The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-06-01
DILUTED RESPONSIBILITY
THE OBSTACLE IN STATE AND MA
TiONAl AFFAIRS

To Everything Worth Having in Popa-
lar Goyernment-Governo Hills Pro-
posed Clean Sweep of Senatorial Priv
iIege-"AboIish the Senate's Confirm
ing Power a Remedy for Many Ills.
NEW YORK, June 1.-The New York
Herald Monday morning publishes four
column interview with Governor Hill In
the course of the interview the governor
spoke in regard 10 the confirming power of
senates, both state and national, as follows:
Il have thought long and deeply on the
whole question. I have considered it apart
from any collision between myse + and the
senate of the state, but not without consid-
Grafton of the pretensions of the federal
senate in the action against Mr. Cleve-
land and other presidents The time
has come for a thorough sweeping
and radical reform The oligarchy and
aristocracy in our national system are
represented by the senate OF the United
States The obstacle to homogeneous and
responsible administration in our state
system is the senate OF each state. In both
the cause Of intolerabie senatorial preten-
sions resides Ia the confirming power. The
remedy Is the immediate and total abolition
OF the confirming power The substitute
for it should he direct executive appoint
ments with full right in the executive
to remove for cause at viii those
whom he appoints The senate, ma
tional or state has never been an
"Canyou give some instances"
Half century ago the federal senate
for reasons of partisan rancor alone, re.
sected great New Yorker as minister tc
England. The people elected him presi,. ent
as rebuke to his rejectors Half decade
ago the final result OF the play of violent
passions between the senate and the presi-
dent, on the latter's selections of his
own agents, was the assassination OF the
chief magistrate The confirming power
has been used always only to be
abused 1t does not reject bad men It
rejects good men to keep bad mon in 1t
does not work as a help or enlightenment
to the president or governor. 1t worzs as
a ball and chain on both 1t makes in the
federal senate series of as many presi-
dents in petto as there are representatives
of states in that body. 1t makes senators
office brokers, and executives the bondmen
of such oifce-brokers
"The duties of executives is administrative
They should have the right to appoint and
remove their agents in administration. The
business of senates is participation in legisla-
ton. They should be free to attend to it. Now
they claim iii effect to be assistant presidents
and assistant governors and seek to make
elected presidents and elected governors sub,
iect to them Presidents are chosen 10y the
people indirectly, but really. Federal
senator's are chosen by subidiary elections
in state legislatures Senators are not
amendable to public opinion, for it can not
reach them They use the confirming pow
ers to abuse it, to strengthen and at times
to enrich themselves in that satire on all
free and responsible government known as
secret seSsions-a menance and abomi-
nation to decency and liberty
On the ruins of the courtesy of
the senate let us build the rights of the
people and crown them with the principle
of the freedom and responsibility of the
executive whom they elsct to do their
will, and who should have the power to do
it through agents of their number selected
by himself. l trust this will be made an
issue by the Democratic party in its next
national platform"