q generation that has ia,
too little inaght into the meaninl
Of it's own institutions. 1t has forgot
ten how much blood and iron wen
Into the making Of the. iberiesewhic
it inherited and which cost it nothing
It Is = generation impatient Of al
RESTRAINT upon its impulses and it
i passions. It regards itself as tn
Fathers, and the Prophets. IT think
lit has nothing to learn from tn
|past and that the history OF the hu
man struggle for freedom carries n
lesson to this century. Anything
like Constitutions or courts or prece
dents which stand in the way OF it
Immediate will is regarded rs al
.|obstacle to progress. 4.
This sentiment alone is Response
BILE for the recrudescence Of Roose
Il vltlsm, and this sentiment constitute
the real menace to representative go
eminent and republican institutions
II he American people are determin
ed to have the kind Of governmen
that Mr.. Roosevelt represents the!
will get it regardless Of third terms
II they do not take him they will
find another Roosevelt.
The danger does not lie In popular
Indifference to the third-term tradt
ton but I'm popular Indifference t
the fundamental principles OF liber
y upon which the Republic was es
tablished. II the American people
/ with al. their knowledge Of two tern'
Il Roosevelt, want third term o.
Roosevelt, they should allow nothing
so flimsy as precedent to stand IN
their way.