National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-01-11

tees such shape os to secure at least favorable
reports for the Presidents recommendations
What right had anybody to hope that the
speaker Of the House Of Representatives
'would feel It incumbent on him' to so
shape the committees that they would be
sure to favor 'the Presidents recommends
tions 5"
What right would the speaker have had
TO cater to the wishes or views of the Prcsl-
dent IN the appointment Of the House com
mittces?
Does power, In this country, come from
the people, up, or from the President, DOWN
II the speaker were the mere instrument
Of the President, why not let the President
name the committees directly and openly
If the Executive is TO shape legislation,
why have the needless bother and expense
Of Congress2
But the Herald graciously consents TO re-
licye the speaker of some portion Of the
odium resulting from his failure to make
Itsays
Mr. Carlisle might be held, in fact, as speaker
to have declared war upon his own President,
had not Mr.. Cleveland expressed himself as he
did some days ago. Asked whether he thought
Congress would carry out INSTRUMENTATION
in regard to silver, he replied:
"lIo had no means of knowing what would
be done; II was a subject which had now
passed beyond his control or direction. He
had not the slightest wish or desire to In.
fiucncc in any way the consideration of Con.
gress beyond the methods employed by him In
directing their attention to the subject through
his official message"
Thus completely absolved from any obliga.
tions he might have felt toward the President
elected by his own party, Mr., Carlisle followed
his individual bent.
II was the right and duty Of the President
to suggest such action on the silver ques-
ton as he deemed expedient, and there his
responsibility ended, as lie very clearly
recognized. His statement that he "had not
the slightest wish or desire TO influence In
any wayn the action Of Congress on the
silver question shows that he clearly under
stands the constitutional limits Of executive
authority and the line Of demarkation be-
tween the legislative and executive depart
ments.
If, when all doubts arc resolved, 1t shall
appear that the committees are fairly rep
resentative of the views Of the dominant
| party, no matter how antagonistic they
may be to the recommendations OF the
President, the speaker must be credited
with the faithful performance of his duty
The speaker could have no respect for 0
President who should attempt any control
of or influence over the appointment Of
I committees.
The President ought to have only con
tempt for speaker who should so far for
get his obligations as to look to the white
house for directions in the constitution Of
the House committees.
But 1t is profoundly discouraging, aftel
almost a century Of government under oul
present system, to find that its first princl
pies are yet unleamed, or so little known
that their open violation is held, by great
metropolitan newspaper to be the duty oi
the President of the United States and the
speaker of the House of Representatives
Such an incident furnishes ground for the
fear that the public mind may have wan
dered away from the great landmarks o.
constitutional government.
At all events IL Is time TO call halt II
the anti-democratlc tendencies Of events
AS the first and most important step in til,
right direction--a step toward the grea
principle Of popular rule-let the House o
Representatives Of the next and all sue
ceeding Congresses electits own committees
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