The daily morning journal and courier. [volume] (New Haven, Conn.) 1894-1907, 1907-11-23
WIRING THE PRESIDENT.

Following the example of an Ohio
board of trade the Hartford Business
Mems Association has wired President
Roosevelt to this effect: THE Hartford
Business Mems Association by unani-
nous vote especially requests that
currency legislation be the first bust
ness considered at the coming session
of congress-" This is exactly the mes
sage which should not have been sent
to President Roosevelt or any other
imaginable incumbent of that office for
more. than one reason.
In the first place it does not rest
with the President of the United
States to determine in what manner
and how the congress of the country
shall proceed. His relationship with
the legislative department of govern
ment is definite and distinct He may
recommend to it for it's consideration
matters of legislative interest and he
may pass upon legislative acts after
they have secured the support of the
two houses Of congress. With the null
tiplication of offices at the disposal
of the chief executive a pernicious
habit has grown of using those offices
in their distribution in order to con-
IDoubtless in his message to congress
but upon no theory consistent with the
organization of the federal govern
ment can this practice be defended.
Doubtless In his message to congress,
President Roosevelt will advise that
currency legislation be Immediately
considered, but aside from the extra
constitutional methods to which we
have referred he is without power to
enforce upon the legislative body to
follow his counsel Obviously then to
petition the department of govern
ment which is without power to act
is pure waste of energy.
If the various associations which
thrive in this State and country feel
impelled to act in this connection
they should keep in mind the partlcu-
lar authority or individual who has
the power to respect their wishes Such
message as was sent over the wires
to President Roosevelt should. have
been sent to Speaker Joe Cannon. He
is the boss of the legislative outfit, to
borrow the language Of the ranch.
When President Roosevelt was deter
mined to bring the tariff question
forward two years ago 1t was Speaker
Cannon who politely but formally told
him that he could not hear of 1t for
a moment; that It would be unwise,
etc, etc. Interest as he did some of the
members of the house OF representa-
tives In his legislative program he
found that the speaker was an insur-
mountable obstacle. So If there is cur
rency legislation this winter 1t will by
grace Of Joe Cannon and not upon the
initiative of President Roosevelt We
lare by no means certain that the
minds of the business men of the
State of Connecticut or Of the coun-
try at large are so we'll settled upon
the needs of legislation as to warrant
them in recommending legislation. The
object lesson which has been given
the country is all that is required to
impress upon congress the serious
ness of the situation and 1t ought to
be all that is required to induce II to
legislate from other than a political
point of view.
A third reason why messages oil
this character should be addressed to
the proper parties is that in no other
way can each department Of govern
ment retain the public respect tc
which in theory at least 1t Is entitled
One trouble with things as they are
can be traced in its origin to the
totally wrong idea of the overwhelm-
ing Importance of the presidential of,
fee because of the extraordinary pop.
ularity of its present occupant NJ
one would think of wiring him to see
that the Supreme court gives a certain
finding and yet it would be just al
proper as to ask his interference II
proposed legislation. We trust tha
New Haven organizations, If tempted
at all to instruct Washington, will dc
so through the proper channels.
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