Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1905-10-12
STRONG CENTRAL
ZINC TENDENCY
POINTED OUT BY HENRY WADE
ROGERS IN BOSTON.
FANUAL HALL ADDRESS
Many Entertainments Made Seemingly
With the Sanction of the People
Situation Might Be Dangerous in
an Executive Less Safe Than
Roosevelt.

Boston, Mass, oct. 1.-THE Powers
OF the President was the subject OF an
address delivered by Henry wade
Rogers at Faneul hall yesterday.
Ever since the civil war he said, there
has been taking place Ill this country
Il steady Capitalization OF government
ana transformation in the political
thinking OF our people. The treat
ment accorded our new possessions IS
one evidence OF what has been taking
place in the American mind. The
people of the United States have
shown themsClyed unwilling to govern
their conduct according to the basic
principles upon which our institutions,
state and national, were founded. me
! prlnclple which Lincoln declared would
he in all coming days" rebukc
and stumbling block to the very
/ harbingers Of rcappcaring Tyranny
and oppression has, within forty
! , .
gardcd by the party which he found
ed.
In place Of the dstrust with when
the fathers looked upon executive
power we find disposition to resort
to the president for relief in matters
which are entirely outside his author
IitN. An industrial dispute arises be,
4 tween labor and capital, and men APP
! peal to the president, not yet as a
| Louis who can decree righteous ludg
monts from u bed OF justice, but as a
! powerful ruler whose wishes, like the
command of an autocrat, are not light
ly to be disregarded.
| We have seen a president, with the
approval OF the people, summon the
representatives Of labor and capital to
his council chamber and by his great
| influence compel one side to submit to
a commission named by him the de-
cision of questions which for months
/ they had resolutely declined to arbi
! trato, and which they deemed OF vital
! importance to the industry in which
! they were engaged. In his individual
capacity the president was as power
! less us other men to secure such re-
suit. But as president he was able to
accomplish what no one else could do
| His motives were good and the imme-
date result was beneficial to the coup.
| try. Most men applauded his conduct
A few regarded his action as a danger
GUS precedent. They pointed out that
the influence he exercised was dUe to
| his position as president, and that In
the exercise OF it he was controlled by
no constitutional restraint, and Tor the
abuse Of II he was answCrable to no
tribunal, They said that by the accu.
mutation of presidents like This the
extra legal fabric of Caesarism was
/ gradually erected in the Roman re-
public, and that the non.statutory
power of the prime minister silently
grew up under the shadow of the
! British constitution
a sturdy of the legislation OF con-
greSs diScloses a disposition ON the
part of that body to delegate to the
president powers OF government which
The constitution never intended he
should exercise. In 1901 congress
passed the Philippine act, which con
stituted the president IN absolute
/ despot over eight millions OF people
In lS03 1t became necessary to pro,
vide for the government OF the vast
territory coded by France as the terri.
tory of Louisiana. Congress there.
upon passed an act which provided
that the president should take posses
sion of the territory Under this act,
| however, the president was simply en-
| powered to execute the laws then ex-
listing in the territory. The authority
| thus given him was even limited in
| time 10 tho then session of congress
! but In the Philippine act he was an.
thoriGcd to establish and execute such
/ laws rs he might deem desirable
A member of the legal profession not
not lonG ago declared that n crisis was
/ approaching in our constitutional de,
velopment The election OF 1904 he
/ rejoiccd to declare "a remarkably pop
ular Interpretation of the constitution f,
In his opinion It constituted The presi-
dent "a majestic constitutional figure.
uncontrolled by congress, rmrestrained
by the courts, vested with plenary con
stitutional power and absolute consti-
! tutional discretion"
IL 4 a / q
coordinate department OF the govern
meut The powers granted 10 him by
the constitution are political and his
discretion respecting their exercise is
absolute and cannot I've controlled.
There is, however a class Of executive
powers which depend entirely upon the
legislation of congress both for their
existence and their scope
Congress has the power of the