Omaha daily bee., 1916-01-21

preGtdanf-oleot IN February, 1913, repudtat-
he had Just been elected.
(tT T WAS Enthusiastically considerate Of you
i ask my views with regard to the Joint resom.
ton which has Just come over from the house
the senate with regard to the presidential term.
/ have not hitherto said anything about this ques-
ton. because had not observed that there was any
evidence that the public very much interested
in Il. I must have been mistaken I'm this else the
senate would hardly have acted promptly upon IT,
'Tho question ia simply this; Shall presidents
be Free. far the law is concerned. 20 seek a
second term Of four years shall they be limited b.
constitutional amendment 20 single term OF four
years. to a single term extended TO six years?
Il approach the subject from strictly Inn
personal point OF view, because shall most cheer
fully abide by the judgment Of my party and the
public to whether she'll be a candidate for the
presidency again in 1915 absolutely pledge myself
TO resort to nothing but public opinion to decide that
question.
The president ought TO be absolutely deprived
OF every other means OF deciding II. He can be. /
shall to the utmost every proper influence within
reach 20 that no is before the term TO which
I have been elected is out That side OF the matter
need disturb
And yet II he is deprived of every other means
Of deciding the question. what becomes Of the argu-
ment for constitutional limitation TO a single term?
Tho argument Is not that II Is clearly known
just how long each president should remain IN office
-Four years Is too long term for president who IL
not the true spokesman of the people who IS i'm
posed and does not lead 1t Is too short term
for president who is doing or attempting great
work OF reform and who has not had time TO finish IT,
ITO change the term to six years would be TO in
tho likelihood OF its being too long. without
any that Il would, In happy cases be long
enough. A fixed constitutional limitation to single
OF office In highly arbitrary and unsatisfactory
from every point of view.
1.-THE argument for II rests upon temporary con-
ditions which can easily be removed by law Pres-
DENTS II is said. effective for onehah of their
term only because they devote their attention during
the last two years of the TO building up the
influences. and above all the organization. by which
they hope and purpose to e second nomination
and election.
TT Is their Illicit power not their legitimate in
fuence with the country. that the advocates of a
constitutional change profess to be afraid of. and
heartily sympathize with them. II Is intolerable that
any president should be permitted to determine who
should succeed him-himself another-by patronage
OF coercion. by any sort Of control Of the ma
chnery by which delegates to the nominating con-
vention chosen
There ought never to be another presidential
nominating lton: and there need never be an
other Several of the states have successfully solved
that difficulty with regard to the choice Of their
governors and federal law solve 1t in the same
way with regard to the choice of presidents The
nominations should be made directly by the people
at the polls
Conventions should determine nothing but party
platforms and should be made up OF the men who
would expected. II elected to carry those plat
forms into effect II is not necessary to attend to
the peoples business by constitutional amendment il
you will only actually put the business into the peo-
pies hands.
"I think II may safely be assumed that that will
be done within the four for 1t be done
by statute; t need not wait for constitutional change
That being DONE tho questions OF the presidential term
| can be discussed its merits
Pack e hat fha 10 hall
responsible for what happens in washington in
large matter long he Is commanded to lead
he ia surely entitled to a certain amount OF power
all the power he get from the support and con-
vctions and opinions of his fellow countrymen and
ne ought to be suffered to that power against
his opponents until his work 8 done. 1t will be very
difficult for him to abuse It. He holds It upon suffer
ance, at the pleasure OF public opinion Every one
else his opponents included has TO opinion
| he has He must keep the confidence of the country
| by earning It for he keep It in no other
"Put the present customary limitation Of two
terms into the constitution IL you do not trust the
people to take OF themselves. but make it two
terms one, because four Is often two long
and give the president chance to win the full service
| by proving himself tit for it."