Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1906-10-04
END OF R%EpuBLICANIsm
Executive Usurpation Tends In
That Direction.
MAKING ROOSEVELT THE ISSUE

The Republican On u Hind
Pool Into Which All Issues Have
Been Sunk - Independent Voters
Should Instruct Their Representa-
tives on the Issues They Desire.
The Republican campaign this fall
has deteriorated, as far as issues are
concerned, into a "blind POOL Secrc-
tary Bonaparte, fresh from a confer
ence with President Roosevelt, declar-
ing that the only issue is that the yot-
ers blindly elect a congress which will
be Subservient to the president. The
will OF the voters, through their repre-
sentatives in congress, on pending is
sues Of tariff revision, protection to
trusts, ~extravagant appropriations, the
necessary amendments to the railroad
rate regulation law and other reforms
Is to be only what the president says
and he has declared he favors a stand
pat policy. The Republican party has
come to Il pretty pass when one man
power is the issue and the executive
branch OF the government is to dom
mate the lawmaking branch just fresh
from the people. Is the Republican
party afraid to appeal to the voters on
the issues it has created and must it
take shelter behind President Roose-
welt, who is tickle as the wind, chang
ing his policy with every adverse cur
rent? The constitution makes con-
gress, not the president, the lawmak-
ing power and only gives to the presi-
dent the right to recommend issues for
congress to determine.
The Republican political machine is
Sc Inherently dependent upon patron
age and being built from the head
down instead Of from the people up
ward it is a bold Republican congress-
man that dares to defy the chief dis.
penser Of political ~favors, so most Of
them cringe to the despotic dictation Of
the president. 1t will be remembered
that President Roosevelt threatened to
withhold patronage, such as appoint
ments of postmasters, from congress-
men If it pleased or advanced his in
IClSSlo " bo ~, anu lulS luIcdl HAS
had he result of making many Repub-
lican congressman vote against their
convictions and in some cases against
the demands of a majority Of their con-
%stituents. 1t was sc in the statehood
matter, when many followed the presi-
dent to their political undoing.
1t is true that some senators and the
senate as q body have defied the presi-
dent, but the senate has coequal power
over appointments and treaty making
and cannot so easily be domineered
over through the power Of patronage.
Making the president the sole issue Of
the campaign and throwing all real po-
litical issues into a blind pool' from
which they may or may not emerge, as
the presidential temper may dictate, is
a dangerous experiment for the Repub-
lican party. Many voters feel they
have been going it blind long enough
and are anxious to instruct their rep
resentatives, as they have the right to-,
on what course they shall take on GER
tain issues that the voters think Of i'm
p%ortance. That such instructions on
the tariff and ship subsidy, ETC., would
run counter to the president does not
appeal to voters to leave such issues in
the pool to be fished out, if ever, in the
far distant future.
If this executive usurpation is al
lowed to be persisted in and is success
fully accomplished by the election of a
subservient majority to congress. is
anything more certain that it will tend
to the downfall Of representative gov
eminent, which is all that Republican
ism stands for?