The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1902-07-28
Senator Burton Again Defends
His Course in Congress.
Says an Effort Was Made to
COerce Lawmakers.
EXTRA SESSION THREAT
Denies Presidents Power to
Convene Special Session.
1t Was a Threat to Compel Gu
ban Legislation, He Says. r.

Senator Burton delivered another
speech defending his position on Cuban
reciprocity at Abilene Saturday night,
at a public reception rendered him py
the citizens of his home town. The ad-
dress was largely his Topeka speech In
a new dress, but he also advanced some
new ideas in explaining his course.
Among other things he alleged that
President Roosevelt cannot convene an
extra session of congress for the purpose
of acting on a Cuban reciprocity meas
ure.
The proposition to call an extra ses-
sion, Senator Burton said, was simply
q threat made to cOerce congress INTO
legislating on the subject of Cuban re-
ciprocity. The senator said:
1.-THE president, under his oath, cannot
call congress in extraordinary session
without declaring that an emergency
exists and of course, that extraordl-
nary emergency must be in this country
not an extraordinary emergency that
may exist in another country 10 pre-
tend that there is any extraordinary
emergency for calling congress together
to legislate upon this subject is pro-
position SO monStrously absurd That IT Is
strange anyone would make it, Yet, as
I said, it was published all over the
country, ana for what purpose? 1t
Sould have no other purpose except an
effort to coerce congress.
The best constitutional lawyers differ
from Senator Burton on that PROPOSE
ton. They hold that the president alone
is the sole judge of when an extra SEES
sion is necessary. President Cleveland
called a special session for the sole pur-
pose of repeating the Sherman law
when half of his own party was vio-
lently opposed to such action. The con-
Stitution seems to be very specific with
ference to the presidents power to call
congress together in extra session. 1t
says:
article II, section 8. He (the presi-
DENT shall from time to time give to
the congress information of the state
of the union and recommend to their
consideration such measures as he shall
judge necessary and expedient; he may,
on extraordinary occasions, convene
both houses, or either of them, and in
case of disagreement between them with
respect to the time of adjournment, he
may adjourn them to such time as he
shall think proper; he shall receive am
he shall take care that the laws be
faithfully executed and shall commits
sion all the officers Of the United
States
A considerable number of Republicans
from outside of Abilene went to see
Senator Burton Saturday regarding the
appointment of a successor for L. g.
Crum as United States marshal, and
these helped to swell the crowd, which
filled the local opera house at Abilene.
heard the speech were Congressman
Miller, D. W. Mulvane, State Treasurer
Grimes, Seth Wells, candidate for state
auditor and others.
After few Introductory remarks, Sem
ator Burton said:
Charges have been made that certain
senators acted in bad faith with the
president respecting this legislation be-
cause a majority of the senators did
not think it wise to report the senate
bill at the late session. These charges
are absolutely false. Every senator, in
my opinion, acted in perfect good faith.
A number of the senators We're honest
ly and earnestly for the proposed sub
stftute. From all I could learn, 1 do
not believe they constituted a majority
by any means, but certainly far less
than a majority did not think it wise
to report the bill with the honest diff
ferences of opinion that existed between
Republicans respecting it, and also be-
cause of the honest differences of opin-
ion respecting the other methods that
were suggested for carrying out Cuban
reciprocity.
INFLAMMATORY NAMES
Again, inf1ammatory names have been
used against the beet sugar senators
and lns1nuatiOnS made against some OF
the other senators, calling US on the one
hand insurgents, boxers, renegades, and
accusing some of the others of treach-
cry. Treachery to whom? Can it be
said that senators are opposing the
president, even though they do not sup
port some particular recommendation
that he might make? Can it be said
That senators are treacherouS when, in
their judgment, the consideration of a
particular measure should be post
poned? Is it not the province of con-
gress to legislate? What is the meaning
of these charges? What is their pur-
pose? Is it not an effort to coerce con-
gress? They say that Cuban reciprocity
was Mckinley's policy. In the sense ir
which this Is used, 1 deny it. They
say this is Roosevelt's policy. In the
sense in which it is used, I deny that
True President Roosevelt is, and per-
haps Mckinley was, in favor of estab-
fishing reciprocal trade relations will
Cuba
MORE EXPLANATIONS.
But neither Mckinley nor President
Roosevelt had a policy, in the sense
which this word is used by the Other
side. Nobody ever heard of a McKin
ley policy until after he was dead. No
body ever talked about Garfield's pol
Icy. or Grants policy or Lincoln's pol
icy. Thhose great presidents never at
tempted to coerce congress. MCKINLEY
recommended free trade with Porto Rice
and said it was our plain duty II
the face of his recommendation congress.
esta bliShed a tariff. Did anybody sa,
that congress had turned McKinle!
down in not carrying out his recon-
mendation? Did anybody say that con
when they did this? The only presi
dents who ever had policies were Grove
Cleveland and Andrew Johnson. The,
undertook to coerce congress.
President Roosevelt has not had an,
does not have any such policy, and it i
placing him in false light before tn
country to be constantly harping upo
RoOsevelt's policy'A and CONSTANT
talking about treachery to the presi
dent These people would have you be
lieve. If we are to judge them by thei
talk, that President Roosevelt favore
some particular bill. That is not true
He favored Cuban reciprocity and LEI
to congress entirely the method of car
rying that out There is an honest diff
ference of opinion among the member
OF congress as to the best method to
adopted They go SO far as to say the
deprecate the charge that has bee
made that the proposed senate com
yrittee bill, If passed. would inure to tn
peneht OF the sugar trust. Every bod
hot