The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1913-01-31
THE RECALL OF
PRESIDENT LOSES
Proposal Is Voted Down 4
Senate, So to 10.
ONE TERM BILL DEBATED
Flood Of Amendments Presented Whem
the Measure Is Taken Up and De
bate Is Lively.

Flood of Amendments Presented Whet1
the Measure Is Taken Up and 0e.
bate Is Lively.
Washington, Jan. 31.-Presidential
terms ranging all the way from two to
six years; prohibitions against sec
ond terms and third terms; exemptions
that would affect Roosevelt, Taft and
Wilson, and proposals for the recall
and the direct popular election q
presidents were thrust into the senate
h rapid succession during the consids
pration of the constitutional amend
ment limiting a president to single
term of six years.
In a session filled with lively de-
bate, Senator BristOw's proposal tnat
a president could be recalled at any
regular election was voted down. 81
to 10, and Senator Hoke Smiths
amendment to make the single term
four years instead of six, was defeat
ed, AZ to 25. More than dozen amend
ments were pending when the senate
recessed.
Senators Dixon and Poindexter, Pro
Progressives; Bristow, Progressive-
Republican, and Lodge, Republican, led
the fight against restriction OF the
presidential term. Senator Williams,
Democrat, proposed a four-year term,
with the privilege of reelection once,
but his amendment was SO drawn as
to prevent Colonel Roosevelt from
seeking another election.
The defeat of the Bristow amend
ment for recall of the president fol
lowed a short debate, in which Sena-
tor Bristow urged that to make the
federal administration properly re-
sponsive to public demand, the people
should have the right to change the
president when they change congress-
The vote on the recall amendment
mustered ten votes only in its favor,
the following senators voting for 1t:
Ashurst, Bristow, Clapp. Dixon.
Gronna and Poindexter, Progressives,
and Republicans; MARITIME, Owens.
Perky and Thomas, Democrats.
The candidates. of Roosevelt, VIII
son, Bryan and Taft figured in the
fight. Senator Borah said that Presl
dent Taft had not used the power OF
his office for his own reelection In
1912 to any greater extent than Presi'
dent Roosevelt had used it In 1908 foz
the election of President Taft NJ
Bristow said:
President Roosevelt wanted
Tart would carry 5ut the |pfincfpi5 j sfA
which the Roosevelt administra{ion
was devoted. A president who wouId
not use every effort to perpetuate hfs
policies would not be worth his salt
Senator Hitchcock asked If it was
not generally believed" that Rooses eli
favored President Taft's nomination in
1908 so that he himself might be a
candidate in 1912.
Senator Borah retorted: 81 know the
senator himself does not entertain
such a thought. so l feel free to say
that such an idea is the product of a
diseased mind"
Senator Dixon's charge that single
six-year term was desired chiefly Dy
ambitious aspirants for the presidency.
and the declaration of Senators Bris.
tow and Poindexter that this proposed
limitation would be destructive OF
American principles of government,
made up the burden of the Progressive
fight against the resolution.
Senator Bristow declared the people
should be free to choose their own
president and to re-elect a president
when they believed it wise. He de
clared the constitution should include
a recall provision, 80 that when con-
gress is overthrown because an ad-
ministration is not satisfactory the
people could also recall the president
and eseablish new administration
throughout.