Durango semi-weekly herald., 1903-02-23
A REVOLUTIONARY DOCTRINE.

o
In n recent issue Of the Commoner
MIR Bryan advances the rather start.
ling theory that the president Of the
United States is not so potential in
legislation as he ought to be. II ap-
pears that the ST. Louis Globe-Dcmo-
crat inadvertently furnished the text
on which the editor Of the Commoner
delivered his Discourse on presidential
law-making. The Globe e-Democrat
told how President Diaz of Mexico.
has thwarted the Standard OIL com
pany. According to our St Louis
contemporary. as cited by the Com
moncr. the oil trust got control OF a
Mexican railroad and attempted to
freeze out a rival by putting a prohib-
tive rate on oil from the competing
we'll This matter waH brought to the
attention of the president. and he at
once put the legal machinery into
motion and the railroad soon had to
choose between the restoration Of the
old rate and a forfeiture Of It's char
ter. The result was that the railroad
reduced It's rate for carrying oil and
the Standard oil company had TO
meet the competitive price of oil. And
here TX the lesson which Mr.. Bryan
draws from that incident and imparts
to the American public In seeming
unconsclousness that he is not tray'
cling the beaten track.
our president could do the same
thing In effect II he desired 10 do so.
II he was really anxious TO extermi'
nate the trusts he could do 80 In
shor torder He could prepare a bill
making {, unlawful for any corpora
ton TO use the mails. railroads, or
telegraph lines for Interstate com
mercc until that corporation showed
that It's stock was not watered, and
that II was not trying to monopollze
any branch OF business or the pro
duction Of any article Of merchandise.
His power to appeal 10 the people and
his ability TO focus public attention
upon "A question would enable him
TO secure the passage Of really mer'
itorious law-but such action would
antagonize the money power and
bring a fight in the next national con
vention'
United States ms defined by the Con
stltution. Ia a very great Office. It's
duties and responsibilities are un'
cqualod by those of the head OF any
constitutional monarchy on the face
OF the globe. Bet the presidency,
great as II is is not the whole thing
the Executive II not congress. The
people and the states, through the
house of representatives and the SEN
ate. are supposed to do most OF their
legislation II In made the duty of the
president to recommend such legisla-
tlon ns he may deem eSpedient, II
congress sends him bills OF which
he cannot approve. he can exercise
more than monarchial right OF veto,
But tho idea that the president
should frame bills and appeal to the
people to aid him In carrying them
through congress Is even more rovo-
lutionary than any Of the doctrines
of policies heretofore supposed 10 he
long to Organism.
1t is the general principle laid
down by MIR Bryan, not its applica-
tion in any particular case, that we
nre discussing II It were proper for
the president. Ia one Instance. 10 set
up his policy against the incllnntions
OF the dominant party TO congress and
20 appeal to tho people to bring pres
sure ON congress such course would
be equally proper IN other Instances.
Ills power to appeal TO the people" "
SAYS Mi Bryan and hia ability 10 TO-
Gus public attention upon question
would enable him 10 secure the pass
sage OF u really meritorious law"
The Lincoln statesman really appears
to believe In that Kind of lawmaking.
II our fathers had believed In the one
man power ~ sincerely as Mr.. Bryan
appears to. they would not have ere
atcd congress. Tho moro perfect
union" with which they supplanted
the confederation would have been a
concentration OF all the powers of gov
nt--logislatiye, executive and
judicial--in one man.