Evening star., 1937-07-11
THIRD-TERM GUESSING
INSPIRED BY ROOSEVELT
President Keeps Bride on Party by
Leaving Door Open-Washington's
Successors Fixed Precedent.

pTcSlQentldl JeIHl. JellST5Dn NdS HI
ways alive to the danger of Dictator
ships, and he feared the effect Of an
unbroken term of office in establish
ing an Office holding oligarchy. Ro-
tation in Office, he was convinced,
would help preserve democratic in
stitutions and the democratic spirit
Supplies Another Precedent.
Yet even Jefferson avowed after
beginning his second term: There is
one circumstance which could en-
gage my acquiescence in another elec-
ton, to-wit, such a division about 4
successor as might bring in a mon
archist." AS suggested In a current
review. this consideration will be used
by those who want President Roose-
velt to run again in 1910, except that
for "monarchist' they will substitute
the word fascist"
appeared on the American horizon,
and jefferson declined a third term.
He was to live through the two terms
of Madison and the two Of Monroe.
At Monticello he retained his great
influence over both these disciples,
and each declined to be considered for
a third term.
With the first four Presidents eligi-
BILE for third term declining to ac-
cept one, the precedent took form
and influence. Andrew Jackson re-
nounced third term. The renunci-
alton was little easier because his
successor, Van Buren, was Jackson's
chief political lieutenant. and "Old
Hickory" could reasonably expect still
to dominate the political scene from
retirement at the Hermitage.
The next President to serve two
terms was Grant The evidence in
dicates that he was willing to accept
a third successive term. He said he
didn't want it, but he said also that
the time might come when the third
term tradition might prove unwise.
1t looked as though he were playing
the role of Barkis in David Copper
field,' and was willin'.
House Checkmates Grant.
Thereupon the House Of Represena-
tives adopted in 1878, and by an i'm
mense majority, resolution avoWing
that any departure from the third
term tradition would be "unwise, un-
patriotic and fraught with peril to our
free institutions.' That settled that.
After Grant had been succeeded
by Hayes, Grant tried for a third
nomination, non-successive. In fact,
he was in the lead on the first 35
ballots at the Republican nominating
convention. But he could not break
through to majority, and on the
thirty-sixth ballot the nomination
went to Garfield in a stempede.
Grover Cleveland ran for the presi-
dency three successive times, but he
was defeated the second time. There
was no thought of nominating him for
third term, partly because he had
completely lost control over his party.
Theodore Roosevelt ran for the pres
idency on third party ticket in 1912.
The presidency of Taft had intervened,
and most voters seemed to feel that
this made inapplicable the tradition
against a third presidential term.
At least, Roosevelt was a good second
to Wilson, and ran we'll ahead of
Taft, the regular Republican nominee.
When Wilson was finishing his
second term no movement at all
developed for nominating him for
third. Coolidge's 1927 remuneration
OF third term was couched in the
famous phrase, Il do not choose to
run Much doubt arose as to
whether that meant merely that he
preferred not to, but would relent
II the G. o. P. insisted.
At all events, the Senate adopted
in 1928 the Identical third term
resolution which the House had
adopted in 1875, and at the Republi-
can convention no Coolidge boom de-
veloped. 1t is possible that now
President Roosevelts opponents in the
Democratic party will force the adop-
tlon-in party gatherings, in State
legislatures, and perhaps in Congress
OF resolutions declaring against a
third successive term for any presi-
dent, whoever he may be and what
ever may be the conditions con-
fronting the Nation.
tCopyright. 1937)