Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1886-02-04
DAILY POST-INTELuGENcER
rnE PRE.sDExr Asp TINE SENATE.

The deadlock between the President
and the Senate, II IL may be called q
deadlock, fails to excite any greai
amount Of interest throughout the eosn
try. OF course, the newspaper discuss
IL and 1t Is to be supposed that once
holders and Office seekers are deeply
interested. bot there u no indication
that the peopis are 70 any extent wrought
up On the subject. 1t y impossible 70
interest the mssses 10 question that
involves nothing higher than the man
ner Of distributing federal ofboes. and
neither party will be able 20 make polii-
zeal capital out Of the present. dispute.
While 1t may be a serious matter 10 poi
iticsans and offiee seekers. il IL Of little
consequence 10 ordinary people xhether
the man Who ssryes them with their
mail believes 10 high or low tariff,
OF whether be votes the Democratic or
the Repuslican ticket. II the senate
persists In its demand for the reasons
for removals of federal officials by
President Cleveland and IL the Prssi-
dent remains firm In his refusal T. give
such reasons. the whole affair % more
likely to disRast the people than to
create party enthusiasm among them.
IL rs such a very small affair for the
senate and the Executive TO be suzrrel
ina sbsut.
OF course, there IL a question as to
the right of the Senate to demand the
reasons for removals, and there IL no
precedent by which either the Senate or
the President can be guided, bat II Ia
such q small question that it Should be
decided in very short time. There IL
no great principle involved. The entire
matter turns upon the Interpretation
which should be given to an obscure
part Of the Constitution. To make this
a party question and t. approach it's
consideration in a spirit OF bitterness
and With q grim determination not to
yield In any event, is not the proper
way 10 settle the point in dispute. In
deed. 1t 10 almost tue best way TO render
q solution impossible.
In the matter Of removing officials.
the President has certainly not gone
beyond What may reasonably be con
sidsred his constitutional powers.
There are points, however. in which the
Executive has sransoended its eonstitu-
tisHal powers. and the people wsuld
heartily approve If the senate should
demand the reasons for this, rather
than the reasons for the removal of
Federal officials. Here there Is q prin-
ciple involved, and 10 is not an nnin-
portant one. Secretary Bsyard should
be asked TO explain why he has nulhasd
some laws and amended others by in
strucsions issued to his Consuls. Sec
Rotary Manning should lie asked 10 ex-
plain Why be has deliberately and per
sIstently refused 20 devote the money
reserved from daties 10 tue payment OF
interest on the bonds and to purchase
outstanding bonds, as the Law requires.
Postmaster General Villas should be
asked TO explain Why be has failed to
distribute among the American steam
ship companies the 100000 appsopris-
ted by the last Congress for that pur
pose. Secretary Whitney should be
asked TO explain bis extraordinary
method of csndussing the Navy De
partmsnt.
The Executive has been aggressive
enough and msnaeing enough, and !;
should be called to account. but the
Senate Is not taking the proper course
In the matter.