Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-07-12
FIGHTING THE PRESIDENT.
Party Leaders Are Evidently Jeal
GUS of Roosevelt.

oux of Roosevelt.
President Roosevelt's first experience
with a congress on his hand has not
been successful, because leaders In both
branches Of congress determined very
early in the session to give the presi-
dent as little credit as possible. In
consequence congress has weakened it
self with the people and strengthened
the president.
A glance at the important recon-
mendations made by the president In
his annual message-to some Of which
congress paid no attention whatever, to
others Of which 1t gave only half
hearted support, and still others 1t pre-
tended to favor and then allowed to
die-will show that the representative
statesmen Of the Republican party in
congress have sought to prevent Mr..
Roosevelt becoming leader.
A record Of this kind can hardly be
found in the history of legislation when
an administration and congress were
of the same political party.
In his annual message in December,
in a special message in June, and in
hundreds Of conferences with senators
and representatives during the entire
session, President Roosevelt urged re-
ciprocity with Cuba.
President Roosevelt, in his annual
message. recommended government SUI
pervison Of trusts.
Nothing was done.
He recommended publicity as a rem
edy for certain trust evils.
Nothing was done. After being re-
peatedly urged the house committee on
the judiciary refused to report bill.
The president recommended legisla-
tion against anarchy.
Nothing was done. Bills were passed
by both houses for the protection Of the
president and executive officers, but
they were not reported out Of confer
ence.
President Roosevelt recommended
measures Strengthening the immigra-
ton laws.
Nothing was done.
He recommended a general extension
of the principle Of reciprocity 80 far
as it could be done without injury 10
home industry"
Nothing was done.
The president recommended aid to
American shipping, in order to make
advantageous the carrying Of American
trade in American ships"
Nothing was done. Under the COM
bined leadership Of Senators Frye and
Hanna the bill passed the senate, but
it has not been reported by the house
committee.
President Roosevelt recommended a
militia law.
Nothing was done.
He recommended a general staY for
the army.
Nothing was done.
The president recommended a revis-
ion of the merit system and an exten-
sion of the classified service 80 as to
insure honest government at home and
in our insular possessions"
Nothing was done.
President Roosevelt recommended a
department of commerce.
Nothing was done. The bill passed
the senate, but was never reported from
the house committee.
The president recommended the re-
organization of the consular service.
Nothing was done.
Against all these failures there are to
be placed only three matters Of any
great Importance recommended by the
president, which congress enacted into
law. These were the canal bill, which
was not passed in a form entirely satis-
factory to him; the irrigation bill and
the bill making the census a permanent
bureau of the government. In no sense
were any of these measures party is
sues.
On all the more important matters
of Republication party policy congress
refused to follow the lead Of the presi-
dent. This is especially true in the mat
ter of reciprocity in general and Cuban
reciprocity in particular.
The story Of the unhappy fate of the
Cuban bill has been told in The Her.
aid. The same principle applies to 9TH
er measures recommended by the pres
ident to the favorable consideration Of
congress, only in lesser degree, because
their turning down was not subject to
such widespread publicity.