West Virginia argus. [volume] (Kingwood, W. Va.) 1877-1946, 1905-02-23
OUR washington LETTER.
President Roosevelt and the Senate
Lock Horns
OYER THE FOREIGN TREATIES.
Trouble Between the Lever House and
the Senate Over Revenue Measures.
Each Body Being Jealous Of the
Authority Of the other.
OYER THE FOREIGN TREATIES.
From Our Regular Correspondent

present session OF Congress--in the
opinion of many prominent Demo
crats-the most important incident
in the present administration, was
the amendment by the Senate of
the seven arbitration treaties which
were ratified last Saturday. The
significance of the amendment lies
IN the fact that il was an assertion
10y the Senate of its constitutional
right TO pass upon all agreements
entered into by the United States
with a foreign nation. The Presi-
dent and his Secretary Of State have
taken the ground that the Senate
could approve a general arbitration
treaty conferring power on the Ex-
ecutive TO conclude special agree
ments or treaties, defining the terms
on which the arbitration of specific
case could he conducted. The
Senate holds, on the contrary, that
the constitution explicitly provides
that all treaties, or agreements, with
foreign power shall be made with
the advice and consent Of the
Senate" and that il is not within the
power of the Upper House to dele
gate to the Executive powers not
conferred by the constitution. This
is the principle which was enunciat-
ed by a vote Of 90 to 9 when the
Senate amended the treaties now
resting in the State Department.
The President, possessed though
he is Of many admirable qualities, is
inclined to be precipitate and some
what headstrong and is little inclined
to brook interference with his plans
or opinions by the Senate or by
anyone else. The result is that he
has denounced the Senate and lee
tured individual Senators until, un-
der other circumstances there would
have been a decided break. That
there is not one now is due TO the
attitude OF the Senate leaders to
ward Theodore Roosevelt. Most of
the leaders are men who have close
ly approached the proverbial three
score-and-ten. Mr.. Roosevelt is
only forty seven and to many Of the
white haired veterns of the Upper
House seems little more than boy.
He has just won remarkable vict-
ory for the Republican party, he is
fearlessly and militantly honest and
he obviously intends 10 perform his
duty to the letter. Under these
circumstances gray haired Senators
look wise and say, Theodore is a
little headstrong, but he is a square
man, well meaning boy, and it
"D"iN NC tOolisH lOi US 10 CheIlSh
any resentment against him" That
is the situation just now and If the
President does not lecture the SEN
ate too severly the present friction
will pass away II he is injudicious
it may assume proportions which
will mar his entire second admins
tration.
leading Democrats regard the
checking Of the President inclina-
ton to conduct foreign affairs with
high hand as a most salutary oc-
currence. They declare that had
there not come just such a check in
the beginning Of his administration
he would, ia all probability, have
gone so far eventually as TO involve
himself in some serious trouble
which might even have occasioned
talk Of impeachment. Its singu.
larly unfortunate for Mr.. Roosevelt
that he has lost Attorney General
Knox and Secretary Root from his
Cabinet Both we're strong men Of
calm judgement and fearless de.
meanor Both we're respected by
the President and both exeried
powerful influence over him Close
observers Of pubic events in Wash
ington can clearly distinguish the
instances when their restraining in.
auence ond wise counsel would have
saved the President from mistakes
OF one character and another.
The San Domingan incident al.
fords an example Of the danger in
which the President is when he acts
on the advice Of incompetents.
Secretary Hay was 800 at the time
the San DOMINICAN protocol was con
cIuded and Secretary Loomis was
acting Secretary Of State" Mr..
Loomis asserted that there was no
intention Of submitting the protocol
I TO the Senate for ratification and