Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-20
RHE DEMOCRACY AND THE
PRESIDENT.
observations and Opinions of a Demo-
cratic Congressman.
From TIE Near York World

cratic COu&TeAbAuahs
From TIE Wear York World.
AsHTNGToN. Jan. 15.-The Democrats
IN Congress are in a singular position.
Fhev have a handsome working majority
in the House Of Representatives. Inc
Republican majority against them In the
Senate is small. The President is DEM
ocrat. Yet there is so little accord or
synDatbv between the Democratic repre-
sSnfation i'm Congress and the Executive
that legislation which finds favor at the
Cspltol is likely to be very different from
that suggested from the White House. II
The Democratic House succeed in passing
nome measures through the Senate, they
Will be in as much danger of encounter
mp an Executive veto as there was When
they had to be submitted for approval TO
Republican President.
Not that there is any breech between
the Presjd ant and Congress. NOT Lhat
the Democratic Representatives, are hos
tile to Mr.. Cleveland. Their relations
are friendly. such Congressman as Nisu
the White House when they desire to
pluck q feather from the fat goose OF
oficial PATRONAGE are kindly and courte-
ousIv received, whether their mission Is
successul or a failure. But the Pres-
dent has separated himself from the SYM
natbv of Congress. Alarmed by the
spitch" theory of the Mugwumps, that
"a President cannot touch Congress
man without being dehled," Mr.. CleVe-
land has adopted the doctrine that the
mowers of the executive and legislative
branches Of the government should for
ever and i'm all things be Kept separate
and distinct,
Thus the founders OF the republic. il is
seen. never contemplated such separa-
tion or isolation of the executive and
legislative branches OF the government as
the MugWump theory has forced on the
President. Mr.. Cleveland never asks ad-
vice from anybody. He deems his duty
done when ne formally suggests laws
which occur to him as eXpedient. he is
under the conscientious convection that 1t
would be an otfense to urge upon Con
Qressmen what he considers wise
policy. He would regard 1t as false TO
the peculiar theory Of reform which ne
has adopted. if he SHOULD labor with Con-
gressmen to prevent them from passing
fnexpedient laws and to induce them TO
pass good laws, although he has the eX-
anules Of such Presidents as Jefferson,
jackson, Lincoln aud others to justify
sucn a course.
Is it surprising that this Presidential
policy has made Congress- less considerate
of the Presidents suggestions than II
would otherwise have been? Is IT aston
ishing that the Democratic members espe-
cially should feel disposed to pursue such
an independentpolicy az they deem adYisa-
BILE without regard to the views and
wishes Of an executive who has himself
set the first example Of independence?
Heretofore the party policy has been
the policy Of Its administration. But as
the President has established the rule of
Executive independence of party. can 1t
be surprising if party independence OF the
Executive follows?
Is this good for the partyf Is is benef-
cial to the country? Does it not cripple
and probably defeat legislation which is
believed to be wholesome and tend to pro-
mote legislation which Is based on erro-
neous or selfish ideas?
SO Democracy ia Congress is left to it
self. 1t has the administration. but the
policy of the administration Is a personal
and not party policy. Is it not natural,
under such circumstances, that the re-
concentrations of the President should
fall on barren ground? Can any great
measure be carried successfully through
except by the united strength of party,
legislative and executive combined?
venture the prediction that no leading
recommendations made by the President
will be adopted Icy Congress, ana that
such legis alton as he might oppose is
likely to tiud favor with the House. Not,
/ repeat. because OF any antagOnism, but
for the reason that the executive has
dropped out of Congressional business,
and because the majority of the House,
composed of active and loyal party men,
who might have easily been controlled by
a sympathetic President, Is essentially
cold and Indifferent TO an independent
President.