The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-08-15

HERALD, FRIDAY, AUGUe
great political parties of this country
dent that has been followed by all tne
and 1t has saved the country from the
dangers of one man rule It has. by
custom, become we'll established both py
the nation and in the states. that no chief
executive shall have longer tenure of
| office than two terms
General Grant. with the great prestige
OF having commanded successful army.
arc a further prestige of an unpopular
administration of President Arthur, un-
dertook to overthrow this well established
precedent, but he was thwarted by the
/ pumed knight of the republican party,
j James G. Blaine.
Theodore Roosevelt. the aggressive
fighter, who hesitated at no barriers and
who had an unbroken line of political
successes, thought that he could brush
aside all obstacles and accomplish what
no other man had been able to do in these
| United States, but he too met his Water
loo at the hands of the schoolslaster
Woodrow Wilson,
similar efforts have been made in our
own state, but the precedent established
by Washington remains unbroken, both in
the nation and in Alabama.
No Perpetual Governor
|
wisdom of this unbroken CUSTOM have
SO feguarded it in its fundamental law.
! prior to the constitution of 1901 every
| governor was accorded a second term
without opposition in his own party. There
being practically but one party, the cleo
| tior to the second term was a mere for
mality. Our constitution makers of 1901,
| to avoid the useless expense of this formal
election of the states chief executive
every two years, consolidated the two
terms of two years each into one term OF
four years. The members of this constitu-
tonal convention, to emphasize their ad-
herents to the custom only two terms FOR
the chief executive office of the state. and
that there might be no mistaking their
purpose of intent inserted ahe clause that
no governor should be eligible to election
or appointment to any office under the
state or the United States, within one year
after the expiration of his term.
You can see, my fellow citizens, our
own constitution makers foresaw the dan
gers to the state in having governor
reckless with the power of his office in the
creation of and the appointments to many
offices, in profligate appropriations, in in
increase of salaries and special legisla-
tion for the benefit of the few.
But they never dreamed that anyone
would be so bold and ambitious as to
dissipate the revenues of the state as has
precedent now? Form a new habit that
will encourage and embolden the political
boss to become more reckless in his grasp
for power.
Diaz of Alabama
"Only a few days ago we read of
| speaker in our neighboring town of Union
Springs, by a judge of one of our high
lccurts. In his Introductory remarks this
Judge stated that he would support the
appointed by him to his present position
of judgel What travesty upon the bal
lot of the free thinking. liberty loving
| Ala bar mian, who has declared that tine
franchise shall rest with the virtuous and
Intelligent OH my fellow citizens, In
tho above example lies the danger of long
tenure and succession in an office of great
appointive power.
"Shall we foster and encourage political
bcssism and the ruthless dissipation or
our revenues that have been squeezed
fiom the people by disregarding and
warnings of our constitution and over
turning the safeguards of our countryY
No, a thousand times no. Let not the
| Diaz of Alabama politics even dream that
he can persuade the honest brave, liberty
loving people of Alabama to align them
selves with an army whose watchward Is
| self preservation, and thereby break down
the great principles of government that
| have stood out as a beacon light against
tyranny and selffishness.
Remarks in Conclusion
My fellow citizens, these are some or
the things which address themselves TO me
as needing the attention of those to whom
you shall intrust the affairs of your gov
ernment If ! were a demagogue, or
sought to appeal to your passions to Sc
cure your suffrage, l would promise you
complete relief from all the ills in gov
ernment in exchange for my election; that
[ would curb the railroads, that | would
reduce the taxes, that | would enforce the
law against crime, that | would do away
with useless offices, that 1 would increase
the public school fund, that | would IN
/ crease the appropriations for old soldiers,
| that | would have none but honest APP
pointees, and that during my term of
office a period of prosperity would ex-
tend from one end of this state to the
other
Il do not make these promises, but
do promise you this, that insofar as God
Almighty has given me the capacity TO
| see and the power to attain, | will use
my best efforts in the service to which
you will call me, and to foster within
our beloved state agriculture mining
lme rchandise, manufacture and every leglt-
innate business for the peace and welfare
of the state that is dear to you and to
me- and whose future glory is so en-
tvined amid the fibers of my heart that
should it be withdrawn it would take away
my whole lifes blood.
Economic government, honestly admin
istered, for the good of the whole people,
with malice toward none special favors
for none and with a desire to serve all, /
shall go into your service untrammelied
: and unbought, unpledged to any private
: conclave or any secret clique, and un-
dominated by any corporate interests,
with no mans collar, and during this CAM
paign shall bear myself as becomes son
of Alabama"