Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1913-02-12
WEDNESDAY,, FEBRUARY 70, 1918
THE MOVE AGAINST THIRD
1ERMISM.

The demonstration against third
termism starts off with considerable
momentum, says the st. Louis Globe.
Democrat. Curiously enough, the
proposition to limit the service Of a
president to a single term received
more votes in the senate from the
democrats than it did from the repub-
licans, although it was the republi.
cans who were injured by the folly
which the proposition IS directed
against. This is because the repub-
leans are naturally more conserva-
tive than the democrats" They are
inclined to believe that the attempt
to get more terms in tue presidency
than Washington, Jefferson or Jack
son received can never be successful,
and that the honor which was denied
to Grant and Roosevelt will not be
given to anybody else. Thus many
republicans consider that the evil
which they combated in 1912 has re-
ceived it's death blow without render.
ing a change in the constitution nee.
essary.
Will the proposition be accepted by
the house? Probably 1t will. Ordi-
narily that chamber is more willing
to make new departures in policy
than Is the senate. Most of the
prophets said that the amendment
would have no chance o. winning in
the upper body. In the "straw" polls
many democrats were counted against;
it, but on the final roll call only one
disclosed himself. This was Shiveiy
of Indiana. The proposed change in
the constitution is deemed to be rath,
er ~rnOmentOus, az we see by the cir.
Cumstance that such IL conservative
republican as Lodge voted against it.
Like many other republicans, Lodge
perhaps sees the possibility of a crisis
in the future in which the country
might be impeded by a single term
restriction, wen though tile term be
heightened one-half, as under the res
olution which has just passed the sen
ate, but he, as welt as u large major
ity OF his party, believe that some
limit to the incumbency OF a president
ought to be set up, and it was placed
by washington and Jefferson.
Nevertheless, the sanction Of the
siilgle.term restriction by the country
is probable. These are Revolutionary
days, and revolutionary practices de.
rnand remedies OF the same sort.
Those who yer here when the coun-
try denied a third term to Grant De-
lieyed that they would never live to
see the Washington unwritten law
assailed again. They could not fore
see the colonel. 1t is well, therefore,
to keep the unexpected in mind, and
to pronibit it where it would be harm
full. Much can be said in favor of
two terms for good presidents, and
no president save a good n would
have any chance for reelection. Most
Of the four years to which a president
is elected is often required to enable
him to learn the duties of his station,
and to gain sufficient support from
congress to make his administration
a success. Many presidents give a
large part Of these four years to plan
ming for election for a second term.
With these two constructions to a
presidents usefulness eliminated,
most of the %eight.year executives
have done better work Tor the country
in the second half Of their service
then they did in their first half. The
absence of any restriction, however,
as to length of service IS a powerful
temptation to an ambitious and un.
s%crupul0us man who thinks he has the
multitude with him. Hence the res.
olution which has just passed the sen
ate.
tuberculosis testing Of dairy herds
Is a requirement. to prevent the spread