Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1906-01-13
COngreSSWo Ruin
His Popularity.
STRENUOUS ONE RULES IN
SPITE OF SENATE'S POWER
Canal Inquiry and Rate Regulation
Delay Only Part Of General
Bitter Fight.
Correspondence Morning Journal.

Correspondence Morning Journal.
Washington Jan. 12.-Presldem
Roosevelt is not the only man who
has been marked by the congresslon-
al insurgents.
That they are going about 1t sys-
tematically to make. trouble Tor MN
and his policies Is now frankly rec
ognized Incidentally, they are look
ing for chances to make as much trou-
bic for Secretary Taft as possible.
The unfriendliness of congress fot
the president is not difficult to un-
derstand.
The president was never a member
of congress. He does not really un-
derstand the congressional attitude
toward many things-postoffices, pat
ronage In general, civil service inc
senate power of confirmation, etc.
The other day it was suggested that
eight or nine men largely control leg
islation by controlling the great COM
mittees of the senate. Now this grolu
of powerful senators are veterans who
date back to the time when national
conventions were controlled by con-
gress when the home machines re-
sponded to the suggestions from
Washington, and sent delegations to
the national convention that served
the purposes of the congressional
leaders,
Recalling the great party that
Plat. Conkling, Quay, Hanna, Cullom
Hoar. Allison, Blaine, Spooner, Davis,
Foraker. Hale Frye and others of that
old regime have played in the making
of presidential candidates, it is not
difficult to understand that the sena-
torial elders have n certain feeling
that the day of Theodore Roosevelt
has seen them shorn of a great share
of power.
Roosevelt was nominated for pres
ident by n convention which, as some
body said contained all the opposi-
tion to him that could be mustered
from the entire country" He waa
nominated in spite of the opposition
of this elder group of publicists. 1t
was for long time almost a preros-
atKve of the republican senatorial
leaders to determine who should be
the party candidate for president.
Roosevelt put an end to all that.
How Senate Got Power.
The genesis of this power of the
senate Is an interesting study Back
in the beginnings of constitutional
government the national convention
was unknown. In fact. it is i'm any
thing like its present form, only about
half as old as constitutional govern
ment. Originally the house was re-
garded as the powerful Legislative
body, and caucus of the house menu
bers of given party used to get to-
gether and nominate their candidate
for president. Then the senate began
TO take on prerogatives; to capitalize
It's prerogatlves into political power
1t wanted a hand in things, and the
national convention developed, large
~ controlled by members of house and
senate.
The civil war brought an era of in
tense interest in public affairs, In
which the executive, as must happen
In such n strenuous epoch, overshad-
owed congress. But when the war was
over congress had tried a president by
way OF demonstrating its power az
much as anything else. And then, be-
cause the country was growing great
and nopulous and rich at n tremend-
Gus speed, the number of offices was
increasing and the senate because OF
its power of confirmation began tc
develop overshadowing power. The
senators became the managers of tho
state machines; they dictated govern
ors and stnte officers at home, AM
presidential nominees in nationa
gatherings and because of such trans.
cendent powers they were able large.
ly to determine the policies of admin.
istratOrs.
Senators Get Busy.
In this immense business of whole
sale management the senators present
Nv found their hands very much oc
cupied II was easy enough to takt
the next step, 10 a political partner