The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-02-13
to know and to experience what is
that good and acceptable and perfect
will of God" Your truly,
HAM.
The Term of The President.
% the Editor of The Republican.

tional Capital, presumably, responding
to the beating of the public pulse the
time may be opportune for expression
of opinions through the press touching
legislative enactments of national con-
Germ. 1t amazes to note how.silent are
so many journals of wide circulation and
conceded influence upon topics under
discussion in congress, and elsewhere,
of immediate interest to the people at
large. There are bit few ways more
apt to safe and durable termination
than a free and sober expression of in
telligent views through we'll regulated
publications, and surely no better way
is yet devised to register the country's
will before resort to the ballot. After
dom IN Washington are we satisfied that
a sound, clear or desirable suggestion
has yet been reached as to the nature of
the change in the presidential term?
Why not, as for executives in many
states, limit the presidents to fixed
term in which he cannot succeed himself
in Office. but leaving him eligible for
any term following the one next after
his own. Does it impress the thought
full man as either just or wise to forever
exclude an eX-president from future
elevation to that office? If. after the
4th day of next March, a majority of
the voters should desire to re-elect as
chief magistrate either OF tie two ex-
presidents then living it should be their
right to do so. Why is ii good policy to
restrict an incumbent to a single term?
Clearly it is done or advocated to stop
the abuse in using the powerful infu-
ton in Office and to confne the activities
Of the executive to the duties of the
office; but when retired 3from office for
term he will be as fully stripped as
the average citizen cof dangerous lnhu-
ences, and, it may be, better qualified
ty reason of former training for a sue
cessful. administration. Surely expert
ence and official worth have not lost
their value among our people.
No little has been said and written as
to pension stipend or position crea,
ted for the support and preservation of
the dignity of presidents to follow the
close of their official term. Could we
make them members-at-large of the
United States Senate, with the same
salary as other senators. the same
rights and privileges of every.descrip-
ton so long as they may prefer to con-
tinue as members, discharging their du-
ties as other senators? Would not the
fact of being senator at large imply
special dignity to the recipient even in
that honorable body of legislators sec
ond to none in the world? In the senate
they would deal often with the same
questions and problems of state with
which they had beeni made,zfamlIiar
while presiding in the chief seat of the
Republic, the country would.be receiv-
ing continuance of their widened judg-
ment and enlightened practice. The ex-
listing wav of electing a president and
vlce-presldent is knocking at the door
of judicious legislation for relief from
its obsolete requirement. When this
method was adopted not one, perhaps,
of the great men of the time believed
nominee for president could gain ma
joritY in the electoral college and not
gain also a majority of the popular vote;
but in the face of the test of a long time
1t develops that a nominee may have
safe majority of the electors and be
greatly in the minority of the popular
vote. A remedy can be found for this
wrong basing of such elections upon the
will of the majority as was, beyond
doubt, the original intention.
Extreme cold frequently occurring on
the 4th of March. the constitutional day
for presidential inauguration, has been
followed by discomforts and fatalities
more than sufficient for date later in
the season and fixed for a certain day
in the week to avoid Sundays with grave
complications. Likely the first president
Harrison lost his life in the cold of that
early date, SURVIVING one month.
Repeated clashes and acrimonious
contention between the executive and
administrative branches of the govern
ment induce the belief that congress
should be chosen for a term equal to
that Of the ingoing administration. All
remember how the policy of Mr.. Cleve-
land. no less than that of Mr.. Taft and
other presidents, was hampered and
obstructed by a change of congress in
the middle of the term, no little,.to the
injury of the tranquility and business
stability of the country.
In opposition to these suggestions it
may be said such changes will secure too
much tlnkering with the constitution,
the greatest charter of human freedom
that ever emanated from the pen of
man. Grant all that, but remember it
was framed in the long-ago for about
five millions of people experimenting