The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-12-31

00Spee on0 Wusfrdftons I0r ptoucots0" 0ssn
% ADue rejected articles refuvned thet mtes
h "a ossss ssnd stamps fov tAot 1ssposs.
~ Boulder on the single Track.
We contend that the Hon. JosEPHUs
DAF1zcrUs TUMuLTY's right to mingle
With the politicians Of New Jersey
and elsewhere. to engage In the prac-
tdeo and even In the articles Of pre-
primary politics, is as far beyond
question as the right Of any other free
American citizen. That right Is In
alienable. 1t was not abrogated when
MI. TUMULTY entered Alba Domus
to become the just yet merciful Gus.
tedian Of his august principals pre-
cious minutes. the Joy and solace Of
the watchfully waiting throng at the
threshold, the court Of ultimate ap-
peal In the case Of every applicant
for audience with the sole exception
Of Colonel MAGMA DoMus.
True It Is, also, that when Mr..
TuNuIrY goes forth to exercise his
individual rights as a free agent, and
announces that in Presidential and
other politics he is speaking and act
ing for himself alone, his statement
10 that effect Is entitled to unhesitat-
ing credence.
This perfectly obvious distinction
between the Hon. JosEPHUs r. TUM-
UDrY ~ the friend, mentor and pro-
tector Of the Chief Magistrate and
the Hon. J. PATRIcIUs TUMuLTY as
Al unshackled Democrat getting ready
to cast his untrammelled vote for u
Democratic candidate for President
next November will be accepted by
NIL fair minded Americans without
further discussion. The more fire.
quently Mr.. TUMULry appears In the
conferences Of political preparedness,
the more freely Mr.. TuMuLTy talks
about his individual views and hopes
for 1915. the nearer We shall get 10
knowing what he. rs an unbiased.
unprecedented, uncollared Democrat of
shrewd sense and Celtic intrepidity.
thinks Of the one term plank In the
Baltimore platform.
10 many Democrats who cherish
the honorable old ideas about fidelity
to party promises this one term plant;
10 now . consideration Of prime i'm
portance. Here is the text Of that
solemn, authoritative declaration:
We favor . single Presidential term.
and 70 THAI end urge the adoption Of an
amendment TO the Constitution making
the President Of the United States in
eligible fcr reelection. and we pledge
tho candidate Of this contention 10 this
principle"
Mr.. TUMULTY will observe that here
are two separate enunciations of prin-
ciple and policy. The Democracy on
its own part commits itself unre.
servedly to the principle Of n single
term and pledges the candidate of
the Baltimore convention. the Hon.
WOODROW WILSON, to that principle.
There Is no qualification TO either
declaration or pledge, and the bind
Ing character Of the former and the
sanctity Of the latter are dependent
upon no subsequent contingency. The
Democracy itself is bound in morals
and good faith by the principle as
fully as II the steps toward its en-
actment In the fundamental law had
been taken after the election.
The second part of this historic
declaration announced the policy
which was to enforce the principle
upon Republicans as well as Demo-
Gratis by means of an amendment to
the Constitution of the United States.
1t Is a fact that the Democratic Con-
gress has no yet fulfilled this part of
its convention programme. 1t is like
wise q fact that the candidate Of the
convention, pledged by his party tn
this principle, and elected on that
pledge, has not up to the present
time taken occasion by special mes
sage or otherwise to remind the Dem
ocratic Legislature of its duty to good
faith and common political honesty.
But these facts, as must be clearly
perceived by n mind so adequately
fortified as Is Mr.. TUMULTY's against
the sophistries of politicians, In nc
way affect the validity of the declarn-
lion of principle or the binding char.
acter of the pledge itself.
Otherwise, supposing Mr.. WILSON
70 be working for denomination and
reelection, we should have n nor.
rible, an almost inconceivable record
of reputation. Of welching, of self,
qualification on the part OF a De.
mocracy appealing to the confidence
and the votes of the people.
What party, with head erect and
face uncloudcd by shame, could enter
a campaign to brazen out this I'm
paralleled duplicity, this delibcrat.
trcachery to n voluntary utterance OF
It's supreme council?
l9l2-"Wo favor a single presiden
tial term and pledge the Hon. woopRov
WILSON 10 this principle
. 'sns-"We favor the principle OF