The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1896-12-23
PRESIDENTS POWER.
A MATTER OF EXTREME INTER
EST AT THE CAPITAL.
Burden OF General Declarations An
tagonistic to the Views Given
Gut by the Secretary of State.

Washington, Dec. 22.-Though con-
gressional debates have not been forth
coming to stimulate and keep activity
in. discussion the interest brought out
by the latest phases of the Cuban stu
alton, the manifestations of feeling on
that topic have not lessened. The po-
sition assumed by Secretary Olney has
been. the main feature of discussion in
private and public, and so far as the
opinions of members of congress go in
the matter, it is apparent that the bur-
den of the general declarations is an
tagonistic to the views declared by the
Secretary of state. At the same time,
it is felt there are many instances
wherein distinguished gentlemen.
prominent in public life, in interna-
tionai law scholarships and in business,
have given open expression of views,
fully endorsing the position of the adj
ministration on the Cuban situation,
have not been without a tendency 10
sensfbly temper what some regard as a
too hastily-formed judgment as to the
immediate necessity of ignoring Mr..
Olney's views.
In all the discussions held by Mr..
Morgan of the committee of foreign
relations he has taken no backward
step from his original position that Mr..
OIney's attitude is beyond all proper
precedent, and an assertion of power
of the executive that was never dele
gated to that branch of the govern
ment iby any decision of the supreme
court in consideration of the country's
constitution.
Mr.. Sherman, chairman of the foreign
affairs. committee. holds as well that
the p5zition of sdr. Olney in the present
particular is. untenable under the con-
stitution. -
Mr. Morgan says that if the president
can recognize the Cuban republic indie
pendently of congress he could displace
Mr.. De LONE of his rights to represent
the Spanish monarchy here.
New England congressman. with only
perhaps one or two exceptions, notably
Mr. Chandler. who vigorously adheres
to his heretofore expressed opinion that
it would be preposterous for an execu-
tive to notify Spain not to expect until
our next administration comes into
power action upon the Cuban question,
are disposed to be more conservative.
Senator Hawley of Connecticut does
not hesitate to say point blank that he
disapproves of the Cuban resolutions.
The two Maine senators differ.
though very slightly. in respect to the
not doubt the correctness of the
stand taken by the secretary of
state. and his colleague. Mr.. Frye, who
is a member of the committee on
foreign relations, while he has been
inclined to think AIR. Olney is right.
has not freely determined what the
effect would be if the Cameron reso-
luton should pass.
A sentiment that has considerable
standing upon western representatives
is explained by the declaration of
Senator Mcmillan of Michigan. who
thinks the position taken by the presi-
dent and the cabinet on the Cuban
question is proper ore.
The secretary of state himself is
not content to rest quietly in the face
of the repeated dissensions to his state
ment. He has not been slow to refer
to the position of Senator Morgan as a
clearly inconsistent one. and referring
today to the answer made by Morgan
in the senate yesterday, to a question
by Senator Hill, that it was preposter-
Gus to question the right of congress
to recognize the independence of
Cuba, says Mr. Morgan took an al
matter last February when the con-
current resolution expressing the
sympathy of congress for the in
surgentS and urging the president to
use his good offices with Spain to
bring about a termination of the
struggle on the island was in discus
sion in the senate. His remarks on
that occasion have a direct bearing
upon the issue raised by the secretary
of state. that the power of recognizing
the independence of a new government
is exclusively in the president. regard
less of the wishes of congress in the
matter. According to Secretary Olney.
the senator from Alabama at that
time conceded with the position now
assumed by the executive