Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1940-07-18
Eleven Presidents
Have Confronted
Third-Term Issue
First CIeor-Cut Test
Of Precedent Comes
In 1910 Election

By the Associated Press.
CHICAGO, July 18.-f President
Roosevelt accepts the denomination
rendered him by the Democratic
party, it will provide the first clear
cut test of the third-term issue.
Although the subject has been
discussed almost continuously since
George Washington declined to con-
slider third term, it never has been
tubmitted directly to the electorate.
Theodore Roosevelt, however, was
nominated to serve more than eight
years in the Executive Mansion, and
Ulysses S. Grant actively sought
third nomination.
Grant Was Rejected.
1T. r." running as Progressive
after boiling the Republican con-
vention, was defeated by Woodrow
Wilson in the three-sided 1912 cam
paign, in which William Howard
Taft was the regular Republican
nominee. But Roosevelt had been
elected to only one term, having sue
ceeded to his first term on William
McKinley's death.
Grant led the voting for IS ballots
before being rejected by the Repub-
lican Convention in 1880 when he
sought the nomination again four
years after leaving the White House.
James A. Garfield was nominated
and elected.
The thoroughness with which the
constitutional convention of 1887
debated limitations on presidential
Fervice has been used by some as
evidence that, despite Washington's
precedent, the, Nations founders
never contemplated the two-term
tradition.
Tradition Has Force.
Evidence that the tradition has
had force, however, is found re-
peatedly in American history. Con-
gressional resolutions on the subject
we're defeated several times in the
10Th century. In 1876 the House
adopted an anti-third term resolu-
lion, as did the Senate in 1928.
Only ii men have had opportunity
10 consider breaking the precedent.
Washington, Jefferson, Madison,
Monroe. Jackson, Grant, Cleveland.
Wilson and Franklin D. Roosevelt
served two elective terms each.
Theodore Roosevelt and Coolidge
Ferved one elective term and COM
pleted an unexpired one. Lincoln
Rnd Mckinley were elected to two
ern1s, but were assassinated in
bfi1ce.
In his oft-quoted farewell address.
Washington declined being consid-
ered among the number of those out
Pf whom choice for President) is
10 be made"
Washington's Opinion.
He had written Lafayette in 1778,
however, that Il confess I differ
Vldely from Mr.. Jefferson and you
Is to the necessity or expediency Of
rotation in that Office (of President)
can see no propriety in precluding
ourselves from the services of any
nan who on some great emergency
hall be deemed universally most
Fapable of serving the public"
Jefferson said, however, that "the
Example of four Presidents" had
iven the two-term tradition "the
orce Of precedent and usage" He
dded that mo pretext should ever
Re permitted to dispense with it."
On the other side of the debate,
EMERSON has been quoted as saying
hat he himself would become a
andidate again under one circum-
tance. Ito wit, such division about
successor as might bring in a mon
rchist."
Mckinley Declined.
When he accepted his first nomi-
lation, Grover Cleveland advanced
proposal for a single six-year term.
lie later quoted talk of third term.
Mckinley declined in advance a
bird nomination, which death pre-
Mded.
President Coolidge did not argue
he merits of the matter. To re-
|orters who accompanied him on a
acatio4 to the South Dakota Black
Hills in 1927, he handed slips of
PAPER bearing the cryptic 10 words
hat became national riddle:
Il do not choose to run for Presi-
lent in 1928"