The broad ax. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1895-19??, 1905-12-30
CONGRESSMAN VIM. sULzER TO
THE FRONT.
Julius F. Taylor, Editor 1.-The Broad
AK" Chicago:

l was greatly pleased TO see the
letter of Congressman Sulzer in The
Broad AK" and your editorial COM
menting thereon. Mr.. Sulzer is a
coming political star of the first
magnitude. He has just introduced
into Congress a resolution on the
Russian question, which if pressed
fearlessly TO its logical conclusions,
is bound to raise a big political storm
not only in our domestic politics, but
in international affairs also. This
Sulzer resolution is of fact the first
step in a revision by Congress of the
extraordinary performances and I'M
constitutional uSurpatiOnS of power
by the Presidential Executive during
the late recess" In the Russian and
Japanese affair Roosevelt has eStab-
lished as a precedent that during the
recess of Congress all the powers and
prerogatiyes of Congress are abro-
gated, and the Constitution itself sus-
pended, making the President an I'M
restrained and absolute autocrat and
military dictator. In the greatest in
ternational affair in all history. an
affair which involved the fate of the
world and involved also Americas
highest material interests and even
our liberties, this Mr. Roosevelt pro
ceeded in the absence of Congress
to play Emperor and settle the whole
business off-hand Emperor-likC, max
ing dive in his spectacular s,yle
ia q submarine torpedo boat by way
of exercise" With an audactiy and
disregard of constitutional restraint
no proceeded before a gaping world
in a manner which even the Kaiser
of Germany would not dare 10 ex-
hibit over the German people. The
aggression was fragrant. The Consti-
tuition of the United States gives the
Federal Senate cOequal jurisdiction
" IN TIE IltSlutuAldl tAtfullNt OWL
all of our foreign relations This
high constitutional prerogative is
shared by the House of Representa-
tives of the National Congress. Would
Mr.. Roosevelt have lost anything in
true constitutional observing prestige
as the executive head of Il democratic
republic fl he had accordingly called
al extra session Of the Am rican Sen
ate on that momentOus occasion. or
if he had called into consultation at
Oyster Bay the members of the Sen
ate committee on foreign affairs with
members of the committee of foreign
affairs of the House? Would the
world effecting diplomatic relations
at Portsmouth, have lost anything in
dignity by such an observance of the
spirit" of the Constitution by the
Executive? Could Witte have made
the astounding and humiliating dec
laratiOn he did on his return to
'AAhAA NJ NA'NlAl HNhfl hive
Inundated Japan at Portsmouth and
forced Russia'S terms of peace on
her but for the fact that Roosevelt
himself was the loyal ally of the
Car and had supported him CWitte)
"at every point?" That WAS Whites
declaration during the negotiations.
That declaration involves American
honor. 1t demands Congressional in
VestigatiOn. and if true. demands Con
gressiOnal action. For. with Whites
declaration unrebuked We stand in the
attitude before the world of having
inveigled Japan into a diplomatic
trap" under false pretenses in the in
terest of Russia.
As TO Mr.. ROoscvelt's moral respon-
sibility for what is going on in Russia
to-day. as invOled in the SulZer reSO-
luton, the case is clear. But for
Roosevelt's premature interference in
the mighty name of America after
Toga's great naval victory in the
straits of COrea, when Japan had the
Russian brute by the throat and at her
mercy, Russia to-day would be a re-
public. her brutal COSsacks disbanded
and disarmed. with the imperial fam
lily and the grand dukes in exile. with
the Kaiser and his "hangers-on" to
keep them company. Russia a repub-
lie. with the temperance on the map
of Europe Of the German republic OF
1S+S. side by side with heroic France
all this sacrificed in order TO pander
TO the colossal egotism of Theodore
Roosevelt, and safeguard and restore
to power the Russian despotism is the
bulwork of European dynastic rule.
Put that achievement side by side
with the murder of the South African
republics in order to safeguard the
British monarchy, and what claim has
Roosevelt on the worlds democracy?