The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1913-02-06
FOR 6-YEAR TERM
SENATE SENDS TO HOUSE RESC.
LUTON TO PREVENT RE-ELEc-
TON OF A PRESIDENT.
LINEUP ON THE FINAL VOTE
Early Ratification by States Will Give
Princeton Man Six-Year Tenure
Roosevelt Supporters Plan Bitter
Fight Against the Bill.

Washington. The first step has
been taken toward the adoption of a
constitutional amendment fixing the
term Of President OF the United States
at six years marking the chief execu-
tive ineligible to succeed himself.
By a vote of A. to % the Works
single term resolution was adopted by
the Senate. The advocates of the re.
form succeeded in mastering two.
thirds.
Under the terms of the resolution as
it passed the Senate, Colonel Roose-
welt, President Taft and Woodrow Viii
son are eliminated from the field OF
possibilities for the Presidency in fu.
ture contests. The resolution, if it
should be ratified by three-fourths OF
the States before the expiration of
Woodrow Wilson's term, will, how.
ever, have the effect of adding two
years to his tenure, giving him a six
instead of a four-year term.
The resolution now goes to the
House of Representatives and the
likelihood is that it will be passed by
that body by a more decisive vote than
resulted in the Senate
The resolution proposes to substi-
tute for the first two sentences of Sec,
ton l, Article II. of the Constitution,
the following language:
THE executive power shall be vest
ed in a President of the United States
OF America The term of the office of
President shall be six years. and no
person who has held the Office by cleo
tion or discharged its powers or
duties, or acted as President under
the Constitution and laws made in
pursuance thereof, shall be eligible to
hold again the Office by election. The
President and the Vice-President
chosen for the same term shall be
elected as follows"
After debate that had lasted three
days the final roll call on the adop.
ton of the resolution was one of the
most exciting in the history Of the
Senate A change of one vote from
the affirmative to the negative would
have killed the measure, and through.
out the calling Of the roll the two
third ratio was almost evenly main.
tanned Three times it was two to
one
When John Sharp Williams, next to
the last Senator on the list, cast his
vote, it stood "A to % Senator John
d. Works of California then added one
to the affirmative ana the roll was
complete. Senator William o. Brad,
ley of Kentucky, however, came in
late and interrupted the recapitulation
to cast his vote in the negative, kill.
ing the resolution until Senator Rob.
ert l.. Owen of Oklahoma saved it
with a vote in the affirmative.
Then Senator Henry A du Pont OF
Delaware, who had previously an.
nounced his pair, said that he felt
free to vote, and while Senators
leaned forward expectantly, wonder
ing whether he would defeat the reso.
luton at the last moment, he gave the
one extra vote in the affirmative, max.
ing the total AZ to %.
Every Democrat except Senator
Benjamin F. Shively of Indiana voted
for the resolution. The two Pro
MISREPRESENTATION Joseph NJ. Dixon
of Montana, and Miles A. Poindexter
of Washington-voted against the res.
olution, which, if ratified, would spell
the political death OF their chief. Sew.
enteen regular Republicans voted af,
Tentatively at the expense of Roose.
veltS elimination, and two more years
in office for a Democratic President
To the surprise of his colleagues, Sen
ator Robert NJ. La Toilette of Wis
consin, prominent radical, but one
who hates Colonel Roosevelt more
than he does President Taft, voted
against the resolution that would guar.
antee Colonel Roosevelt a quiet old
age Senator Albert B. Cummins of
Iowa, another radical Republican, who
has aspirations conflicting with the
reelection of Colonel Roosevelt voted
for the resolution. The only other
radical Republican supporting the res
olution was Mr.. Works, but he de-
uounced Colonel Roosevelt and Presi.
dent Taft with equal yehemence dur
ing the campaign and cast his vote
for Governor Wilson.