The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-11-17

merely as one of respect to the off1ce
and Indicative of your love OF country
and as typical of your loyalty. but
assume for the purposes of tonight
that discussion of the office which
/ have held. and In which ] have re-
joiced and suffered will not be inap-
propriate.
Most Powerful Ii the World.
@It Is said that the offlce OF pregi-
dent of the United States is the most
powerful In the world because under
the constitution It's occupant really
can exercise more discretion than an
emperor or king exercises In any OF
the governments OF modern Europe.
II am not disposed to question this
as matter Of reasoning from the
actual power given the president in
the constitutional division Of govern
mental functions, but am bound to
say that the consciousness OF such
power ia rarely IL ever present in the
mind OF the ordinary individual act
ing as president, because what chiefly
stares him in the face In carrying out
any plan OF his, Is the limitation OF
the power and not Its extent.
"Of course there are happy indiyid-
nails who are able to entirely ignore
these limitations, both in mind and
1practice, and as to them, the result
may be different. But to one whose
training and profession is subordinate
La x.,S
sobers Off in the knowledge OF its re-
strictions and under the prompt re-
minder Of an ever-present and not al
ways consfderate press. as well as by
1 the kindly suggestions that not infre-
quently come from Ihat hall OF con-
gress, In which impeachinents are In
iherited and in that smaller chamber
in which they are tried.
'.In these days of progress, reforms,
|uplifts and improvements, a man does
not show himself abreast of the age
unless he has some changes to sug-
gest It is the recommended change
that marks hrs being up to date. 1t
may be change once for the sake OF
change, but 1t is responsible to pub
lie demand and therefore let's propose
it.
SIT is contrary to my love for the
dear old constitution to suggest any
alteration in it's terms. lest it be re-
garded as reflection upon, or a crit
icism of, that which has been put TO
the sacred use for one hundred and
twenty-five years of maintaining lib
erty. regulated by law and the guar
, antics of the rights of the minority
!, and the individual under the rule OF
the majority But yielding to the
!modern habit and just to show that.
, though | am conservative, am not
] reactionary or trilobite. venture
that suggestion that it would aid the
efficiency of the executive and enter
his energy and attention and that of
his subordinates in the latter part OF
9 his administration upon what Is
e purely disinterested public service, il
; he were made ineligible after serr-
{ ing one term of six years either to q
succeeding or non-consecutive term
Q Il am a little specific In this mat
e ter, because 1t seems necessary to be
l. 80 In OrQeT TO De uuueIStOpu- i w 5uo'
e care how unambitious or how nodes
II a president; don't care how determ
j ined he Is that he himself will not Sc
1T cure his nomination (and there arr
d very few indeed who go to that ex
70 tent), still his subordinates. equal,
$ interested with him in his reelection
will, whenever they have the oppor
c. tunity, exert their influence and d
le vide their time between the publ
O. service and the effort TO secure
e. chiefs nomination and reelection.
ut Is difficult TO prevent the whole at
g ministration from losing a part of it
er efeceyeness for the public good. b
of this diversion to political effort for a
re least year of the four of each az
er ministration. Were this made impo'
sr- sible by law, can see no reason VIII
sh the energy of the president and tins
n; of all his subordinates might not b
an directed rather to making great re-
Sc ord of efficiency for the first and onl
term, instead OF seeking a secon
he ---------------