The Montgomery advertiser., 1903-12-02
MT. Cleveland and The Constitution.

Senator Teller pays to Mir. Cleveland the tribute of spiteful criticism. His re- | Joicing that the unprecedented public career of the ex-President is not to be renewed is natural and calls for no com ment. But one of his remarks expresses a sentiment that is shared to some extent by thoughtless persons in the Democratic i party and is diligently cultivated by par tican opponents. It is worth noticing. President Cleveland. says MT. Teller. did more than any other man to break down the distinction between the dif- ferent branches of the government" His of government in which the President is already assuming legislative powers" |" This is a grossly mistaken description of the spirit of Mir. Cleveland's admints- tration. It is easy to understand why Senator Teller and a good many other Senators feel in this way, but it is far from being justified. On the contrary, Mir. Cleveland's chief offense is that he performed the trying duties of his great office with perfect respect to the legisla- tive branch, but in a manner that made unpleasantly clear the perversity, the ignorance, the folly too often shown in that branch, especially during his second term.
 What causes the angry passions of such leaders as Mir. Teller to rise at the mere mention of MT. Cleveland's record is the fact that he maintained the gold stan dard when they wished to break it down.
  tinctly granted for the strengthening of the National Credit and the preserva- tion of the honor of the government in the crisis caused by the Civil War. He should authorize new bond issues ex- pressly for the maintenance of gold pay ments, and he asked Congress to do so. Without the courage to refuse, without daring to condemn the purpose of Mir. Cleveland, without denying the solemn and imperative ob igation of the govern ment, Congress ignored the request. The out-and-out silver men avowed their de- sire for reRmdiation as a step to the silver standard. The Republican leaders lodged and shuled, not venturing to go the length the silver men went, but willing to embarrass the President and discredit the government if so they might reap par tisan advantage. It was cowardly anu treacherous and shameful policy. MT. Cleveland met 1t calmly and firmly, used the weapons forged generation before, and with perfect legality defended the | honor of the government. It was an in- ealculabie service, rendered with adnira- ble courage. It required civic heroism. But it was completely within the consitu- ton, and so far from weakening the au- thority of that instrument or breaking down any of it's essential distinctions, | it showed how. under its provisions, g wise and brave P esident could save the country from disaster in which the legis- lature was for the moment ready to in- volve 1t.
 Unquestionably MT. Cleveland vindicated the authority of the executive from un- | founded pretensions of the Senate, and asserted from Presidential powers which weaker men had unfortunately conceded He did this especial y with reference to appointments. He did not think, because the advice and consent of the Senate was necessary to appointments. that the Senate should dictate both those and re- movals. Still les did he regard with respect. or even with patience, the private arrangement among Senators by which the assumed right of dictation was divid- ed and for the apointments in each State conferred on the Senators of that State He contended, rather stubbornly. no doubt, for the constitutional rights oi his office. and in the main he succeeded in vindicating them. The Senate was not, while he was President, such $ 1 patronage exchange as it has since been and, despite MT. RoOseveit's strenuOu: personality, is now. But he did not l usurp power. He only reclaimed it. Ii
 was sund and wholesome thing to d1 and only a man of g eat strength oi character and unusua' disinteres ,nes and fairness could have done it.