Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1902-04-11

JAMES A TAWNEY.
Representative in Congress from First
Minnesota Distrlct.)
clearly indicates the following con-
text, that the president is unconsti-
tutionally debating to the congress;
and that such procedure has become
so common that the editor of one of
the leading newspapers at the ma
tional capital does not hesitate to
proclaim the fact in bold headlines on
his front page. Please bear in mind
that 1 am not inveighing against the
present incumbent of the presidency.
The principle which / enunciate
would apply to every president from
Thomas Jefferson to Roosevelt, in so
far as any of them have ignored the
constitution and interfered with the
rights of congress-"
You have said that the presidents
have been accustomed to coercing
speakers and other house leaders.
Proof of that statement / find here
in later issue of the same morning
newspaper, as follows: Led by the
| Speaker. Organization Started to
Combat Recalcitrants. Merry War to
Bitter End
There you have it boldly stated.
The representatives of the people who
dare to have wills of their own "a
against the will of the president, are
called 'recalcitrants,' as though it were
now a settled fact that the president
is n ruler and the peoples representa-
tives mere puppets. That is what our
republic has gradually come to, be-
cause the power of patronage has been
ambitiously used by presidents, and
because the representatives have per-
mitted themselves to be controlled in
that manner.
'Since the president can secure the
cooperation of the speaker of the
house, il becomes possible for all of
the representatives of the people to be
subjected to coercion with express OF
implicit threats. When the power OF
white house patronage ceases to be
coercive, the committe&apointme
and assignments might be used. No
body believes that the present genial
speaker of the house has any heart
in an effort to compel his fellow-rep.
resentatives to submit to any dictum
! other than their consciences for
the determination of their votes on
any public questions. Nevertheless, he
has been induced to go with the pres.
ident on this reciprocity matter, just
as he was induced to go with the pres
ident on the Porto Rican tariff, after
the president had declared that 'ouI
plain duty was in the opposite direc'
ton"
Judge Bartlett's animadversions re
late primarily to the recent bitter con
test in the house of representatives, il
which Mr.. Tawney, of Minnesota, as
sumed the lead of those representa-
tives who were opposed to the policy
of the president concerning reciproc
ity with Cuba. Mr.. Tawney said: "Tht
power of patronage has blinded me
in the past, as it has blinded many
others. But this proposition, whicl
would tend to destroy the beet sugar
industry of our country has awak
ened me to such action as might MOI
otherwise have taken. But having
taken this stand, my course shall here
after be clear; because as long as an
in public life l shall abide by the con
stitution of my country, and shall Wig
orously oppose any president whc
dares to dictate to congress what shal
be done in matters of legislation. Thi.
evil has grown and increased wonder
fully and lamentably during my life
time, and / am yet young man. Soon
er or later there shall arise a maI
who will be able to check it. l ma,
not be that man; but shall certainl,
do my part in creating public senti
ment against imperial assumptions b,
any of our presidents"
He is brave man who would fac,
the president under existing condi
tions. But back of any man who stands
for pure constitutional government
there must be the plain people of tn,
republic. 1t makes no difference t,
what party man belongs, nor VIII,
may be the incumbent of the whit,
house; no president should be permit
ted to dictate to the congress, the di
rect representatives of the people O.
the republic.
SMITH D. FRY.