The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-07-21
TO OPPOSE
denomination OF
WOODROW WILSON
This Is the Opinion Of Fa'
nous Writer On Presi-
dental Campaign.
(RY Herbert ouiek.l

Bryan means TO oppose the renoni'
nation of Woodrow Wilson for the
presidency.
He will do SO on the ground that the
Baltimore convention adopted a plank
which reads:
I'VE favor single presidential term
and TO that end urge the adoption OF
an amendment TO the constitution
making the president ineligible for re-
election, and We pledge The candidate
OF this convention TO tina; principle.
Mr.. Bryan is the author OF this
plank He may or may not think that
it finds his party and President Wal
son against second term. Are the
people OF the United States IN favor OF
il? | think not.
Is the principle good one: / think
not. II would have deprived the coun-
try OF the services OF George Wash
ington for second term, when the ma
ton needed him most. It would nave
turned Lincoln out OF Office in the
midst OF the civil war, and perform.
ed months earlier the deadly WORK OF
John Wilkes Booth.
II is an unfair plank TO present 10
any convention. Suppose tHat the gel,
ega;es supporting any candidate mad
voted in a body against the one'term
plan-what would have been the word
passed along the rows OF seats IN the
convention the next moment!
"Clark's men voted against the one
term plank. He wants the office tor
eight years" Or. What do you think
OF this man Underwood? He isn't
satisfied with a nomination for four
years. He wants the office as many
terms as he can get il. All the
friends OF other candidates, each OF
whom in the excitement Of the con-
vention always sees his man the nom
inee four years hence, would shy from
giving the eight-year man his second
choice vote.
make the statement that the plank
mention was passed in this way,
without any regard for what the peo-
ple really want ! assert that II was
passed. not through the pariotlsm OF
the convention and a desire 10 save
the country from some possible dlcta.
tor, but as part OF programme OF
selfish and narrow-minded jockeylnG
fo- position in the next convention.
If were Woodrow Wilson l should
pay no attention TO the impudent at
/ tempt to pledge the convention 10
this principle" 1t is no more bind
ing on him than the sixteen-to-one
principle is now binding on Mr.. Bryan.
II. as should be the case, the candt-
dates nominated had met after the
convention and formulated the plat
form on which they were running, It
would be binding; but this Bit OF par
tisan froth on the muddy whirlpool
OF the aBltimore convention IS not
party principle, is not believed in by
the Democratic party and never was.
and is not an article OF faith IN the
minds OF American voters, and never
was.
Wilson may or may not be in favor
of such constitutional amendment.
but he is not bound to put It il effect
before 1t is passed. No such amend
ment will ever be passed without a
proviso for Tightening the term The
way to shorten presidential terms Is
not by any such rigid regulation
but by the recall.
Let the man be elected whom the
people want, whoever he may be. To
fire a good president. next year. or
any other year. just when he has prov
ed his excellence is political and bust
ness insanity.
And, OF course. it will not be done.
Probably Mr.. Bryan will deny that he
wants it done.