Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-07-30
Dissatisfied With the President


In Tuesdays New York Herald ap-
peared a communication signed MEM
Der Of Congress" in which the President
is quite severely criticised for not con-
sulting more freely with the Democratic
leaders in Congress with respect to party
policies. This critic says that
the Democrats in Congress are in
harmonious because the President
refuses to lead them, and does
not attempt 10 influence them to find
common ground upon which they can all
stand in support Of measures the success
Of which Is necessary to the welfare Of
the party. The Cabinet officers, like the
President, hold aloof from the party lead
ers in Congress, and do not seem to think
that it would be consistent with their dig
nifty to urge members to support this or
that measure.
The author Of the communication writes
like Republican, or like a Democrat
who has tailed in getting the President
TO permit him to select persons for all the
Federal offices in his district. His refer
ence TO the Presidents mind as being
marrow and ill-informed" and to the At
torney General as being an Arkansas
crossroads lawyer" are sufficient to
show that he has no feeling of kindness
for the President or the administration.
1t may be true that the President does
not summon the party leaders in Congress
TO the White House and lecture them for
not pursuing this or that course, and that
members of the Cabinet do not hang about
the Hobbies button-holing Senators and
Representatives and begging them to vote
or not TO vote for this or that measure; but
II they were to pursue that course there
would be more fault found with the
administration than there is now. There
are plenty Of Democrats in Congress OF
very little prominence VINO, being salts
fed in their own minds that they are
leaders, would protest very vigo-
rously If they were not consulted
by the President in all matters
which might be deemed of sufficient
Importance by the President to be dis
cussed with the party leaders. If tn
President were to undertake to force the
members OF the party in Congress to sup
port measures which the administration
| favored by a free use Of the patronage he
would soon acquire the reputation of
being mere party boss who aimed to
force the party to submit to his dictation.
There is no doubt that the President
does consult with few leading Senators
and Representatives, not with the view of
! leading the party, but for the purpose of
| finding out their views as to the best
! course to pursue in matters of Importance
affecting the welfare of the country and
OF the party. He does not, however, hold
conferences with Democratic Congress-
men with the aim of getting them to act
in harmony with his views. 1t is not
| probable that such a course would be
| successful for the reason already given.
When he has anything important to say
to Congress he says it in a message, and
! it is the duty of Democrats, ii they want
to support the administration, to try and
so modify their views as to be able to
agree with those OF the President.
If they are sincere men they are just as
likely to agree with each other and with
the President as if they had had a confer
ence with the President.
1t is noticeable that the recognized
Democratic leaders of the Senate and
House are never quoted as condeming the
course of the President. 1t is reasonable,
therefore, to infer that they are satisfied
| with 1t. and that only those Congressman
who call 50 eminent lawyer as the Attor-
ney General ''cross-roads" lawyer are
dissatisfied w it'll it.