The Hattiesburg news., 1916-01-15
WILSON PLEDGE TO LET.
PUBLIC PASS ON FATE
Continued from Page one.)

lutely deprived of every other means
of deciding it. He can be. shall
use to the utmost every proper influ-
ence within my reach to see that he
is, before the term to which have
been elected is out. That side of the
matter need disturb no one.
Too Long or Too Short.
"And yet, if he is deprived of every
other means of deciding the question,
what becomes of the argument for
constitutional limitation to a single
term? The argument is not that it is
clearly known now just how long each
President should remain in office.
Four years is too long term for
President who is not the true spokes-
man of the people, who is imposed
lupon and does not lead. tits too short
a term for President who is doing
or attempting a great work OF reform
and who has not had time to finish 1t.
ITO change the term to six years
would be to increase the likelihood OF
its being too long,, without any assur-
ance that it would, in happy cases, be
long enough. A fixed constitutional
limitation to single term of office is
highly arbitrary and unsatisfactory
from every point of view.
THE argument for it rests upon
Temporary conditions which can easily
be removed by law. Presidents, II Is
said. are effective for one-half of their
term only because they devote their
attention during the last two years OF
the term to building up the influences,
and above all the organization, by
which they hope and purpose to secure
a second nomination and election
AGAINST presidential Convention.
at is their Illicit power, not their
ileeitimate influence with the country
that the advocates OF constitutional
change profess to be afraid of, and
heartily sympathize with them. 1t Is
intolerable that arr President should
The permitted to determine who should
succeed him--himself or another-py
iratronage or coercion or by any sort
of control of the machinery by when
delegates to the nominating conVen-
tion are chosen.
"There ought never to be another
presidential nominating convention'
and there need never be another. sew
eraI of the states have successfully
solved that difficulty with regard 10
tho choice of their Governors, and
federal law can solve it in the same
way with regard TO the choice OF Presi-
dents. The nominations should De
made directly by the people at the
polls.
conventions should determine noun
ing but party platforms and shouio DC
made up Of the men who would be eA-
nected. if elected, to carry those pia'-
forms into effect. 1t is not necessary
to attend to the peoples business py
constitutional amendment il you wll'
only actually put the business INTO the
peoples own hands.
1 81 think it may safely be assuiiieo
that that will be done within the neA'
four years: for it can be done by staV
ute. ii need not wait for constitu
tional change. That being done, tht
question Of the presidential term cal
he discussed on its merits.
Presidency Is Abnormal.
aIt must he clear to everybody wh'
has studied our political development
al all that the character OF the presi
deucy is passing through transi
tional stage. We know what the OIL
fice is now and what use must be maui
Of It: but we do not know what II y
going to work out into; and until w
~ ,,now we shall not know what con
stitutional change, if any is neeueo
II would be best to make.
II 81 must speak with absolute ireedon
IS and candor in this matter OF nv
il speak at all; and it seems to me ina
}, the present position of the presioehc
in our actual system, as we use It, !
u,ite abnormal and must lead EVENT.
ally to something very different.
"He is expected by the nation
: he the leader of his party as Wen a
1 the chief executive officer OF the So
eminent, and the country will take n
excuses from him. He must play IN
part and play it successfully, or los
z tlse. country's confidence. He must
prime Minister as much concerne
with the guidance Of legislation
4 <xedaplu axaCutlO