The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1901-03-25
THE MINNESOTA MAN STANDS FOR
THE FREE DEBATE OF ALL
PUBLIC ISSUES
DANGEROUS STEP TO TAKE
WITH DEBATE CHOKED OFF, THE
SUBSIDY BILL HAD BEEN
JAMMED THROUGH
WANTS PRESIDENT CURBED
The Ex-senator Didn't Realize Until
Recently How Greatly the Chief
Executives Power Has
Been Expanding.

CHICAGO, March 24-''The United
States senate is the only forum that re.
mains at washington in which discus
sion can be carried on" said former
Senator Charles a. Towne, of Mime
Sofa last night at the Annex. He con-
tinued:
Government as carried on in English
speaking countries has been government
bv discussion VIII it remain that with
us or will it become imperialistic? The
founders meant that legislation should
be a matter of the utmost publicity, OF
slow deliberation, thrashed out by argu-
ment ana known to all the people But
closure in the lower house has been
adopted. debate is limited and publicity
is almost lost sight Of.
sPOONER RESOLUTION CITED.
For instance, the Spooner resolution,
giving the president the powers Of car
in the philippines, was put through the
house after an hour and q half Of dis
cussiou. On the other hand, the open
forum of the senate killed the subsidy
bill If public opinion is behind a meas
ure it VIII pass the senate, but discus
sion affords publicity and gives time for
public opinion 10 crystallize in opposition.
With closure the subsidy bill had been
1ammed through the senate.
''The people should be more concerned
scheme to Introduce closure into the sen
ate Party government has come to such
a development with US that a majority
in congress wishes to limit discussion,
even among themselves. The majority
takes it's orders from few leaders, and
those leaders are dictated to by the com
mercial forces Of the country.
POWERS OF THE PRESIDENT.
Never until I got to the senate did 1
realize how greatly the power Of the
president has expanded The original
senate shared the executive power of the
president in many respects, but the
tendency now is when the majority is in
accord with the White house to make
the senate a mere registering body for
the presidents decree. The president
ostentatiously defers to congress, says
he has no policy until congress has de-
clared its wishes with regard to the
Philippines, but all the while he is shov-
ing out patronage to quiet the senators
and bring them into line with his wishes
Closure in the senate would immensely
increase this tendency. 1t would destroy
the senate as the popular body.
COURTESY STILL REMAINS.
''Much of the old courtesy remains It
is still true that senator is listened to,
whatever may be his opinions. The right
tC 'tlSCuSSlOH - IeuSeu GDOuI Will Seil-
atorial dignity and perogatives. Let
them continue
Senator Towne is returning to Duluth
after looking over New York as q field
for the practice of law. He prefers the
West Duluth he said, may be in the
future the Pittsburg of the West. The
method of reducing ores by electricity is
cunning. North and west of Duluth lies
: an immense plateau, the waters of which
may be ell brought above Duluth and
let fall 600 feet over the cliff. Electrical
energy of 100000 to 25O,OOO horse power
may be developed. The ore lies right
across from us. Think of what Duluth
VIII be when we reduce ores by elec-
tricity instead of by coaI.''