The herald., 1897-11-15
SENATORIAL COURTESY

it in the highest legislative body in the
character and distinguished ability.
Members of such body and of such
choice are entitled to respect and defer
ence. 1t is also distinctly proper that
among themselves there should be the
courtesy of concession to the views and
wishes of each other regarding the local
interests of their respective states. Such
respect to senators. be it understood,
never did apply to their party opinions
There never should be any question
about senatorial honor and propriety.
In the early days of the republic, sena-
torial dignity and courtesy We're pro-
verbal. AS it was considered that SEN
ators would ever be controlled by honor
able principles. it was not deemed neces-
sary to have rule under which absent
ees would be arrested and brought to
their seats, nor one that should limit
debate. Cloture of debate in the senate
has always been only by unanimous
consent.
With the advance of time senatorial
courtesy has in some respects been
carried to a reprehensible extreme. The
senate not only has concurrent power
with the house of representatives in the
enactment of laws, but also equal power
with the president in filing the most I'M
portant offices, and in making treaties
with foreign nations.
| 1t is particularly in connection with
appointments to Office that the courtesy
rule has been abused. Statements of
facts concerning the fitness of presi-
Dental nominations by senators should
have great weight, especially when they
are made by a senator of state in
which a nominee resides, or in which he
is to discharge the duties of the Office
to which he is named, for it should be
| presumed that such statements are
prompted only by high sense of public
duty.
| There have been not a few instances
where objections to confirmation pro-
ceeded from the personal feeling or in
terest of a senator The worst feature
has been, and is, that senators not in
frequently make use of their power to
dictate appointments, and they have
often done so to pay off political obliga-
tions, or to gain support for reelection.
There have been cases when senators,
who We're members of the party in eN
ecutive power, have agreed among
| themselves to refuse combinations when
there was opposition from senator or
senators of the state where nominees
reside. Many worthy men have failed
to receive continuation for the reason
that they have not been supporters of
senator, or that a senator has thought
that he could not command their ser
vices in the future.
The courtesy rule was carried to the
extreme during the administration of
Andrew johnson, and it was in full force
and vigor when General Grant became
president. He was either ignorant of it,
or thought he could successfully combat
it. His idea was that senators Were
advisors and not dictators. Through re-
sistence to combinations, which pro-
coded in some cases to rejection, the
senate coerced the president to concede
to senatorial wishes. Every presiden,
down to the present time, except Mr..
Cleveland, has felt it necessary to oblige
senators in matters of appointment in
order to secure support for his measures.
Mr.. Sumner made it almost an IN
variable rule not to make recommenda-
tion for appointment, when such had to
be confirmed by the senate, because he
believed it was his duty to be wholly
urcommitted and impartial in passing
upon the fitness of a nominee. A presi-
dent who yields to senatorial dictation
aids in establishing bosssm and a ma
chine in a state. When the idea of a
senator is no higher than that of per-
petuating his own power, he can be con
trolled by president who has measures
or schemes for which he desires congress
sional support. Combination between
president and senate, Influenced by the
favors of patronage, is q distinct danger
The wsest laws will not be passed un-
less the legislative and executive de-
partments act independently of each
other.
These observations are timely be-
cause it is an understood fact that such
bosses as Hanna, Platt, Quay and others
have dictated appointments in their re-
spective states, and that President Nc
Kinley has had little volton of his own
Patronage has been dispensed by the
president to reward political services
and to promote the passage of measures
in the interest of trusts and of combina-
tions and against the welfare of the
masses. Senatorial courtesy is a virtue
when kept within proper limits, bur
there has been a departure from that
courtesy which prevailed in the early
and better days of the republic.
is WOLCOTT HEDGING?