The Daily Ardmoreite. [volume] (Ardmore, Okla.) 1893-current, 1915-04-16
PRESIDENT
WILL DECLINE
SECOND TERM
DOES NOT WANT SECOND NOMl :
NATION WILL KEEP ONE
TERM PLEDGE, is SENTIMENT
EXPRESSED.

New York, April 15.-Lindley NJ.
Garrison, secretary of war, made a
strong plea for local autonomy in
government, in an address on dem
ocracy at the annual Jefferson birth
day dinner of the National Demo
cratic club here tonight, while Sen
ator James Hamilton Lewis OF Hi
nois eulogiZed President Wilson and
said he did not believe the president
would become candidate for re-
election if his policies were executed
into laws.
Democrats were present from all
parts of the country. Some Of the
most widely known were Joseph 7.
Tumulty, secretary to the president;
Senator Ollie NJ. James of Kentucky;
Senator Charles F. Johnson Of
Maine; Representative J. Thomas
Hehin of Alabama; Morgan j.
O'Brien. Charles F. Murphy ana John
NJ. Richie
Secretary Garrison maintained that
the state should attend to its duty
and that it should not usurp city
powers. He said national problems
should occupy the attention Of the
federal government.
Each in its sphere should be
strong, self sufficient and proud, and
able to bear its own burdens and
solve its own problems" he declared,
Does Not Seek Reward
In his address on "The Republic, y
during which he reviewed the work
of the democratic administration and
paid a strong tribute to President
Wilson, Senator Lewis said:
Il now make bold to say that
President Wilson has never had in
his mind the selfish object of taking
a reward for the execution of his
promises to the people by seeking re-
nomination as compensation or
asking for reelection as a return
for the discharge of his obligation to
his party and his duty to his country.
speaking of my own sentiments,
| dare say that if the president can
have all the policies to which he is
pledged to the people executed into
laws and could be then left to his
free will, he not only would not be
candidate for reelection, but in
justice to the sacred grief which has
affected him and the sweet and ten
der obligations, which still rest upon
him, wonld abandon public office for
the private refuge of home, family
and friends.
"He would be found, | am sure,
pointing his countrymen to the fact
that he had executed his pledges,
given the nation the relief it sought,
restored il to peace and security;
put it upon the pathway of prosper
ity and progress and then decline to
take another term of office, that it
might be evidenced before the world
that what he did was for the cause
of right and not for the hope of
teward and to demonstrate before
the nation that man can unselfshly
serve his countrymen without having
as the object of such compensation a
return compensation.
He would give proof how a pa
triot could decline to accept honors
rendered as reward for faithful dis
charge of obligations due by a public
servant to his country. He would be
glad to point to the fact that he had
complied with his bligations.-that
he had fought a good tight-that he
had kept the faith, and recognized
the sentiment of this party, express
ed in the platform of one term, un-
less eXigencies of public welfare call
ed for his accepting another"
Others who spoke were Senator
Johnson and Representative Hefin.