Los Angeles herald., 1907-01-15
PLOTS AGAINST
THE PRESIDENT
SENATE ASSAlLS Ro0SEvELT'S
POWER
Long List of Recent Acts Furnish
Material for Attacks--Men of
All Parties Are ln-
voIved 3

Special to The Herald.
WASHINGTON, Jan. t4.-Are the fed
eral laws being ignored and the consti-
tuition set at naught? Does Roosevelt
ism threaten the life of the republic?
You will hear all about this thrilling
tale in serial form as set forth in the
public prints during the next few
weeks. This story is merely an ad-
vance notice of what is coming.
Democratic and Republican senator's
have concocted q cloakroom plan to ex-
plot the alleged Capitalization scheme
of the president. The Republican SEN
dtors include those who come under the
presidents classification of reactionists.
They view the situation with alarm.
The fight is to be begun by the Demo-
Gratis, discussed by everybody and the
resolution proposed is to be modified by
the Republicans and passed through
the senate. In its present tentative
| form the resolution will recite various
acts of alleged usurpation on the part
of the president and the departmental
secretaries and ask that all executive
orders within the last two years which
have come directly from the White
House or through the departments be
transmitted to the senate.
Senators Against the President
growing coterie of Republican sem
ators has become convinced that
thorough ventilation of the various ex-
ecutive acts will break the presidents
hold on the country. They profess to
believe that he has generally en-
croached on the lawmaking body and
that a centralized form of government
has in fact been entered upon. The
Democrats, with the state rights doc
| trine always in mind, believe the same
way and think much political capital
can be made for the party of Jefferson.
! 1t is an odd combination in politics.
Rayner, Tillman, Teller and Bacon
frothing and denouncing the executive
on the minority side. with Foraker,
Hepburn and Scott holding forth on the
Republican side; meanwhile, the more
cautious among the reactionaries will
deplore that such discussion has been
started, but will not neglect inferen-
TALLY to point out it's necessity.
| The cloak room conferences have been
going on for more than a week. There
| is formidable list of alleged acts of
executive usurpation to be recited, each
of which will furnish a text for several
speeches.
Back to santo Domingo
| be dragged forth and rehashed.
Much has been done by executive
order in the Panama case and all this
will be cited.
The president has criticised the judi
ciary, more especially number of dis
trict judges, and the senatorial orators
will point out how one department of
the federal government cannot attempt
to override another without doing vio-
lence to the constitution and menacing
the liberties of the people.
Much has been done by the interior
department through the effort Of Secre-
tary Hitchcock to protect the Indians
from the hardships of numerous orders
relating to the creations of forest re-
serves. 1t is suggested that Hitchcock
be impeached.
| The resolution will bring forth once
more the Japanese turmoil at San Fran
cisco.s
The order dismssing the three negro
battalions, together with all the other
things about which the public has
heard, will be used in the attack.
Letter Regarding Insurance Salaries
Intended to be clincher as showing
the extent of interference even in the
affairs of the states, letter purport-
ing to have been written by the presi-
dent to the superintendent Of insurance
in the District of Columbia is made
public tonight.
In some manner the senators who
will attack the president have secured
possession of a letter which it is al
LEGGED was written to Thomas F. Drake,
superintendent of insurance Of the Dis
trict of Columbia, urging state legisla-
lures not to pass laws limiting the
salaries of life insurance officials.
| The letter addressed to Superinten-
dent Drake reads:
WHITE HOUSE, Washington, Nov.
20, 1906.-My Dear Mr.. Drake: Will you
read the inclosed memorandum? / as
sumo that you will not indorse any pro-
posal that the legislatures shall fix the
salaries to be paid officials Of insurance
companies. I should deem such action
of questionable validity in law and un-
questionably grossly improper, whether
the law would or would not permit it.
can hardly suppose that there is
serious endeavor to take such action.
Sincerely yours,
THEODORE ROOSEVELT"
The insurance commissioners of the
several states met last summer and APP
pointed a committee of fifteen to draft
reformatory insurance, bills to be
pressed by the legislatures. Among the
propositions adopted was one limiting
salaries to $4,000 a year.
The Letter Drake Sent
The presidents letter was sent out by
Mr.. Drake to each of the committees
of fifteen, accompanied by letter from
Drake. Mr.. brakes letter follows:
Conditioned upon your treating it
confdentially / have received the con-
sent of President Roosevelt to send you
copy of his letter of the 29th ad-
dressed to me, which was accompanied
by the original memorandum upon the
question of right of the legislatures to
regulate the salaries of officers of in
surance companies. The letter referred
| TO was also ACCOMPANIED by CODY of