Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1912-02-21
is NOW DEFENDING A THIRD
TERN.

If the Outlook" reflects the views
of ex-presidnet Roosevelt to the eX-
tent that it is popularity supposed toI
do. then that statesman has seen fit
to very materially modify and revise
his opinion as to the third term prop
osition. A few years ago, on assum-
| ing the office of president for his
second term, or, as his friends now
maintain, for his first regular term.
he expressly repudiated the thought
that he would aspire for another
term. gave strong endorsement to the
public sentiment opposed to third
term, and insisted that this meant a
Limitation to eight years regardless of
circumstances. There was no mis-
taking his attitude at that time as be-
) ing one of pronounced hostility to
any aspirant. securing the office of
! president for a longer time than thai,
whether an interval elapsed between
! the close of the eight years and the
effort to return to power or not.
The passage of the past three years,
evidently, has altered his viewpoint
Entering on the presidential Office for
another four years he doubtless was
| sincere in the expression of the belief
that he should under no circumstances
| be considered as eligible for a further
tenure of office. Out of office, though.
with his friends, ambitious to use
him as the means of returning to pow
, er themselves, constantly prodding
him to enter the field, with the nat
ural egotism that is so marked a char
acteristic in his makeup aroused. and
appealed to as the only saviour
of his party and the country, his alleg
: lance to the old convictions has be-
, come very wobbly. AS a result he is
/ now casting about for excuses and
| explanations, for subterfuges to con-
ceal his change of front. This is
shown in the following editorial from
"The Outlook" While it may not have
emanated from Roosevelt's pen, it can
be accepted as expressing his present
state of mind. The Outlook" says:
Those who think that it is still I'M
safe to elect a President for a third
term should recall the fact that the
objections to third term were formu-
lated against a third consecutive term
Stanwoods History of Presidential
ELECTORS" states that many opponents
of Presiden. Grants third-term NOM
ination in 1876 joined the movement
to nominate him in 1880, ond ground
that an election after an interval OF
four wears would not be a breach OF
the "unwritten Constitution" against a
third term" A man who leaves the
Presidency, and is reelected after d
lapse of or or II years, has nc
body of office-holders behind him, does
not possess the power of patronage
and therefore stands in the same foot
>, ing as any other private citizen.
~ In Mr.. Roosevelt's specific case it is
sometimes said that his statement il
1904 and 1907 that he would not accent
=, another nomination would make his
acceptance of nomination on this
Il year inconsistent What Mr. Roosc
= welt said in 1904 and 1907 referred, o
course, to a consecutive third term
!, ? Mr.. Roosevelt believes. although we dc
> not share his belief, that the settled
=, policy of this country makes thirF
. consecutive Presidential term for an,
man impclitic. if not improper; but th'
E Outlook has a better appreciation o
= 5his intelligence than to suppose that h
- had in 1904 or has now the slightes
: idea of defining third term except il
the way in which We have here def"o
it. The situation NAV perhaps be made
. | clear by a homelv illustration:
4 When a man saws at breakfast in tn
| morning, mo thank you, | will no
=, take any more coffee" it does not meal
! that he will not take any more coffe
tomorrow morning, or the next week
or next month, or next year.