Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-01-07
The president,s Policy.

I The Presidents Policy.
! The New YORK HerdldS Washington
I correspondent states that the President
/ day or two ago, said to him. 81 believe
/ the most important benefit that can con-
Ter on the country by my Presidency IS to
insist upon the entire Independence OF
the executive aud legislative branches OF
the government, and compel the members
of the legislative branch 10 see that they
have responsibilities Of their own, grave
and well defined, which their official
oaths bind tlem sacredly to perform"
This is a declaration by the President
that his policy is to attend strictly to the
duties which belong to the executive
branch Of the government and TO require
the legislative branch TO attend to Its
duties.
Heretofore Presidents have generally
had policy which they sought to enforce
by the expression OF their views and the
use Of patronage. They settled upon this
or that thing and undertook To make it
the leading feature of their administra-
tions. The consequence was that quarrels
between the executive and the legislative
branches of the government we're not in
frequent. The President. In undertaking
to direct the course OF legislation upon
important questions, made enemies in his
own party. In order 10 secure sufficient
friends to make show Of rover and in
huence, he was forced to use his patron
age freely. The consequence was that
4 Congressman made the appointments, and
many OF them we're very bad appoint
ments. The administration had TO bear
the odium Of those bad appointments, and
in proportion as they we're bad the admin
| isration was unpopular.
President Cievelsnd's declaration does
not only mean that he will confine him
SELF, in his relations to the legislative
| branch ~ the government, 70 giving In
! formation and making recomme ndations.
/ 1t means also that he will handle the
! patronage without any reference to the
wishes Of Senators ant r presentatives.
| His experience thus far has taught him
/ that in nine cases out of ten Congress-
men do not recommend for Office such
men as they would like TO have charge
/ Of their private business affairs. They
/ recommend IN most instances good
/ for-nothing relatives who haven't
the capacity to make a living, or
their henchmen to whom they are
under OBLIGATIONS for political services.
/ great many of these sort Of men are so
worthless or incapable that the public
I business suffers, and the people get the
! impression that the administration is
! allure.
There are other great objections to per.
hitting Congressman to dictate appoint
ments. One of them is that they not only
waste great deal Of their own time but
also that OF the President, heads Of DEPART
ments and bureaus in seeking places for
! applicants for Offices, and another Is that
if they fail TO get what they want they
become hostile and oppose everything
which they think the administration
favOrs.
II the President could carry out the
policy OF refusing to allow any interfer-
ence with the duties of the executive
branch Of the government, and of refus-
ing to influence in any way the action of
the legislative branch he would not only
put IN practice the intention of the franz
ers of the constitution, but would bring
about a reform that would be highly bene-
| fetal.
That he me~ns TO try to carry out this
policy there is reason to believe. When
asked few days ago II ne intended to
try to influence Congress- to adopt his
views on silver he replied thai he did not;
that he had discharged his duty with re-
gard 10 that matter in mis- message. The
President will certainly render the coun-
try good service il be confines himself TO
his constitutional duties and makes Con-
gressmen understand that their duties
are performed in the halls OF legislation.