Lewiston evening teller. [volume] (Lewiston, Idaho) 1903-1911, 1906-01-02
Senate Sorry 1t Gave
President So Much
Authority.
Anxious to Take Upon itself Respon.
sibility Of Construction Panama
Canal-Wiil Mean a Contest.

washington, Jan. time Un1teu
States senate intends to take upon it's
self to large extent the burden Of
building the Panama canal. and 70
share fully with the president the re-
I sponsibility for the great work The
senate has decided that 1t made a mis-
take In vesting too much power in the
hands OF the president by virtue Of the
Spooner act
The senate is not at all satisfied with
conditions on the Isthmus. The worst
feature Of the situation, however, and
that which the senate desires to change
is the authority Of the president to ap-
point so many high priced officials,
some Of whom are not fitted to a sur
prising extent to the high character of
the work they are supposed to do. So
the main object Of the change will be
to take from the president the plen-
airy power vested In him by the Spoon
err act. and to restore to the legislative
branch of the government the duty and
responsibility fixed by the constitution.
1t can be asserted thus far in ad-
vance Of the action of the senate that
this is the course decided upon by the
leaders. To do what is desired 1t will
be necessary to amend the third Sec
tion of the Spooner law so as to divest
the president Of the power to fix the
salaries Of the persons constructing the
canal. In other words the senate now
regrets that In moment of haste 1t
was the chief instrument In giving to
the executive power vested by the
constitution in the legislative depart
ment Of the government. and Of which
power congress through all the history
of the government has been extremely
Jealous until the worries Of providing
for the prosecution Of the Spanish war
he 1oxp olror 70 oh to Lo
executive department the responsibility
OF all details after the money necessary
had been voted.
Spooner Opposes Change.
Senator SpoOner Is one Of the few
who have not so far given expression
favorable to the change. but 1t Is be-
lieved that even he now shares with
the rest of the senate the belief that
fundamental mistake was made when
congress abrogated its power to the
president. 1t Is even said the Presi-
dent Roosevelt Is not averse to con-
Rress amending the Spooner act and
thus relieve him Of the stupendous load
shifted to his then willing shoulders
by the passage Of the Spooner act The
position Of the senate will assume Is
that congress should never have abro-
gated its power to the president in the
cials and that 1t should now remedy
the mistake as speedily and with as
little friction as possible.
Where the Rub Comes.
The rub will come. however. when
the confirmation of the commissioners
zones before .ne senate. Then 1t Is
likely that the president and the sem
ate will lock horns. The president Is
known as a man who sticks to his
friends, and In this instance he Is ac-
cused of going little too far. He has
nominated some men for positions in
the canal service and fixed their sala-
ries at much higher figure than that
Of the cabinet officer to whom they are
subordinate. Chairman Shonts Is to re-
ceive salary Of $4,000 per annum
from the government. and as he Is re-
garded a. q man well fitted for the
work. there is no special objection to
his confirmation II he will only sever
his connections with the Glover Leaf
railroad: however, It seems to be
fOregOne conclusion that unless he inn
mediakely divorces himself from all
connection with the management of
that road, the committee will report
adversely upon his nomination.
The Bishop affair has caused the
worst tangle. Bishop Is known as the
press Fa8rnt." He was appointed Sec
rotary ofsthe commission with SAL
ery Of 10000. but the senate did not
seem to think the country needed a ten
thousands dollar press agent. ard so
Mr.. Bishop got fired" A few days
later, however. the president sent in his
name AZ one Of the commissioners at q
salary of $1,000. There Ia good deal
of feeling in the senate over the latest
move Of the president as It Ia believed
that Mr.. Bishop does not possess any
Of the qualities 20 essential to the great
work, as nothing has come to light so
far that tends to show that canal dig