Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1912-04-26
His Speech One of the Most
Painful Duties of His Life

My fell0w-citizens, 1 Am here to dis
charge one Of the most painful duties of
my life I am here in response to an
obligations that I owe to the republican
party which selected me as its candidate
and to the American people who elected
me President. 1t Is Of such a high and
exacting character that I cannot escape
1t. 1t grows out OF phase of national
politics and national life that believe
to be unprecedented in our history SO
unusual is the exigency that the ordinary
rules of propriety that limit and restrict
q President in his public addresses must
be laid aside and the cold. naked truth
must be stated In such q way that ii shall
serve as q warning to the people OF the
United States.
Mr.. Roosevelt ought not to be nomi.
mated at Chicago because in such nomina-
ton the republican party will violate our
most useful and necessary governmental
tradition-that no one shall be permit
ted to hold third presidential term. AR.
Roosevelt fully recognized this tradition
in November. 1904. when on the night Of
his election he said:
II am deeply sensible Of the honor done
me by the American people in thus ex-
pressing their confidence In what I have
done and have tried to do. I appreciate
to the full the solemn responsibility this
confidence imposes upon me, and shall
do all that In my power lies not to forfeit
It. On the fourth of March next I shall
have served three and a half years, and
this three and half years constitutes my
first term. The wise custom which limits
the President to two terms regards the
substance and not the form, and under no
circumstances will be a candidate for or
accept another nomination"
He now says, although his language
M n
he meant he would not accept a nomina-
ton for a consecutive third term. He
says so In face Of the fact that the most
noteworthy precedent In which the ira
dition was asserted and maintained was
that Of 1880, when Gen. Grant was de-
MED q third term four years after he
had left the presidential office 1t is not
for me to enter into q discussion of the
II he frankly announced that he had
changed his mind no one would be dis
posed to hold him to q promise Of that
sort merely because he had made It,
throw an informing light on the value
that ought now to be attached to any
promise of this kind he may make for
the future. The important fact is that his
declaration was the statement OF q prin-
ciple essential to the welfare Of the re-
public.
Mr. Roosevelt would accept q nominal
ton for third term upon what ground?
Not because he wishes 1t himself. He
has disclaimed any such desire. He is
convinced that the American people think
that he is the only one to do the job las
he terms iO, and for this he Is ready to
his personal comfort. He does
not define exactly what 1.-The job is
which he is to do. but IL we may infer
from his Columbus platform that 4 is
to bring about a change of the social in
stitutions OF this country by legislation
and other means which he may be able
~ ha od
States. SO as to enable the people to in
crease the equality of condition and the
equality Of opportunity Of our citizens.
need hardly say that such an ambi-
short four years. Were this possible. We
ought to have q description Of the laws.
the enactment OF which. and the exec
utive orders, the issuing OF which. would
orders are forthcoming. An analysis Of
his proposed remedies is impossible be-
cause he proposes no remedies. He an
what he will do and how much
OF constructive plan. and he
obtains support by an iteration and reit-
GRAFTON Of high purpose. without Offering
any practical solution to the difficulties
Infer. therefore. that ''the job which Mr..
roosevelt Is to perform Is one that may
take a long time. perhaps the rest of his
natural life. There Is not the slightest
reason why, II ne secures third term,
and the Limitation Of the Washington.
Jenerson and Jackson tradition is broken
down, he should not have as many terms
~ his natural life will permit. II he is
necessary now to the government. why
not later?
One who SO lightly regards constitution
al principles. and especially the inde-
pendence of the judiciary. one who is so
naturally impatient Of legal restraints.
and of due legal procedure. and who has
30 misunderstood what liberty regulated
by law Is. could not safely be intrusted
with successive presidential terms l say
this sorrowfully, but ! cay II with the
(ull conviction Of its truth