The Saint Paul globe. (St. Paul, Minn.) 1896-1905, 1904-04-01
DODGING THE ISSUE.

The Republican press Of the country
has attacked Senator German with ex-
traordinary bitterness because of his
speech in the senate Tuesday when he
exposed the scheme of the Republicans
to dodge the full investigation of the
departments just now on the eve of a
national campaign. But Senator Cor
man simply called attention to a con-
dition which every thinking man has
been familiar with for some time.
The executive, for the purpose Of
making it apparent to the people that
he had higher aims than the good of
his party, INDUCED in some strong Ian
guage denunciatory of the Republicans
who We're caught grating in the post
Office department. Some officials, in
spired to action by this seeming of
lofty aims on the part of Col. ROose-
welt, stirred themselves to unwonted
activity and worked with such good
will that they came very near to
wrecking the party that had placed
them, and the miscreants they were
bringing to light, in office. Some mem
bers of the legislative branch of the
government became Jealous under the
same inspiration and it looked for a
little While as though justice might be
wrought as the result of these inves-
LEGATIONS.
But Col. Roosevelt and his advisers
became alarmed at the disclosures
made. Having impressed the country
with the high and honorable intentions
of the administration it became neces-.
sary to throttle the investigators, who
were disposed to lose sight of the orig
inal proposition in their enthusiasm in
hunting down the thieves and the
plenitude of the game. Hence the or
der for an early adjournment of con-
gress-for it would be idle to deny that
the executive has indicated that the
session has lasted quite long enough.
AS Senator German intimates, the
administration cannot go before the
country with the odium of this aston
ishing mass of official corruption, of
which we have had but a glimpse, at
taching to it. Bristow and congress
took the lid off before the administra-
ton was quite ready to expose the
contents Of the political pot Now con-
gress is ordered to replace the cover.
There is danger in this persistent
interference of the executive in the
affairs Of congress. No president be-
fore Mr.. Roosevelt dared go to the
extremes to which he has permitted
himself to be carried in coercing the
legislative branch. He has, in effect,
made this coordinate branch of the
government subservient to the will of
the executive, not by reason of any
virtue that dwells in the White house.
but because political rewards are to be
obtained there.
If the administration and the ma
Jority party really desired to be honest
in the investigation that has only just
been begun they would not talk Of ad-
journing congress merely for the pur-
pose Of throttling discussion. But it is
hardly to be expected that the party
would look pleasant with the scalpel
of the investigator in its vitals, and
the Democrats in congress refusing to
acquiesce in the administration of an
esthetics. The scoring Senator Cor
man is receiving at the hands of the
Republicans is not going to distract
public attention from the fact that he
charges the administration and the
majority in congress with adjourning
congress because they dare not con-
tinue the department Investigations
prior to the national campaign.