The Donaldsonville chief. [volume] (Donaldsonville, La.) 1871-current, 1915-02-27
THE PRESIDENTIAL SUCCESSION

President Wilson is quoted in a
| Washington press despatch as deny
/ ing the soft impeachment that he
has nominated himself, at least by
/ implication, as a candidate for re-
election in 1916.
The soft impeachment aforesaid
grew out of a statement made by
the president in the course of a
speech he delivered at indianapolis
on Jackson Day." January 8, the
centennial anniversary of Gen. An
drew Jackson's famous victory over
the British at the battle of New Or
leans. According to the Associated
Press account of the utterance, Mr..
| Wilson had been discussing the
Mexican question. Referring to his
belief that he knew the temperament
and principles of the American peo-
pie, he added that he would not be
| fit to stay where he was if he did
not understand them. There may
come a time he went on, when the
American people will have to judge
whether I know what I am talking
about or not There was a slight
pause and then the crowd began
cheering. Realizing the construction
which had been put on his words,
7 the president held up his hand for
silence and said: I did not mean
to stir up anything. That was mere
" preparatory to saying that. for at
least two more years / am free to
think know the American people. .
After his return to Washington,
again according to the Associated
Press, the president declared he was
not thinking of announcing his can
didacy for next year when he said
in his indianapolis speech that the
people of the United States might
have a chance to judge his acts,
and that he had in mind only the
Judgment of future generations AT
the same time he refused to an
sWer questions egarding second
term, & the interviewer significantly
adds.
The statement of the president as
to the purpose and meaning of his
utterance should be accepted with
out reserve, as he has earned the
right to be regarded by his fellow
citizens as a sincere and truthful
man, and it can readily be appre-
ciated how his sense of delicacy
leads him to disavow any intention
of prociaiming his ambition to seek
denomination at the hands of his
party.
At the same time there can be no
improperly in discussion by the
presidents friends, or his opponents
either, of the probability that he
will not only be expected to become
a candidate for denomination, but
that his party cannot well afford to
do otherwise than renominate him.
Unless some very marked changes
occur and unexpected new issues
arise between now and the opening
of the next national campaign, that
4no' 2H5noJ 90 o. Su!oS ST 1seluoo
upon the questions already pending
and we'll defined by the attitude and
policies of the present administra-
ton. Prominent among these are
Mexican, tariff, currency, banking,
internal revenue and maritime mat
tiers, concerning which the Demo-
cratic party must perforce stand or
fall on the record made and the re-
suits brought about since it's advent
to power two years ago.
Refusal to put President Wilson
forth for reelection would be gener-
ally regarded as partial repudia-
ton, at least, of what has been &C
complished by his administration,
and it would seem that the party
can much better afford to defend
these accomplishments, however dis
appointing some of them may have
been, than to take the position of
even indirectly discrediting or call
ing them in question.