The New York herald. [volume] (New York, N.Y.) 1920-1924, 1920-12-05

4
not be Substantially disturbed unless
The Issue upon which the election ls
! fought looks 10 a change of business
| principles and policies. The Intelligent
enthusiasm accompanying a campaign
4 not an unn xed evil Ii Is our grea :
est educs uonal agency In public mat
ters.
! REPRESENTATIVE A. W. lEF-
| FERRIS tRep). Nebraska favor the
! retention OF the present four year term
Tor President with eligibility 10 a sec
ond term. in four years II Is possible
| for the people to form correct estimate
OF the ability of he Chief Executive and
X he be worthy the electorate win and
! should retain him In power On the
other hand. If the Executive fail to
Judgment of the people. four years is
aot TOO short a term and six years
would seem an eternity.
The term OF Representatives. should
br four years This would enable the
electorate to choose a President and
members OF the House at one election.
The leg slative and executive branches
of government should. II possible. coop
crate Cooperation between executives
and legislators of rival political faiths.
as rule does not function
REPRESENTATIVE l.. J. DICKIy-
SON tRep), Iowa. am opposed to the
extension Of the term of the President
10 six years and to his inelig biity To- n
second term and ! am opposed 10 the
extersion Of the term Of Representatives
to three years. think II should e,.ncr
be retained at two years or be mad, 70
cover the term of the President
Ny reasons are thai a democrsr
form of government. formulated as our
Government IS, must respond quickly to
the demands of the people when a GER
tain form of relief s necessary and tie
only way they can get this relief in
many Instances Is through an election
and IL Is my view that many Congress
men are retired when they do not de-
serve retirement, but this Is a good deal
better than to have Congressman con-
tinued in office deserving retirement. so
far as the interests of the people are
roncerned.
SENATOR THOMAS p. GORE
CD. Oklahoma-Six years is too long
IL the administration is unsatisfactory.
-Four years is quite long enough II un-
satisfactory. And. on the other hand. a
satisfactory and acce. table President
can be elected for four years longer. He
should be ineligible beyond eight years
service.
The two-year term for Representatives
is more or less disagreeable to members
of Congress themselves and causes or at-
centuates more or less cowardlce on
their part. The system was not. how
ever. devised for the convenience Of Rep
resentatives. but In order to afford the
people frequent and recurring opportu-
nifty to register their sovereign will
SENATOR THOMAS STERLING
tR.), South Dakota--In my opinion the
Presidential term should not be In
creased to six years with ineligibility at
the end OF the term. for the reason that
six years Is too long term for man
who may prove to be untitled for the
place by temperament or want OF under
standing of the needs and ideals of the
PEOPLE of the United States or whose
policies may be a menace to our peace
or our progress. A second term, MAX
ing eight years all told. is not too long
for the capable and understanding Chief
Executive.
AS to the second question. my answer
s In the affirmative. The average Con-
gresham has not a fair chance in a
short two-year term. especially as Con
gress Is now constituted. with its MEM
bership OF 435. With a term of only two
years he has hardly entered upon his
duties as Congressman before he must
begin a campaign for reelection.
REPRESENTATIVE c. f. LEA
CD, Cali.Ornia---It Is my judgment
that the Presidential term should not
be Increased to six years. 1t is not long
enough for a good President and too
long for a poor one. The reelection of
a deserving President Is. wholesome ex-
ercise of popular will.
The use of patronage for personal and
party prestige and perpetuation is an
evil of the first magnitude in, our polst-
teal system. The recognition OF that
fact creates the argument In favor OF
one term for the President A better
method. In my judgment, would be to
deprive the Executive of much of his
patronage and so far as possible place
II on a non-partisan businesslike basis.
The two year term is the bane OF a
Representa- tive's life II tends to make
him inefficient and more or less subser-
Went to political influence. The dema-
gogue and the partisan are the two
greatest evils In popular government. A
two year term tends to promote both of
these evils
In my Judgment Representatives
should be elected for four years. one
half of the Representatives being elected
biennially.
REPRESENTATIVE r. c. COLE
(R). Ohio-I favor the extension Of the
Presidents term OF Office to six years.
There can be no doubt in the mind OF
any observing man that the Presidential
election always has a depressing effect
upon the business Of the country. Since
change In governmental policies Is
often a "consummation devoutly to be
wished" the opportunity for Erecting
such change ought not to be too long
deferred feel that six years is long
enough to give any policy fair chance
10 prove or disprove its efficacy. Per-
haps Il might be best to limit the eligi-
billty for President to one term. For
the above reasons and others I would
be In favor Of extending the terra Of
Congressman TO at least three years.W
REPRESENTATIVE BURTON f..
SWEET (Rep.). Iowa. am Of the opin-
ion that no change should be made In
the term of office Of the President. and
neither should he be made Ineligible at
the end OF one term. There Is tend
ency nova days to continually Keep
tinkerirg with the Constitution. and all
such discussions In measure lead 10
unrest and dissatisfaction with our form
of government For the present at least
II would appear 10 me that we had better
leave we'll enough alone II has worked
well for 1870 years and more. III we have
a good and competent President four
years 10 not long enough and we can re-
elect him II we have an incompetent
President four years is too long The
ower house Is supposed to be repre-
sentative OF the immediate thought de-
slres and wishes OF the American people.