New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1893-09-11
SENATORS AND "OrTSIDE PRESSURE'

SENATORS AND "OCTSIDE PRESSURE"
Senator Teller, perhaps the leading cham
MON of the silver interest in the Senate, made
q speech on Saturday. addressed in peculiar
sense TO his colleagues which, if wanting IN
dignity. was certainly not wanting in craft.
T. related to the pressure that is being brought
to bear by the newspaper press of the country
on the Senate in general and by the Admins
t,ation on individual Senators in particular. to
secure the passage Of the Repeal Dill MI
Teller has few superlOrS among the men VINO
sit with him as a Senate III what may DC
called practical ability. His speech was an
illustration of his equipment Ill this respect
1t was an appeal. not to patriotism, Dut 10
vanity and prejudice. it had, however, GER
tain justification in the facts. The tone IN
which the Senate has been reminded OF lis
dirty. rs those favoring repeal understand ITS
duty. has not always been respectful. The
note Of dctati0n has been distinctly clear IN
many newspaper articles and motives have
been ascribed to the Anti-RepcacrS which 1t
is not lust to suggest. The campaign against
what we regard as a Supremacy dangerous imam
cial helcsy does nct require the aid OF vtupcra-
ton nor bombaStic dictat0n IL j. true ~
we think. that the Senate contains one or two
men who are miserably out OF place there;
men who can scarcely be taken seriously, and
who are the results of political accidents, which
subtract largely from the need of public
respect due to every man on whom rs placed
the seal of selection as the representative OF
great American Commonwealth in the Sen
ate If the United States. But these men are
IL 4 t,-iI ttnls mo IL
YER party in the Senate is almost majority
In the Nation it is if not proportonately con-
siderable, certainly numerous, and neither pru-
IDENTITY nor properly is it to be treated with
arrogance.
Mr. Teller WIS plainly right in his remarks
concerning the telegram of cOngiatulatlon adj
dressed by President Cleveland 10 Congress
nan Wilson upon the passage OF the Repeal
hill nv the House The President committed
something more than a breach of etiquette in
sending such a message The Constitution de-
fines his duties with regard to legislation with
great cleamcSS. 1t points ont, in the first
place that the Executive is in no sense the
superior in authority Of the legislative branch
of Government He is its equal, no less, but no
more 1t is made his duty 10 report to Con-
eress the condition of the country as he SECS
il, and TO make such recommendations there
upon as seem to his judgment good. lie
possesses also the power to veto any act, but
that act may he passed over his veto if, not
wthstandng his objections two-thirds OF both
houses approve it, Ii is evident from these
provisions that the President has no function
to perform in bringing indirect pressure to
bear upon individual Congressman. In 80 far
as he undertakes to carry his policy by the
use of patronage or by the threat Of with
holding it, he IS a usurpcr of influences that
do not belong to him. In the end Presi-
Dental pressure of this kind must result in
the defeat of the object sought to BIO attained
by it. 1t excites just resentment. Americans
are not the kind Of people who are going to
have persons who hold office as their servants
engage in any kind Of arrogant dictation. Mr.
Cleveland is much admired for what is called
his stnrdincsS. A man who has sound
opinions and who does not fear to express them
is indeed always admirable but a man who
assumes that he is gifted with supernatural
faculties, and is entitled to say to his fellow
citizens in a free Republic, DO this ct dc
that because ] say so, stand in dread OF
nv displcaSirc" is tliflc tUo sturdy.
The motive of Mr. Tclor's address was o.
course. to bolster Senators Of his way Of think
ing in their opposition to the pending bill, and
TO excite resentment in the minds Of other
Senator'S In this purpose he ought t, fail
The arguments Of the President and Of tho
newspaper press on the one side of this qucs-
ton and the arguments Of Mr.. Teller and his
friends on the other, are all entitled to the
consideration Of the Senate But dctation
whether inductes through a newspaper arti
Gle Presidential telegram of congratuatiOn
or an altful appeal against these TO vant,
{ and prejudice. should all similarly fail Unfair
!, methods of all kinds should he put down, anC
il follows that the public is entitled to vote
in the Senate on this question without any d
that delay which is one phase, and not The
, least Objectionable of these unfair methods.