The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1906-09-28
Roosevelt Wants a Congress
Of His Own.

dubious authority. thar the cack-
ling Of geese once saved the
Roman republic Whether or not
this be one of the myths of his
tory, all the signs Of the times
indicate that something equally
empty and equally meaningless
bids fair to ruin the Republic of
Washington. I,refer to the bah
bling of the Office holders under
the present administration, who
now are out IN force burning in
cense on the altar 0f their "ldol. -
that inpeccable statesman aud
puSsiant hero. the maintenance
of whose popularity alone can
insure them against the loss OF
offices aud emolumeuts. I h G
idol" himself has told the world
that the late session Of Congress
was an excellent body of legisla
tors, and upon the whole icaS sat
iStdctOry to him; aud therefore he
honors It with the stamp Of his
priceless approval. Now that
the people are about To perform
their high constitutional duty
OF choosing a successor to the
lower branch Of that PRESIDENT
ally approved body and the Leg
iSlatures of the States which will
fill all vacancies in its upper
brauch. comes swarmiug forth
the patriot office holders. includ.
ing the members Of the cabinet,
generously and dlsiuterestedly.
per chance" to instruct and
guide the voters In the exercise
of their dearest rights 1.-THE right
by which We exist a free people,
as Hamilton with his accustomed
force and felicity of expression
defines it.
And how do these alleged un
selfish office holders enter upon
the discharge of their important,
responsible, aud self imposed
duties of teachers and guideSl
Do they call the attention of the
people to the record made by the
members of the late session Of
the House of Representatives who
are asking for the peoples en-,
dOrsement by a re election and
of that great body of Senators
whose terms of Office are about to
expire9 No! Those conSldera
lions are the very last arguments
that they would think OF using
as reminders to the inSulted and
betrayed people whose votes they
are after. What then do they
ask Of an intelligent electoratei
best can answer tnat question
by quoting from Secretary Of the
Navy Bonaparte, who, though he
has not yet taken the STUMP. like
Taft aud Shaw. evidently j. iraI.
Gus Of those hunkies, and there
fore sounds bis "keynole" OF the
campaign in an interview. | now
quote Mr.. Bonaparte as follows:
81 am ready ta accept approval
or disapproval Of the President
as the issue for this autnmu'S
! campaign. The real question
which tue American people must
! answer at The polls in November
is: Will we give the President a
H' use of Representatives. 10 hack
him up in his work, or one tLat
Will thwart him in his work?
In brief, will we give him the
Congress that he asks for. or a
Congress as nearly as may be the
opposite of what he wishes and
asks for?"
Note the expression - Give
him the Congress he wishes and
asks for" When in the history
OF this nation was the parallel to
this effrOntery and uSurpatiOn
seen? The Congress, that popular
body which especially represents
the people, chosen by them from
their own ranks at short intervals
of two years in order that it may
breathe the spirit of popular will,
and bear to the nations capital
the demands of the people as to
National legislation, is to be
choeen not as the people will, not
TO utter their thoughts or to rep
resent their ideas. but to be Sc
lected in accordance with the
wishes of and in order that it
may be subservient to the Execu-
tive. Its members to be chosen
not because of their fitness or
capacity or because they reflect
popular sentiment and ideas, hut
because Of willingness to wear
an administration collar and to
do the administrations bidding.
For Congress of the peoples
choosing, and one chat the people
want, there is to be substituted a
Congress- of the Executive "the
Congress he wishes and asks for
If, in a matter so important as
that of the destruction of the
basic principle of our Constitu-
ton, | might venture to sugg st
to this unblushing sycophant, |