The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1904-11-04
EXECUTIVE USURPATION.
Not il a Republican Congress 10 Oppose
a Republican PrsSid.nt

Secretary of War William h. Taft.
speaking for the Administration at the.
Union League Club meeting on Thurs
day night, quoted from Judge Parker's
letter Of acceptance this, and proceeded
to cTiticiSe il:
Already the National Government
has become centralized beyond any
point contemplated by the trainers Of
the Constitution. How tremendously
all this has added to the power of
the President 1t has developed from
year to year until it almost equals that
Of many mOnarchs.'
Then Secretary Taft has this COM
ment to make:
In what respect does the Executive
today exercise any more power than
he did in the time of Washington and
jefferson? 1t may be that the Presi-
dent Of the United States exercises
more power under the Constitution
than many mOnarchs. If this is true
to-day, it is because the Constitution
builders put the instrument into force.
But if il were otherwise, if there has
been an encrOachment by the ExeCu-
tive on the legislative and judicial
br. inches Of the Government. why does
not the Judge point out where these
usurpatiOnS are. so that he may prom
Use to the people that under his admin
, istratiOn such usurpatiOnS will not be
continued =
Again continues Secretary Taft:
The possibility Of improper limita-
ton of executive power by Congress is
real. but the danger that tie Executive
VIII uSarp the functions Of the Legs
lature is a mere hObgOblin, because the
Legislature has always at its command
that which in England won from the
most arbitrary kings liberty for the
peOple-the power over the public
purse. Mere inactiOn by Congress
would render the President pOweTless-"
Judge Parker's assertion as to the
eentrs ltzatiOn Of power in the Govern
ment is most abundantly warranted By
abuses 200 VIGOROUSLY patent to need
specification. Not a few administra-
tons have seen this question under dis
CCssiOn in Congress, and before the
people on the hHstings- 1t is by no
means a new Question It was last
most seriously debated during the ad-
ministratiOn Of President Grant. New
er before has the question Of central
iZatiOn of power assumed so grave an
aspect as under the administration
Of Mr.. Roosevelt. Since the day he
took the oath Of Office, after the death
OF William Mckinley, Theodore ROOse-
welt has bent every energy OF an e1-
ceptiOnally energetic nature to pre- mot
ing his own succession. and in the pur-
suit Of that object he has time and
again transgTesSed the legitimate
sphere OF his executive functions.
Mr.. Taft was in the Philippines
when Mr.. Roosevelt was bossing his
Republican Congress, and there were
things about Congress he didn't see.
There were Republicans IN that Con-
gress who several times evinced symp-
toms Of revolt but the power OF the
Executive was quickly brought into
play and the WOuld-be party recalei-
trants were ineOntinently whipped into
line.
1t is the veTiest idle twaddle to speak
in this connection OF the Legisla-
ture-' having the power to make the
Executive pOWerleEs- What is the pow
CT Of the Legislature worth so long as
il is unexercised when il most needs 10
be exercised Did a Republican Con
gress ever dare to oppose a Republican
Executive? If it has ever been criti-
cised by Republican members. il has
been by indirectiOn, with the final re-
suit that the vote Of the Republican
Legislature has been with the Execu-
tive The Republican Congress has
done President ROOseYelt's bidding alb
ieetly and seFyilely, the while its In
diTiduaIs in private criticised and even
cursed his fatuous blundering.
Congress may, indeed, under the