National Republican., 1886-08-30
Hero ia Ano,hor Issuc.


Perhaps the most telling point yet made
against the President, and the one most
likely to take lodgment in the public mind
and influence the political future of Mr..
Cleveland and his party, was stated by SEN
ator Allison in his speech before the Iowa
Republican state convention last week.
The senator put the point in true senatorial
style, with calmness and dignity bedtting
the gravity Of the theme, but its tremend-
Gus force was not thereby impaired, In
something Of the same spirit we shall try
TO discuss II.
The charge presented by Mr., Allison Is
that the President killed the Morrison sur
plus resolution by "pocket veto" instead
OF sending 1t back to the House, because he
knew that, If he should send It back, two
thirds Of the members OF each house stood
ready to make 1t a law, "the Presidents
objections to the contrary Notwithstanding.
1t is not claimed that any section or
clause Of the fundamental law was directly
violated by this act Of the President, but II
is clalmed-indeed It Is self.evident fact
that such action was directly and fla.
grantly violative Of the spirit Of that instru.
ment; was usurpation of the legislative
function unauthorized. unprecedented, and
absolutely inconsistent with any system of
government except dictatorship.
The veto power gives the President
negative vote equal to the difference
between q bare majority and two.thrds.
In other words, the veto power, as defined
by the constitution, puts the negative vote
of nine to ten millions of our population
into the hands Of one man, and that one
the chief executive official 1t is a mon
archical, n kingly prerogatlve, anti.demo
cratic, and squarely opposed to the whole
theory OF government by the people
But, royal though 1t be, 1t is in the consti.
tuition, and we find no fault with any
President for exercising It within the limits
| intended by the fathers.
But the veto power, as exercised in this
"pocket veto," would enable a.President to
kill bill rresolution supported by the rep
resentatives Of all the people of three hun
| dred and twenty-five districts In their House
| Of Representatives and all the representa-.
tives of thirty-eight states in the Senate
The President knew that two.thirds Of the
| people and two-thirds OF the states,
through their respective agents in tho
House and Senate, wanted that resolution
TO become law. Yet he circumvented them
by refusing to give the lawmakers a chance
to complete their work. lie could-and
what reason is there to suppose he would
not-have taken the same course II he had
known that every man In both houses Of
Congress stood ready to pass the bill over
his head
And this is what is called Democracy
This is Jeflersonism Aud the party whosC
President and chief representative thus
usurps the legislative function and sets III
czarism in this republic is always pratnl
about Capitalization +" We are tolt
every now and then that the Republican
party is descended from the Federalists
Why, II would have made Alexander Hamil
toms head swim to have dreamed of such one
man power as this even us remote posi-
bility.
Here is an issue-a direct, square issue
on which the Republican party will go tC
the people. Mr.. Allison has performed hi
part w0ll. Iowa will rebuke imperialism
The veto power as It exists in the constitu
tlon is biz enough. This country will moi
consent to have 1t magnifed until Congress
becomes what Charles wanted parliament
to be-a mere registrar of the executiv
will.
In connection with this the President
course in appointing to Office men WHOM
the Senate rejected will come up for review
There is to be struggle against the one
man power, but the result cannot b
doubted Our Democratic friends will fin
issues multiplying as the Presidential yea
draws nigh, and they will find themselve
hopelessly disabled before the fight begin
unless they put their party right by con
demning all attempts to aggrandize the ex
ecutive at the expense of the legislative de
partment.