The Washington herald., 1913-01-16
THE OPEN FORUM
MUNSEY'S PLAN FOR
A HOLDING COMPANY
Henry W. Blair Declares the Fight |,
Over the Third-term
Proposition.

To the Editor: The proposal OF Mr..
Munsey to organize a holding company
10 take over the Republican party and
the genuine Roosevelt third term reVo-
lutionists is a conception worthy of per
haps the widest and most powerful in
tellect and ali-around practical person
aIity in the so-calIed Progressive" poll
teal trust. The masses Of the Re
publican party are already reunited,
and three-fourths of them would vote
to-day as a unit upon any issue that the
Republican party stood for in the last
election.
Some of the leaders in each faction
may be worried about what is to be-
come Of them. but what the masses
want is to be let alone and have a
chance to grow together again. Sur
geons don't try To set a splintercd bone
much. They bind it up the best they
can and let nature work. BY and by the
man gets good leg. 1t may get well
in two years, certainly in four. Mean
while il the Democrats can do any good
why not bid them EOdspeed in their new
vocation. They haven't done much
for the last hall century. Let us help
these new beginners all We can until
our conyaIescenCe is over. As Re
publican l peter them to the third
term. Yes, the Roosevelt movement.
which is not the real Progressive
movement" s dead and Mr.. Munsey
knows il. The great body Of the people
who were in it will follow him and take
their sentiments of progress and uplift
back into the Republican party, where
they will find plenty of congenal spirits:
some even in advance of themselves. and
all the progressive and orderly develop
ment which our evolutionary status will
permit
The one insuperable objection to the
self-styled Progressive party $50 called
by some unaCCountable mistake or a
crying sense of the need of heavenly
livery for third-term purpOsesl. is that
1t stands for a third Presidential term,
and for as many more as a too trusting
and enthusiastic people will give. or as
ambition and treason can take. OF
course. the masses don't mean il. and
Mr.. Munsey knows they won't stand for
it. and with exceptional foresight he has
devised the hest scheme he can to get
them and himself out of bad scrape.
But Mr.. Roosevelt naturally repudi-
ates his own Reputation. The simple
pass on and are punished.
On the other hand the Democracy is
largely lined up for a single six-year
term. which is only less bad than the
third
partisan League stands for the highest,
hottest, all-dominating issue in American
politiCs-the four-year term with one
possible reelection, not exceeding eight
years in all-the work of the fathers
ratified for a century and a quarter by
the sons. This is a double-header shoot
ing with siXteen-inch guns, both ways
against the revolutionary constitutional
amendment, as it may prove to be. for
a six-year single term. and the Roose-
veltians who continue to follow that am
bilious leader whose election to a third
term will be revolution accomplished.
All patriots should rally around this
supreme issue. The Constitution and
the custom constituting it as they have
been from the beginning. The party
which does so will live. All other par
ties will die.
Senator Williams has moved this issue
in the Senate. Representative BarthoIdt
has introduced the resolution in the
House. HENRY VI. BLAIR
President NOnrartisan Anti-Third Term League.