New-York tribune., 1904-08-30
A COMFORTING ANODYNE.
NEED IT WHILE VOTING.
4Etorney's Characterization of
Pcr6sr Consultation CLub's Viezcs.

tETGSF L COHSutGitOn tEGo J geJCS.
Hrs.ry W Taft. tke well known attorney. is
one of the first Republican members OF the New
york bar 10 cake exception publicly TO the asser-
ZION Of the lawyers who have been active N
forming the Constitutional Club. organized to
oppose the election OF President Roosevelt. In
Nsw-Yorl1 these lawyers who are Democrats
can be generally found acting with that party
but tlle fact that sorne OF them voted for Nc
KiuIey might make their change Of opinion have
some significance outside the city and State il
II we're unchallengeG. That the lawyers do not
agree in their Interpretation Of President Roose-
velt's note is evident from the following state
nnent made by Mr.. Taft in response TO questions
as TO MS opinion of the Constitutional Club.
The Parker Constitutional Club, composed of
io0se talk about tie unconstitutionaIity OF some
executive acts OF President Roosevelt. As lawyers
that which the Supreme Court has the power TO
Eas always been favortse custom of Democrats
y political campaigns TO declare unconstitutional
ooltt!5al vaw Of the meaning of ne Constit,,tiob
Instances of thls could be m1tiped but II IS sur
acient 10 mention legislation in relation the pro-
crats continue 70 cenOGnce as unconstitutional in
spite q rePeated decisions OF the Supreme Court
Weight Is not to be given. therefore. 10 con-
aeHE&Lon ~ the Democrats Of the Parker Con-
SsI S Iar5 5 or on me ne gr9Gnd mat as lawyeFs
These gentlemen are simply old line Democrats
de1y be Brought back 10 ts ss ancient Nations
wtrllI Eolns through period Of progressive
salc-ccatlOu TO wash away its political sins Of
tae lasr eight years. In their misleading slogan OF
dyfs deaden their sensibility while they un-
5ergo tie critical operation Of voting for party
lpns1y ana the abolition Of the Supreme Court OK
The statement published by the club is ful of
nlos,ye eNPgesS1oLst SIca as nasslng enormous
ereasng powers etc: and after a column of Vi
innpugring the motives Of the President, here is
Their ridiculous apti-clnax; All this We believe
70 min and vi not accuse him Of what he ought
ne deserves credit for.
look with interest for the result Of their inves
ugaIQa- Ihey VII md mat the President acted
~ ire land ana in error5arce with axec1Itfva and
judicial precedents Of unQuesuoned authority |
rTffcb e-e c-ifjcised ana 1sn assert tba+ tIey
They may not be IN accordance with the tendencies
they were not intended be; but they are gener-
ally the acts Of an effective executive who does
Numerous Precedents, for executive a-ts. like
t3ar r7er ike NIr ,-e7ea,d and Mr. Rooseveit viii
tive encroachment- As Chief Justice Marshall said
m & free Il soyqmen he he dam danger @ must must be bs6 Fs
public virtue and honest devotion to the public in
fu1ess Of the representatives Of the nation carry
with them all the checks which be useful 10
guard against usurpation or wanton tyranny.
And while I TIE subject Of precedents, 1
cannot refrain from mentioning the very sJr1kinS
contrast between the effect Of executive ''encToaCh
rnanr' Of a Democratic administration in the
Venezuelan business and Of a Republican admin
isrraVi0n in the Panama matter. No more extraor-
dirarv act the part OF an executive can be
found IN the history Of this country than the
Venezuelan message Of Mr.. Cleveland. It was no
less precpitaJe than the recognition Of the gov
eminent OF Panama. Il brought the country 10
the verge of and plunged il into financial con-
fusion, from the effects Of which it did not re-
for long time In the case OF Panama,
however, the act Of the President made the con
srructiou Of the canal certain defeated high
scheme OF blackmai and added materially TO the
prospect Of the permanent commercial prosperity
Of this country: and in these results II met with
universal appreciation throughout The country
And NJ RO0seVelr's "encToachmeuts'' have gen
orally been attended with similar results
When the Constitutional Club shall have given
the public a bill CT particulars il will be time 70
discuss the merits Of the points which they make.
IN the mean time, while I respect the gentlemen
who members Of this club not only FOR their
personal character, but also for their legal ability
II is perhaps fair that the public should be ad
Inonished that while they are entitled 70 a hear
ing partisan Democrats there is nothing in
their pretensiOns that they entitled TO be
listened 10 impartial expounders Of the con-
s-iruLrCu