The Birmingham age-herald., 1903-12-03
From the Baltimore Sun.

@HE fight initiated by Speaker Can (CD non in behalf of the rights and
 dignity of the house of representa- lives against the aggressions of the sem ate is full of interest for the American public, which does not like to see both house and president reduced to insgnif- canoe. For many years the senate has been monopolizing power at the expense of the popular branch of the national leg islature. All important bills are now, al- most as a matter of course, recast in the senate Even tariff bills and other bills, such as the constitution requires to have their origin in the house. are really compos- ed in the senate, that body in practice sub stituting bill of it's own ana compelling the house to accept it. Not little of the importance and dignity of tine house has been lost in recent years, in view of the fact that the senate controls the leglsla- tive situation. Its position of equality has been sacrificed by reason of the meekness with which it has accustomed itself to register the senate's decrees. The pres idency has lost power similarly. Instead of merely advising with the President in reference to persons whom he may see fit to appoint to Federal offices the senators now presume to dictate the Presidents appointments. From ratfying treaties the senate has got to the point of framing them. Very recently President Roosevelt. instead of appointing three jurists of re- pute" to the Alaskan boundary commis- sion, as the treaty with England required, appointed three politicians-two of whom were senators-on the ground that only thus could the senate be induced to sanc
 tion the Presidents arrangements for end ing the boundary dispute.
 This monopolizing of the powers of the government by the non-popular branch of the legislature, at the expense of both the executive and the popular branch. is anomalous. The British house of lords subordinates its will humbly to that of the commons. It retains important con stitutional functions, but the upper house in London does not dream of opposing consistently the popular will as voiced by the majority of the lower house. The lords threw out Mir. Gladstones home rule bill because as they alleged, the is- sue of home rule for Ireland was not clearly before the people in the general election that preceded the bringing in of that bill. Had MT. Gladstone appealed to the country again and got a major ity the lords would not have dared to resist longer But our house or lords at Washington, instead of accepting and obeying the popular will systematically thwarts it. with the result that popu- lar election of senators is widely demand ed. Extravaganza. corruption and per yersity are believed to be intrenched in our upper house. which consists largely, 1t is believed, of bosses and of million aires who have bought their seats. Our senate is not a body of statesmen select ed on account of age and superior ability
 as was designed by the constitution, and man for man is not regarded as superior to the house There is no good reason, therefore, why 1t should dominate the house, which much better represents the people. Speaker Cannon is accordingly right to try to reassert the right of the house to an equal share of legislative power. He refuses to adjourn the house at the senate's dictation. The latter has | decided that there shall be no vote on the Cuban reciprocity bill before Decem- l Der 15, without consulting the house. This | the speaker resents and intends. 1t Is said. to uphold hereafter the rights Of | the body over which he presides. In sup port of its disregard of the house the