Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1904-11-02
EXECUTIVE USURPATION.
Not in a Republican Congress to Oppose
a Republican President.

Secretary of War William II. Taft,
speaking for the Administration at the
Union League Club meeting on Thurs
day night, quoted from Judge Parkers
letter Of acceptance this, and proceeded
to criticise it:
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:
I'm what respect does the Executive
to-day 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 it We're otherwise, if there has
been an encroachment by the EXecu-
| tive on the legislative and judicial
branches 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 the Executive
| will uSurp the functions of the Legis-
| lature is mere hobgoblin, because the
| Legislature has always at it's 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 powerless."
| Judge Parker'S assertion as to the
Capitalization of power in the Govern
| ment is most abundantly warranted by
abuses too 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 hastings. 1t is by no
means a new question. 1t 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 ex-
ceptionally energetic nature to Pre- mot
ing his own succession, and in the pur-
suit Of that object he has time and
again transgressed 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 recalci-
trants were incontinently whipped into
line.
1t is the yeriest idle twaddle to speak
In this connection of 1.-THE Legisia-
4 ture' having the power to make the
Executive powerless. What is the pow
er of the Legislature worth so long rs
it is unexercised when it most needs to
be exercised? Did a Republican Con
gresS ever dare TO oppose Republican
Executive? If it has ever been criti-
cised by Republican members. it has
been by indiraction. with the final re-
suit that the vote of the Republican
Legislature has been with the Execu-
II tiye. The Republican Congress has
4 done President Roosevelt's bidding alb.
jectly and servilely. the while its in
diEiduals IN private criticised and even
cursed his fatuous laundering.
Congress may. indeed. under che
49,