The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1901-03-05
WHINING TON. N. C..
TUESDAY, MARCH 5. 1901.
WHITTIER ARE WE DRIFTING.

In 1898, an able, gifted journalist,
Mr.. IA. L. West, of the Washington
Post. a republican newspaper, was in
Wilmington and remained here for
several days. He impressed us most
f~avOrably as a gentleman and a writer
of ability. In the last number of the
New York Forum there is a paper by
him on 1.-The Growing Powers OF the
President" In our own insufficient
way we have essayed to write on this
line, and as far back as fifteen years
or so, we have noted the trend with
soIicitude towards a centralized power
at Washington. The indications have
been many and the government today
under which we are all living is not the
government of Washington and Jeffer-
son. We do not go into the establish
ing of thai fact now, but wish to re-
fer to a point or two made by Mr..
West. He gives first what the old
constitution said about the three dis
tinct branches of the government as
established. There were three sepa-
rate branches-each distinct from the
other, and known as legislative, exec
utive and judicial. The fathers knew
how to uild and build wisely. They
knew more than men seem TO know
now after more than a century's expert
ment and trial. The people were to be
the real, the only power. That was the
purpose, the plans the determination
of the very wise and men.
We quote now from Mr.. West:
They rightly appreciated that in a
republican form of government the
popular branch must be paramount;
n they ~endeavOred, therefore, after
emerging from thraldom under an OBJ
stinate and tyrannical ruler, to empha-
size the power of the people. Congress
was to be the brake and safeguard in
the national scheme. 1t was to enact
laws owe the presidents veto; the
senate was to have equal voice with
the president in the appointment OF
the higher officials; and, above all, the
power to impeach a president was Civ
en- to the house of representatives,
with the senate sitting as a high court
when the trial should have been order
ed.
1t was intended, in the admirable
arrangement outlined by our national
creators, that these branches-the leg
islative, executive, and judicial
should be entirely independent of each
other. Least of all was it anticipated
that the president should become the
important factor in the government"
And yet just what was never desir-
ed or expected or planned has come to
pass-the president a become the
big boss, the most regnant power-the
man on horseback-the aspirer and
seeker after coronation and other
--As -.~44- ar1nroarr NJ Nncf
says distinctly and truly, that lin revo-
luton of our government, the eXecu-
tive has been gradually gaining an as
cendancy over the legislative and judi
cial." And that is just what needs to
be stopped. The people should rise up
in their united and determined power
and say to their enemies and betray-
ers-"You have gone much too far.
Retrace your steps on the instant. We
will have no more of executive usur>
patton"
Mr.. West points to the startling,
pointed fact, so ominous and deadly,
that the pivot upon which we revolve
as a nation is no longer the capitol.
where the peoples representatives as
semble, but the White house., where
one man sits in almost supreme pow
err" While we write the myrmidons
of the president are nov preparing to
make to a considerable extent his Sec
ond Inauguration a brilliant, surpass-
ing ovation, demonstration, almost a
CORONATION. And the people are
fast asleep as the great ship of state
grinds harshly upon the great rock of
Imperialism. We can not pursue the
theme farther at this hour. At an
other time we hope to give some other
points from Mr.. West, a republican,
We suppose, a native of New York
state. and for several years one of
"the ablest writer's on political subjects
at the national capitol as the editor
of 1.-The Forum" states. He has
charge of congressional and politi-
cal work on the excellent Post. one of
the best of American
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