Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1912-02-16
THE THIRD-TERM STORY

representatives get busy. Nothing
came of the passing agitation. 1t
may be, however, that a PROPOSE.
tion against a third term for
presidents will get serious con-
sideration during the present
session. The news report indicates
that several house republicans are
willing to vote for it.
There is a great body of liter
ature dealing with this subject.
Much of It came to the public's
attention in 1880, when it was
proposed to nominate Grant fo. a
third term. At the end of his
second term Grant was succeeded
by Hayes, who was declared sue
cHssful at the result of the election
ir 1876.
Sew raj presidents are on record.
Washington's farewell address
declared against a third term. In
fact, Washington was strongly in
favor of only one term anu he so
declared before. he was urged to
serve two terms. jefferson said:
General Washington set the
example of voluntary retirement
after eight years. shall follow,
1t, and few more precedents will
oppose the obstacle of habit to any
one WIN shall endeavor to extend
his term"
After he had been four years in
retirement Jefferson was urged to
be candidate for a third term
and he refused. Madison, Monroe
and Jackson were two-term presi-
dents but there was no revival of
third-term talk until Grants time.
While he was serving his second
term there was considerable, talk
about a third consecutive term.
but there were earnest pronounce.
ments against the plan in some
republican gatherings.
About that time the house of
representatives, by a vote of 233
to Is. passed resolution in
emphatic declaration against a
third term. The democrats then
controlled the house, but of eighty
eight republicans seventy voted
for this resolution. But there was
Il turning to Cant four years later
with much popular support of tho
proposition that the four interven-
ing years made difference.
The memorable fight of 1880 in
the Chicago convention followed.
The Grant forces were admirably
organized and brilliantly led,
Roscoe Conkling being conspicuous
in leadership. On the first ballot
Grant had 3O4 votes; on the thirty
sixth final ballot. he had the
famous 306. Garfield was noni-
mated. In the ensuing campaign
Grant and Conkling unquestion-
ably saved New York and the
election for Garfield. Very soon
after his Inauguration Garfield
treated Conkling contemptuously.
Conkling resigned his senatorship
and, to his amazement failed of
reelection. Garfield was assassi-
mated hu' his taking-ofi had
nothing to do with the Conkling
trouble.
Mckinley was the first two-term
president after Grant. Directly
after his election to his second
term there was informal talk about
n third term for him. Major
Mckinley stopped it summarily. He
said: 81 not only am not and will
not be candidate for third
term, but ! would not accept a
nomination were it tender ed me"
Upon the death of President Nc
Kinley, Vice-rresident Roosevelt
became president in 1901. He
then was the regularly.elected
president in 1904.
Before his full term began
Roosevelt made formal announce
ment that he regarded his first
three years and half as a full
term and he added: "The wise
custom that limits the president to
two terms regards the substance
and not form, and under no
circumstances will be n candidate
for or accept another term"
IL is part Of the third.term
story that at the time when the