Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1913-02-01

ton was aimed at Colone
Roosevelt" declared Senator Cum
minis, today in advocating the Works
single 6-year Presidential term amend
ment, but it has been very busil8
urged throughout the United States
, lately that we are legislating to make
/ Roosevelt ineligible. There is no trutf
in such statements and l know they
must be abhorrent to Colonel Roose-
| welt"
The debate centered about the dec
laration by Senator Williams, Demo
crat, that unless such amendments
were adopted as to make Rooseveit,
Taft and Wilson eligible for another
term, the friends of Roosevelt and
others might oppose satisfaction of the
| Constitutional amendment by the
states.
II think it is a low plane to put this
debate on, to intimate that the reso-
luton is being opposed, because it
| might bar Colonel Roosevelt" said
| Senator Poindexter, Progressive. 1T
| is highly unpleasant to him and to his
| friends to have this debate reflect thus
upon the ambitions of the friends or
! the opponents of Senators who voted
on this resolution"
Amendments by Senator Hitchcock
| to make the proposed restriction APP
ply only to persons, who have held
the Office by election, after March 4.
| .19l7, or discharge its duties for two
years or more after that time, were
defeated 32 to 81. The Senate then
voted down Senator Roots amendment
which was simply to make the single
term restriction take effect, after
March 4. 1917.
The proposal to exempt Roosevelt,
Taft and Wilson suffered defeat in the
voting down of the Hitchcock and
Root amendments. The Senate then
took up the MeCumber amendment.
which proposed a limitation to two
4year terms, with the qualifying pro-
vision THAT no person who has sery-
ed as President by succession for the
major fraction of one term, shall be
eligible to hold more than one fun
term"
Senator Borah declared this pro-
vision was the "Unwritten law that
no President should serve more than
two terms and that ii was not neces
sary to put that in the Constitution.
Senator Crawford declared no linn
itation should be put upon the power
of the people to elect a Presiden.
again and he opposed both the Nc
Cumber amendment and the original
plan for a single 6-year term. He in
sisted that even though President Will
sons power to renomfnate himself
were curtailed, there would be moth
ing to prevent his using the full in
fluence Of his office to secure the nom
ination and election of some one, who
had given him great help in securing
the election, this year.
The McCumber amendment was ul-
timately defeated by vote of 81 to 3,
Senators McCumber Penrose and Will
liams voting for it.
The success of Napoleon and Caesar in
establishing relationships gave the Senate
a busy half-hour of debate, Senator Will
liams insisting that the United States
might confront such a situation in the
future unless the extent of Presidents
service We're limited.
why talk about Caesar and Napo-
leon?'' finally interrupted Senator Owen,
do you think the nation of those people
in those days when there We're no tele-
graph, no telephone, no railroads and no
modern intelligence ought to be used in
this debate as guide to our actions?'
Senator Owen presented his amendment
providing for the direct popular vote on
President and Vice President, and abol-
ishing the present Electoral College,
through which the Presidential vote OF
the states is cast.
Il believe that the Electoral College
will some day precipitate crisis and
revolution" said Senator Williams. sup
porting the amendment, because of the
great power of personal action lodged in
each Presidential elector."
Senator Cummins declared he favored
the policy of direct vote, but he did not
favor the pending Owen amendment
which, he said, would not accomplish the
desired purpose. other changes being
necessary.
The Owen amendment was defeated So
to 80.
Those who voted in favor of the direct
vote for President were:
| Republicans-Borah, Bourne, Bristow,
! Crawford, Gronna, Jones, Kenyon, La
, Toilette, Mclean and Townsend
| Observation-Disclosures Bryan, Chamber
(; lain, Chiffon, Culberson, Fletcher, John
son (Me.). MARITIME, Myers, Newlands,
Overman, Owen, Perky, Pomerene. Shive-
, ~, Smith tAriz.), Smith (Md.), Swanson
J and Williams.
| Progressives-Clapp, Dixon and Poin-
dexter.
| Those voting against the amendment
We're:
Republieans-Bradley, Brandegee, Burn
/ ham, Burton, Catron, Clark (Wyo), Gull
lom, Cummins Dillingham;, Dupont, ual-
linger, Gamble Jackson, Lodge McCum-
Der, Nelson, Oliver, Page, Penrose, Per-
kins, Sanders, Smoot. Stephenson Suth-
erland, Wetmore and Works.
Observation-Disclosures, Clark (Ark.)
Johnston (Ala.), Paynter, Percy, Sim.
I, mons, Smith tGa.), Thomas and Thornton
| An amendment by Senator Oliver tc
make the 6-year single term apply only
to Presidents elected after the ratification
! of this amendment was also defeated, s.
1 70