Cameron County press. [volume] (Emporium, Cameron County, Pa.) 1866-1922, 1906-03-22
Roosevelt will Attend Capitol Dedication.
The Observer.

esteem and favor. The feeling with
which il is regarded is one of mingled
dislike and distrust and dread 1t is
looked upon as magnates' club and
as the crater fastness of the trusts. A
series of articles recently begun in 4
popular magazine, entitled, "The
Treason of the Senate" is an index
which shows which way the wind of
popular thought is blowing.
That the Senate is possessed of great
power, which it can use and does use,
to bully and humiliate the President
and House of Representatives; that it
can prevent the passage of legislation
demanded by the sentiment of the peo-
pie; that its membership is made up, to
large extent, of men who have made
their way thither by the corrupt use
of money, and who represent money
rather than popular interests; are facts
too we'll known to require proof 1t is
frequently alleged that in its personnel
the Senate to day is strikingly inferior
to what it was in the DAYS of Webster,
Clay and Calhoun; but it has been
pointed out by recent writer that
Webster, Clay and Calhoun were as
much above the other senators of their
own day as they would be above the
Platts and Joneses of to-day.
The power of the Senate is due to
the following conditions: long tenure
of office; the small number of MEMBERS;
and the continuous existence of the
Senate, from the point of view of mem
bership. To these may be added the
prestige which the senator enjoys as
being the official representative of the
whole state in its organized capacity.
This circumstance is the ground of the
so-called Senatorial courtesy" These
conditions combined have put the Sen
ate in a position of vantage in relation
to the President and the Representa-
tives, The Senate's attitude of "What
are you going to do about it?" is due
to the fact that its members feel that
they are in position to put the screws
on the President and House of Repre-
sentatives, while themselves out Of the
reach of anything that the executive or
lower house can do to them. The Sen
ate has fallen into an aggressive and
domineering habit, while the President
and Representatives have acquired the
habit Of trying to keep the Senate in a
good humor.
The remedy most frequently pro-
pounded for correction of the abuse of
senatorial power, is to have senators
elected by a direct vote of the people,
instead Of by the legislatures. We
should be slow to jump at the conclu-
sion that this remedy will prove wise
and effective.
Mr.. William Everett ihf the February
Atlantic Monthly succinctly states the
considerations which should dissuade
us from trying that remedy.
ut is ia the power of the people, ,"he
says, Ito let their legislatures know in
a half a dozen ways whom they want
iSi SO1oSOtSJ W IIl6IT WIFI
| if they choose. 4 stream can rise no
higher than it's Foundation. 1t is said
the senator's are chosen by corrupt
legislatures; bat by whom are the
corrupt legislatures chosen? The
fault is in the people of the states, and
! in them only.
Moreover, believe the practice O:
amending the Constitution is pernic.
ious in the extreme Let us have
| something in the United States that
does not change. What good has
tinkering the Constitution done? < < :
''No-keep the Constitution as it is,
and administer it as its founders in.
/ tended it should be administered.
! And if this seems vague advice, let me
! give It more specific meaning by say.
I ing that / believe both the President
/ aud the House of Representatives have
been wrong ia not standing to their
rights, as the Senate has to its. Let the
! President break away once for all from
4 the stupidity and the illegaity of the
/ congressional spoils system, and alb
soiutely refuse to listen to senator's
recommendations for office; let the
House of Representatives risk the loss
| of revenue rather than let the Senate
distate its bills; l believe the people
would come to the support of the Presi.
dent aud Representatives as against a
( body which they have already learned
! to dislike, aud are not far from utterly
/ di,trusting; bnt which in the end must
rest for It's authority on the advice and
consent Of them, the people of the
I United States.n
For Sale.