Askov American. [volume] (Askov, Pine County, Minn.) 1914-current, 1939-04-06
That Third Term
BOgey

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If the Democratic party wants to
win in the national campaign of 1910,
there had better be no thought of
third term for the incumbent preSi-
dent.
AS well known, no president of
the United States has served more
than two terms The task is too great
for any person to continue in that
office more than eight years. There
is also the danger of too much CEN
tralization of government and autoc-
racy if the same individual con-
tinues as chief executive too long.
Americans are against third term
in the office of president. A third
term might be possible in the event
the country was involved in war.
Then, anything can happen. War,
however, brings on virtual dicta-
torship with little or nothing for Con-
gress to do.
Political writers and others have
stated that President Franklin D.
Roosevelt may have much to say
about who is to be his successor.
That is dangerous, for as a rule, the
American voters want to choose their
own officials. It will be recalled that
when Colonel Theodore Roosevelt
was president of the United States,
he practically chose his successor,
William Howard Taft He lasted but
one term Right here in Minnesota
we had recent example of a COVER
nor choosing his successor who like
wise, lasted but one term. The peo-
pie simply do not stand for it, and
so if the Democratic party wants to
win the election of 1910, the choice
of candidates for president and vice.
president had better be made outside
of the chief executives office.
1t is also unlikely that the elector-
ate will accept candidate who has
gone down the line for everything
desired by the New Deal. Ever since
1888, we have had government spend
ing in an effort to remedy the eco
nomic situation. Time has proven
that government spending, the con-
slant eating into reserves, cannot
solve the economic problem. We can
not let people starve, but there must
be some other solution for our eco
nomic ills. Therefore, if the Demo-
Gratis choose candidate for president
who is liberal minded and a good
progressive with ability and indie
pendence of thinking, that party will
have better opportunity for continued
success at the polls.
Vice President Garner has been
mentioned considerably as the next
candidate for president. Should the
Republicans choose man like Sem
ator Taft of Ohio, or some person
of about his age, between forty-five
and fifty, and the Democrats choose
Garner, who will be seventy-two on
his next birthday, the Republicans
would have two strikes on the Demo-
cratic candidate before the game
starts.
Senator Clark of Missouri, has also
been mentioned as presidential can
didate on the Democratic ticket. He
is about the same age as Senator
Taft, in his best years, and so from
that standpoint would be on an equal
footing. After serving one term as
senator, Clark was nominated in the
1888 primaries over New Deal can
didate by more than 100000 votes
and won with large majority in
the fall election over former Re-
publican governor of Missouri. He
is son of the late Champ Clark who
was speaker of the House of Repre-
sentatives during the World war, and
made a memorable speech against
American entry into that war.
If Senator Clark, or some one of
his type, is chosen as the presidential
candidate on the Democratic ticket,
that party will have much better
opportunity for success in the next
campaign than if the president does
the choosing.
During my recent visit in Wash
ington to attend meeting of the
legislative committee of the National
Association of Railroad and Utilities
Commissioners, had the opportunity
to visit with Minnesota's senators
and other public officials. was i'm
pressed with the firm stand of Sena-
tors Shipstead, Lundeen and Clark
against Americas taking any part in
the controversies now raging in
Europe. Those men are definitely
against Americas going into another
war abroad.
It would seem also that the World
uvor was recent enough so that we
should be able to remember what it