The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1916-02-04
THE pALMER LETTER AND THE SECOND TERM


THE PALMER LETTER AND THE SECOND TERM.
At this stage of the game Republicans greatly in
resed in the Democratic nominee for president because
of the and perhaps hundreds Of thousands OF
them may forced to vote for that nominee The least
that they can ask that the nominee be straightforward
man in his dealings with the public This cannot be truth
fuiv said about President Wilson. Mr.. Wilson is not
honest on second plank of the party
During the campaign for election it was that
Mr. Wilson stood upon the Baltimore PLATFORM he never
bv word or intmation let it be known that he did not
However month before his Inauguration in letter to
Palmer Mr. Wilson declared his opposition
to the proposal for limitation by constitutional amend
men to single for the President Mr.. Wilson at that
time was of letting the people decide the matter
so far as he was He pledged himself ito
to nothing public opinion decide that question: He
then proceeds:
The president ought to be absolutely deprived of every
other means of deciding it.
"And yet if he is deprived of every other means Of de-
Gliding the question what becomes OF the argument tor
that is clearly known now just how long each
for who is not the Of
the people who is imposed upon and does not lead is
work Of .s''" and VINO n,, mot mao time to
the likelihood of its being too long, without any
THAT Go 81 as s ss: sS
arbitrary and unsatisfactory from every point OF view
"Put the present customary limitation of terms into
the Constitution, you do not trust the people to take
cause four years is often too ong give the Presi-
dent chance to win the full service by proving himself
fit for it.
Gas things stand the people might more likely be
cheated than served by further limitations of the Presi
dents eligibility.
1--WE singuarly belle our own principles by seeking to
determine by fixed constitutional provision what the peo
o oaS
the whole theory OF popular government.
al believe that should fatally embarrass ourselves if
our Presidents to fight our battles for u.s. we should give
them the means the legitimate the their
but the right to appeal to the people, but leave them that
suffer them to be leaders, absolutely prevent them from
being bosses.
But Mr. Wilson's statement does not agree with the
platform of his party upon which he for Office That
document declared:
We favor single Presidential term and to that end
urge the adoption OF amendment to the Constitution
making the President of the United States ineligible for
reelection and pledge the candidate of this
to this principle"
MI. Wilson proceeds to give his ideas on presidential
nominations in the following words in the Palmer letter.
There ought be another Presidential nominating
convention and there need never be another Several Of
the states have successfully solved that difficulty with
regard to the choice of their governors and Federal law
can solve it in the way with regard to the choice Of
President The nominations should be made directly by
the people at the polls"
The question naturally arises why did not Mr. Wilson
explain his position when candidate before the peope
Or ne experienced change of mind during the interim
between his nomination and his nauguration why has hs
since taken steps that Federal law that
solve the difficulty and do away with nominal
ing conventions?" Why isn't Mr. Wilson honest and
candid with the public at time other? We are
sorey afraid that Wilson's mdity to most pub
lie affair. He is of the small fry variety