The Bismarck tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, N.D.) 1916-current, 1925-06-05
COOLIDGE MAY
MAKE BID FOR
ANOTHER TERM
Washington Sure President
Will Try to Succeed
Himself in 1928
BY CHARLES T.. STEW ARR
NEA Service Writer


Washington, June 5.-TDltician>
profess to be wondering whether or
not President Coolidge Will make u
h'd for another term in the White
House
This wondering is pure make be-
lieve, SO far as politicians with a
particle Of sense are concerned. he
even slightly sensible ones know
perfectly we'll the president will try
% succeed himself il he thnhs Ia.
sees the least chance Of getting ava )
with it.
Of course there's the two term
limit precedent. But as we all know,
that doesn't fit Calvin Coolidge, in
asmuch as he got into his first frac-
ton of a term by way of the vice
presidency.
True, Theodore Roosevelt did pro-
vide something Of a precedent for
pre- siGents in Coolidge's position, but
at that it wasn't much Of prece-
dent. Roosevelt himself was the on
" man ever bound by it, and he by
no means because he wanted to be.
Besides, his fractional term was
much longer than Coolidge's. Even
ficiently doubtful if he weren't en-
titled to denomination so that he
made a special announcement on
the subject.
And directly afterward he wished
he hadn't and finally tried to re-
verse himself.
No. no, President Coolidge can't
t,pn "A
fraction. Moreover, he assumes
that his fraction didn't count and
that, for all practical purposes, he's
on his first term now.
Without saying so in so many
wOrds-at any rate not publicly-he 5
permitted this information to leak
out through administration spokes-
men"-which is the way presidents
transmit to the public information
they, wish disseminated but prefer
not to articulate personally.
It's doubtful if single politician
in Washington isn't certain the pre-
sident would have announced it al
ready, if he didn't want another
term. He isn't as uncommunicative
as all that
The e are plenty of good reason
why he shouldn't say he does want
it, if he does. There's no imagin-
able reason why he shouldn't say he
doesn't want it, if he doesn't. On
the contrary, in the latter event, he
could clear the ground and improve
his party's prospects by expressing
himself.
The question, "Can he get anot he r
term?' is different. If he can get
the nomination. he'll take his chances
with the voters. And if this were
1928 he could get the nomination.
The old line Republican leaders
don't like him hut the voters evil
IDENTIFY do. While that lasts the
old liners will have to go on max
ing the best of him.
If, however, he loses his hold on
the voters, by any chance, the par
~ leaders will be tickled to death
to throw him overheard. In other
words. they won't let him have the
1928 nomination.
He won't be like Taft, who, when
he lost his grip on the voters, still
held it on the party leaders.
If, then. the country still seems
as. we'll disposed toward Coolidge
three years hence as today, he'll
have everything his own way in the
1928 convention and assuredIy he'll
help himself to a denomination.
Maybe he'll be as popular then as
he is now. Then again, maybe he
won't Three years is long time
for public sentiment to stay put in
republic like this.
Something may happen. Or per-
haps the people will tire of so much
conservatism, without anything in
particular happening. In that event
if he loses enough of his popular
ity-Coolidge will be eliminated au-
tomatically.
The old line Republican leaders
won't try to force him on the cleo
torate. The electorate forced him
on them instead. But if he lives and
keeps his health and doesn't get a
denomination. it won't be because he
doesn't want it.
The politicians are just pretend
ing to wonder about him-and wish
ing they had little better reason
for doing it.