The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1916-04-26

e his W ambition even by the
violation Of a distinct pledge not to
be n candidate again:
THAT FAMOUS PLEDGE.
ION March 4. next. I shall have
served three and one-half years, consti-
tutlng my first term. THE WISE CUSTOM
WHICH LIMITS TIE PRESIDENT TO TWO
TERMS REGARDS rHE SUBSTANCE N NOT
THE FORM. AND UNDER NO CIRCUMSTANCES
WILL I BE A CANDIDATE FOR OR ACCEPT
ANOTHER NOMINATION.
ITO newspaper correspondents who
asked him II he might not be a cand!-
date in 1912. THEODORE ROOSEVELT, with
his characteristic emphasls, replied that
not In 1919. in 1915 nor in any other
year would he again be q candidate for
the Presidency and that under no cir
cumstances' was meant for all time.
"THDopoRE ROOSEVELT gave his solemn
word that he would no again be a can
didate for or accept another nomination
for the Presidency. and he has low
broken that promise under circumstances
created by himself and his hero wor-
shipping admirers"
Thus Mr.. WILLIAM F. McCoMBs
kept before the country during the
campaign Of four years ago the pic
ture Of WOODROW WILSON, pledged
by his platform to the single term
principle and squarely accepting that
platform when he accepted the nomi-
nation /; and also the picture Of THO.
DoRE ROOSEVELT. shamelessly violating
a voluntary pledge Of his wi not to
be a candidate or accept a nomina-
ton for a third term. With this choice
before them the people voted: and
they gave just 2,173,53s more votes
for Mr.. McCoMBs's pledged single
term candidate than for the candidate
pledged by Colonel ROOSEVELT not to
seek or accept under any circum.
stances II third term.
Now. Mr.. WILLIAM +. MCCoMBs
Is an extremely conscientious gentle
nan His sense Of personal honor
and personal responsibility for those
whose promises he has indorsed Is
vigilant and alert. He Is almost me.
TEDIOUS in his solicitude for the full.
tilment of campaign obligations. He
must perceive rs clearly as any other
man In the United States the i'm.
morality involved In the acceptance
by President WILSON of a nomina-
ton for Il second term.
Is any other explanation needed
to account for Mr.. MCCoMBs's with.
drawal from the active political sup
port Of the nan for whom he has
done so much? He conducted Cover
nor WILSON'S canvass for the Demo-
cratic nomination for President. Tn
der conditions of enormous difficulty
he put his candidate through Balti-
more W In the presence of Mr..
BRYAN's overshadowing prestige with
the delegates. He saw the single term
pledge recorded. He used that pledge
with skill and success to accomplish
his candidates election. He empha.
sized for the Information Of the vot-
ers the contrast between the trust
worthincss Of a nan like WILSON,
who could be depended upon to keep
his party's pledges. who had at the
very outset Of the campaign de-
nounced "the Use of the organization
of Il great party tn serve the personal
aims and ambitious of any individ-
ual," and the untrustwOrthiness Of n
man who wTs running for n third
term in violation of his pledge.
How could Mr.. MCCoMBs, in self.
respect and simple decency. begin
under these circumstances n second
campaign for DR.. WILSON'S election
and again ask his fellow citizens tn
give credit 10 platform pledges made
in Dr. WILSON'S behalf?
We do not believe that Mr.. Nc.
COMBS could he Influenced To be-
come again the devoted and disin-
terested engineer Of DR.. WILSON'S
political fortunes by any such sophis-
try ms seems to have taken possession
Of the Presidents mind. 1t is impos.
sible to imagine so level headed a
person as Mr.. McCoMBs sharing the
| delusion that the office for which Dr
WILSON Is to run a second time Is a
higher and greater Office than that
Of President of the United States.
Nobody knows better than Mr.. Nc
COINS that there is no such thing as
n Chief Executive of Humanity, any
more than there Is n Chief Magis-
tratc Of Gratitude, or Of Loyalty, or
of Sincerity, or of any other beautiful
and desirable abstract quality.