New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-16
POWERS OF EXECUTIVES
DIR. WILSON LECTURES.
Tells What the Present Duties of
President Dire.

s7ha President OF the United States" was tho
,ub,sct which Woodrow Wilson. president OF Prince
an University dealt with yesterday IN his lecture
1siveyed Al Columbia. The lectures have become
- nouular that they have been transferred from
Vavemeyer 10 Earl Hail. but yesterday even that
vooB, was crowded 20 its capacity
Dr. Wilson emphasized the fact that the power
~ che President OF the United States is constantly
moving. and that the Presidency has come to be
,onlethng entirely different from what il was IN
ssnasd 10 Be BY the makers OF the Constitution
Willie they Intended him 20 be only the executive
a. the aGs. he has become according to DR.. VII
son the political leader OF his party and the popu-
lsr leader Of the whole nation BY his work IN
these capacities. his executive duties have been
submerged President Wilson contended
Or Wilson said that. with the immense business
Of government, II was absolutely impossible for q
President 10 be an executive. Il have he said
'Sn the course Of my life known two or three
Presidents, and in talking with them the most I'm.
teTesng thing have found out is how littls tbe,-
know about affairs in Washington What they
find out they learn by reading the newspapers ana
they do not have time 70 read much as an orii-
nary citizen l have known ex- Presidents TO turn
hack after they got out OF office TO find out what
happened while they were Presidents II a Presl-
dent gels any sleep al al. he can ind out but a
small part Of what Is going on"
The speaker termed the messages of Presidents
only interesting essays" depending for their
force entirely on the character os the man hahna
Aae4i- 49, ''-S'i4 ltAeIleN only TO President
Roosevelt This was &: connection with the fact
that the President had become the leader Of the
whole people Dr. Wilson told how a person who
wanted anything done could have little success II
he went 10 Congress with It. Everybody" said
the speaker who wants anything done goes TO the
President and in the present the President
seems willing 10 DO anything"
In referring 10 the risk that a party convention
ran in selecting leader at a popular convention
Dr. Wilson said: 7 have :; firm belief in Provi-
denee, and therefore see accident in the fact
that Lncoln wos nominated by n Chicago conven-
iion In that case Chicago was the voice OF Provi-
6ence-a role not often played by the Western
city" His lecture follows, in part:
! is hard 20 give clear description OF our
feeerdl government as a whole. and Yet the sig
he sfrctlIre as a 1[I'5ie Si , az 20 ~ 80 -
EutUtion constructed n upon theory Of checks
and balances which should limit the operation OF
each part and give no organ Of it dominating force
but no government can be successfully conducted
ship is the arr OF bringing the several parts of a
government into effective corporation for the &C.
rompishment OF particular common objects-and
party objects at that. our study OF each part Of
our government must therefore seek TO discover
It's coordination as a Whole-whence leadership
proceeds, bow II operates. what checks f. what
The history OF our Cabinets IS s,rikInsly illus
lauKe q 56e progress of the Idea that the Presi-
cent = not merely the legal head, but also the po-
,bc @,cC, - "a In: ~ me 20, 80 ileE udSs b.; ~
don't 10 ill his Cabinet with the recognized leaders
marked cbange The Cabinet is not now regarded
ss council Of leaders such the party they rep
soma advisers whom the President chooses from
ne ta.aAs OF nose whom Re personally trusts nor
party contests have brought into prominence ana
aoinet posts their personal friends and business
associates their secretaries even-private bankers
els and eminent lawyers who had held aloof from
politics The President is the leader OF his party.
itlese are ms private ADVISERS at any rate, ad-
Users OF ms private choice
dent party leader depend entirely upon his per-
sonal force and gifts. The Constitution does not
oaa c0aneis his once merely
esSsnJage ground from which ne may ee sure that
form WILL gain telling momentum: he has the ear
% the nation as OF course. and great person
may use such advantage greatly. There is
oLher single voice IN the government that can
Tho government S to be unined at all, IT must be
enlaed D. the influence OF the President And the
country. the politicians themselves seek some
single leadership amidst the confusion OF checks
The same must be- said o. the President as leader
OF the nation. That is. maker and Interpreter OF
Am get the confidence ana admiration OF the
country and no OTHER single force can Withstand
difficult 10 Withstand him. His position takes tie
lional once in the eoyer1rneBf NIar,be-s 20 H.
House Of Representative chosen by the Con-
sress districts and represent local interests and
represent only p WIDER arena and somewhat larger
elected by the people as whole. has no local cor
Gutuency. speaks for special interests. II he
truly inIerprets The national thought and boldly
country never feels the Zest OF aetna so much
IS when its President is % such insight and cabre
us instinct Is for unified action. an1 X Graves
single leader. It IS becoming inclined choose "A
man rather than party. it did In the case OF
81. Roosevelt at the LAST Presidential election.
Ills FONuca pCF obvious enough
Win res9~Ss OF his parry and tho country a. large:
they are ~ quite obvious and therefore call
for a sOmeE.A Z particular examination with regard
70 Congress and its action within singular sys
ten The natural leadership In any government
contact with practical COndit ons and eXigencies
and whose reputation wisdom stake
much more than are thosB OF the Legislative body
a. every of the laws application. The planning
acting part OF II. Many 81 Presidents have
iaken q very narY w view, and. as they have been
justified in deemiag II IL strictly constitutional
view the part they play in affairs, and
determine either the subjects the character OF
legislation, except in so far they were obliged
70 decide Tor themselves whether they could
Rcdufesca iD what done The Constitution in
deed explicitly authorizes them 20 recommend
what Of action they please in their annual
message Congress, but most Presidents have
contented themselves with recommends IONS ana
have done nothing further TO Induce action by tina
houses Messages have mora weight or author
fly than their intrinsic TeasOnabieness ana i'm
portance give them. But some OF our Presidents
have felt need, which Hnquestonabiy exists IN our
gysfem for some Epokesmen for The nation, ana
have tried 70 supply Congress with the leadership
u suggestion and orignaton which il so obviously
lacks The Cabinet officers are shut out from Con-
gTees the President himself has no access 70, lis
moor. mary practices and well established barriers
hinder him from exercising oirect 1nnuence upon
its DELIBERATIONS and yet he Is undoubtedly the
spokesman OF the whole people; they have again
President has boldly accepted the role or leader
q his party, and political leader OF the nation IL