Vilas County news. [volume] (Eagle River, Vilas County, Wis.) 1896-1927, 1907-02-04
THE president
AS A USURPER
MARYLAND SENATOR so VIEWS
THE NATIONS CHIEF.
UNWRITTEN CONSTITUTION
Executive Is Prophet of New Greed
Messiah of Strange HaIlucination
Must Not Use Patronage TO Com
pei Obedience-Sees Opportunity
for Democrats.

Washington, Feb. LIN the senate
yesterday Senator Raymer, of Mary
sand spoke at length upon what he
termed the presidents usurpation of
governmental functions not conferred
on him by the constitution. He dis
claimed any intention of assailing the
president whom he said he held in
high esteem. He alluded to the re
cent speech by Secretary Root in
which was described the gradual en-
largement of federal power at the
expense of the states Il regard this
doctrine" said Mr.. Raymer, thus an
nounced, adhered to and emphasized
as most dangerous and insidious at
tack on the institutions of the coun-
try He said that because these
doctrines were being constantly illus
trated in the administration of the
government" they must be taken, as
they were intended to be taken, as
manifesting the purpose of the pres
ent administration to carry this new
doctrine of constitutional construc-
ton into execution whenever the OPP
it's exercise
The senator then reviewed the
Santo Domingo affair, the presidents
interference with the judiciary, intru-
sion upon the states for example the
note of the president to Governor
Guild of Massachusetts-the turbu-
lent times in the senate when the
railroad rate bill was on its passage,
the sea level canal fight and the
Schley case, in all of which he saw
unwarranted interference or intru-
sion by the executive. The criticisms
offered were not based upon any
charge of a technical violation of the
constitution but upon the ground that
even of congress itself are not sub
iects for the approval or disapproval
of the executive. In conclusion
Senator Raymer said;
THE result of the presidents con-
Struction of his prerOgatives, had
raised a new school of scribes who
had commenced to edit a revised ed-
ton of the constitution called The
unwritten constitution The presi-
dent is the prophet of this new creed,
ton. But he added 'one thing he
has no right to do and that is to use
the vast public patronage at his dis
posal to compel Obedience to his
views. Another thing he has no
right to do, and that is to make COM
pacts with the speaker of the house
of representatives or it's committees.
to accomplish the legislation that he
desires, or prevent legislation And
still another thing he has no right to
in which he is given the right at any
time to suggest any measure he may
deem proper or necessary, to interfere
with legislation and to force con-
gresS either to adopt his recommen-
dations or if it rejects them to bring
about a breach between the legisla-
tive and executive departments that
is detrimental to the best interests of
the country; that constitutes an as
sumption of dictatorial power which
the people of this republic, in the
course of time will not submit to, |
care not how great the achievement
or how much it may conduce to their
progress and welfare, or what bene-
fit ADVANTAGE ap Y,rocnaritv- VIC ,1oav
derive from it's accomplishment.
believe that if the democratic party
would take up as its battle cry the
reserved rights of the states, and the
inviolate constitutional distinction of
the legislative. the judicial and the
executive departments, that we could
rally around the doctrine the intelli-
gent suffrages of our countrymen"