Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1902-07-26
The President and Coneress.

The President and Congress.
Since the adjournment Of Congress
Democratic papers are trying to make
point against the administration by
declaring that the record Of Congress
is conspicuous for ignoring recommen-
dations of the President. In this al
legged fact they profess to see evidence
Of purpose on the part Of the Repub-
lican leaders in Congress to make war
on President Roosevelt. They say that
glance at the important recommen-
dations made by the President in his
annual message will show that to some
of them Congress paid no attention
whatever, to others it gave only half
hearted support and still others it pre-
tended to favor and then allowed to
die. They claim this shows that the
Republican leaders in Congress are not
in sympathy with the President in his
policies or his methods, and that they
are trying to prevent his first term
from being a success and himself from
becoming party leader.
A party without an issue may be ex-
pected to take up with any foolish sug
gestion based on the idea Of discord in
the opposite party, but the statement
above referred to is supremely silly. In
the first place, it assumes that Con-
gress in political accord with the Presi-
dent generally carries out all his rec
concentrations. This is by no means
the case. No Congress ever has done
so, and it is not likely that any ever
will. When it comes to legislation Con-
gress is supreme, and Of the numerous
recommendations and suggestions
made by Presidents many fail to re-
ceive any attention from Congress.
Any one who will take the trouble to
go carefully through the annual mes
sages of Presidents Harrison and Nc
Kinley will find in them many recon-
mendations that never received any
attention from Congress. Among those
of this class made by President Harri-
son were amendments of our naturali-
Zation lass SO as to make the inquiry
into the moral character and good dis
position toward our government of the
persons applying for citizenship more
thorough; a national appropriation for
the support Of colored schools; more
stringent legislation for the enforce
ment of the fourteenth and fifteenth
amendments to the Constitution; ap-
propriations for ocean mail service in
American steamships between our
ports and those of Central and South
America; a law providing for federal
supervision OF Congressional elections;
a national law prohibiting gerryman-
ders for Congressional purposes. These
are some but not all Of the recommen-
dations made by President Harrison
on which Congress took no action
whatever. Congress acted on some of
his recommendations and Ignored or
overlooked others. 1t did the same
during President McKinley's term, and
it always does. 1t is no slight to
President that Congress should not
carry out all of his recommendations,
though it sometimes errs In overlook
ing important ones.
From another point of view the &C
ton Of Congress was indicative Of en-
tire harmony with the executive, and
in one important respect was equiva-
lent to high vote of confidence. True,
it failed to provide for Cuban reel
procity, owing largely to the course
pursued by the Democrats, but all the
really important measures 1t did pass
were recommended by the President.
He recommended the establishment Of
civil government in the Philippines,
provision for an isthmian canal and
the passage of an irrigation law, and
it was all done The form in which
the isthmian canal bill passed was con-
spicuously complimentary to the Presi-
dent. No President was ever clothed
with greater responsibility and discre-
tionary power Of peculiar k1nd-nor
provided for in the Constitution-than
President Roosevelt is by this bill, and
the manner in which it was done was
equivalent to a vote of confidence in
the President.
The object of the charges which
Democrats are making ON this subject
is TO create the impression that there
ia lack of harmony in the Republican
nartv and an element of hostility to
the President. 1t is not likely they be-
lieye it themselves, and they certainly
will not succeed in making Republi-
cans believe it.-Indianapolis Journal.
The Rebate Plan.
rebate would not injure or discour-
in11