The Montgomery advertiser., 1907-02-05
rHr aAMr oF roLrrrcs.

small minds. Strong men not infre- ouentiy play the game. it Is true, but as general thing most of it's devotees are men of narrow inteiiects or pref udiced minds. When one of this class desires an oflice he first ascer- tains if the voters have any special grievance. either against policy or corporation, and having sounded all the strings of the popular mind and learned which one is most likely to be played to his advantage he de- votes most of his time to playing on that one string. If he should be elected he either finds that he can't carry out his pledges or else decides that 1t is no longer necessary for him to play any more tunes on the string that elected him.
 Politics bears some resemblance to what is sometimes spoken of as the great American game" called poker by the plain people. In that game, we have heard say. bluff is strong fac- tor. We have been told. and have read that sometimes the man with the weakest hand will bluff all the others out of the betting and rake in the pot" although some of the others really held stronger cards than he and would have won had they not suffered themselves buildosed. as 1t were, by sheer impotence.
 It is much the same in political and official affairs. A President or Gov ernor will desire certain law pass ed certain measure defeated. or certain policy sustained, and if he finds himself likely to be defeated he will resort to the game of bluh, if he is a man of that sort. He may issue an official declaration demanding that certain things be done. or he may ap- ply to the lawmakers in person and tell them what they may expect if they go counter to his wishes. One member hopes for more and greater political honors in future and fears to offend the buffer. Another has an appropriation he wants made. or friend he wants appointed and he also tucks his caudal appendage between his legs and does what he is ordered.
 President Roosevelt is about as good at this game as any man who ever held the once. He is man of strong will in certain directions and of enormous confidence in his own power and wisdom. Since be became President he has on many occasions displayed an arrogance and desire to dominate everything and everybody that is insufferable, and. which should not be tolerated or submitted to by a coordinate branch of the government. Sometimes he has met with determin- ed opposition. it is true. but this has not occurred as frequently as 1t shouldi There are so many ways by which a remorseless and self-willed president can make it unpleasant and unprofita- ble for the Senators and Representa- tives that they too frequently obey his commands, rather than risk losing something by a proper display of in- dependence and manhod.
 It is to be regretted that we have Governor of Alabama who is trying to follow in the footsteps of Roose- velt He made his campaign on lines which in the main were not calculated to add to the material interests or to the good name of Alabama, and his success was largely due to appeals to the prejudices of the people. He ap- pears to consider his election in the light of an endorsement of everything he advocated. and now expects the Legislature to do whatever he de- mands. He does not hesitate to send for individual Senators and Represen- tatives and deliver ultimata to them, giving them plainly to understand what they may expect if they refuse to carry out his wishes and obey his orders. Already he has succeeded in accomplishing results that bode i'll to the State and to the people of Ala bama. How much further he can go remains to be seen.
 Sometimes. so we have heard, in the game of poker the man who tries the role of buffer has his bIuff called, as they express it. and loses his mon- ey. Sometimes the same thing hap pens to a President or a Governor. and 1t should occur more frequently. There should be enough manhood and independence in Congress to call the President down when he tries to go too far. There should be enough of the same qualities in the Alabama Legislature to refuse to follow the Governor when he is wrong. The members were elected to represent the people of Alabama and they should look to the best interests of the State, regardless of the commands or de- mands of a Governor. The Senate and the House of Representatives to- gether form a coordinate and inde- pendent branch of the government and should not be dictated to by any one. The Governor can recommend legislation and he has the veto power but he has no right to order or dic- tate. That is assuming to himself powers and privileges which the Con- stitution has not conferred on him. and should not be submitted to.
 Bluff should not go in the Legislature. Send it to the poker clubs.
 THE LEGISLATIVE WHIPPING POST
 The railroads are tied to the whip ping post for more castigation in Sen