New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-17
HISTORY AND FANCY.

College lecturers. and ChautauQua philoso-
pliers arc SO eager nowadays TO discover some
novelty that they constantly exploit as new
facts and tendencies which have merely been
forgotten. The public likes the suggestion OF
novelty in an idea or a course of action and this
fancy must be cultivated and humored. 1t Is
the fashion just low 10 proclaim that we are
entering a government on new pahs ana
cutting loose from old traditions Because we
have a President who is alert watchfui' ener-
getic and bent on exerting for patriotic ends
all the great powers intrusted 10 him by the
people. some disturbed orators and publcists
insist on telling us that the balance between
the executive, legislative and judicial depart
ments is being upset and that we are last traV-
cling toward executive usurpation' Much OF
this talk is the result of personal and political
irritation. But some of it comes from students
of politics and history who seem to have given
too free rein to generalizat tons born of vivid
historical imagination.
If President Woodrow Wilson has not been
unsupported, his lecture to the Columbia stu
dents last Friday suggested the conclusion that
the powers of the Presidency have been eX-
banded in our time, and that the President has
only recently attempted the role of political
and party leader" and leader Of the nation"
This role, the inference is, conflicts with the
function intended for him by the trainers OF
the Constitution. and its assumption must be
considered as only another proof Of the radical
modification our system Of government has I'M
dergone in a century Of operation. But such
suggestion is altogether misleading. II any
modification in the functions of the Presidency
has occurred it occurred in the earliest days
Of the Republic Washington may be said 10
have held himself more or less aloof from polit-
cai leadership because he did not wish to
identify himself with either Of the two parties
then forming. He was. however, and conSid-
cred himself the guardian of the interests OF
the whole people and the leader of the nation"
But Jefferson was one ana all of the things
which are now described as outgrowths of our
modern conception of the Presidency, He was
a party leader. political leader and leader
OF the nation No President in American his
tory ever dominated the scene as completely
as Jefferson.
In the eight years of his administration oppo-
sition to his leadership dwindled away in every
branch Of the government save one-the judi
ciary In that branch he met an opponent
worthy of his steel in Chief Justice Marshall But
Jefferson warred on the judicial power as no
other President has done. lie tried TO humble
the Judges by legislative restriction and he
instigated the impeachment of Chase, though.
as John Randolph complained, lie afterward
sought 10 throw the blame for the failure OF
the impeachment process on the shoulders or
Others He would have driven Marshall from
the bench had he known how 10 do ii. The two
branches of Congress he carried in his pocket
He had only 10 prepare bin and submit it to
secure its passage. The Federalist minority
was impotent and unpopular and in his own
partv only Randolph showed Impotence and
occasional characterization. Jefferson purchased
Louisiana, though he himself declared that the
purchase was unconstitutional. He got Con
gress TO .atify that act and then 10 clothe him
with absolute power TO rule the territory which
he had acquired in spite Of constitutional and
legal scruples. He was pioneer in his ideas
of democracy and equality, and successfully i'm
pressed those ideas on the public OF his time.
even breaking the stiff crust of New England's
conservatism When he retired from office he
practically named his successor.
A little study of our history will reveal the
fact that the Presidential oiics has been from
the beginning one OF vast and elastic powers.
It's use 10 accomplish great results is no nov
city and the people have never begrudged the
free employment for public ends Of its enor-
nous opportunities.