The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-04-14
POWER IS CENTRALIZED
 IN THE WHITE HOUSE
P, ,ident Roosevelt Is Roundly Scored for Ills Great Assumption of Au- thority and Making Govern
 ment Too Personal.

dress was delivered at the dinner of the National Democratic club in New York tonight by United States Senator Sim mons of North Carolina Senator Sim mons said in part:
 If you ask me what sort of a dem ocrat we should nominate for President my answer would be: We should nom- mate a democrat who can say in truth and in fact: "I am democrat a dem crat and nothing more, democrat with out qualification, explanation or apolo- gies.' He should be democrat who, when the nation in it's platform inter- prets and declares what the democracy means and stands for today, will go on the platform with both feet. It boots not what his name nor from what state or section he halls, so he can restore har- mony in the democratic party, reunite it's divided elements and with it's forces mar shalled in solid phalanx confront the cohorts of republcanism, whether led by the President in his own proper person or in the person of his Secretary of War
 'sThe situation calls for an enunciation of the principles and policies for which the party stands and evokes the support of the people. It will not say that the proposed law making a violation of the laws in restraint of trade, without the consent of the commissioner of corpora tons, a crime, and their violations with his consent innoccuous and innocent is a scheme to secure corporation support and tribute, but I will say, if it becomes a law it is likely to prove as successful a
 
 and campaign contributions this year as optional publicity of corporation secrets proved In the campaign of four years ago. If it becomes a law the only thing necessary to make it a complete success in this respect is to make the commis- sioner of corporations chairman of the re- publican national exectiuve committee. He would then wield as big stick against the corporations did Mr. Cortelyou in the campaign of 1904.
 Important Questions.
 '"rhe tariff question, the financial ques- ton, the trust question and the railroad question are all questions of high impor- tance and will doubtless play conspcu- ous part in the campaign, but no one of them, or all of them combined, outrank in importance as a vital issue the ques- ton of the standardization of power, which has been thrust to the forefront by the startling aggressiveness of recent legisla- tive and executive usurpations.
 'When the President of the United States claims power for the federal gov ernment admittedly not enumerated in the constitution nor derivable from it, but alleged to exist outside of the con- ft,l,< .,s.~ reignty; when the President of the Uni ted States demands an enlargement of federal powers, not by way of constitu- tional amendment but through executive action, through legislative and through judicial interpretation and construction of the law, he projects into the political arena the most portentious question which has confronted the American people since the unparalleled usurpations of the re- construction era.
 The right of states to manage their domestic affairs without the interference of the national government, the right of the private citizen to manage his private affairs without the consent of a depart ment commissioner or a, bureau chief IS briefly challenged. The states are fronted with the question whether they are to remain states or become provinces. The citizen is confronted with the ques- ton of whether he is to remain a cit izen or become a subject.
 Fear of Kings.
 'tThe constituencies of 17S7 lived in mortal fear of kings They created the office of President because they had to lodge executive power somewhere, but when they made the President and put him in the White House they hedged him about with limitations and restrictions and vainly thought they had built about him fence which was, to use a homely phrase of the farm, mule high. pig tight and bull strong but the staid old con- stitution builders had never heard of Teddy, the Terrible. They did not an- tcipate his coming into the White House.
 "In slavery times there was a white house. on every plantation. It was the white house because the master lived there-it was the seat of power and do- minion The humble abode which the peo- pie provided for Washington and Jeffer- son and Lincoln and Grant has ceased to become the executive mansion and be- come the white house. of the nation-the master lives there-it is the seat of pow CT and dominion.
 "Everything political begins there and everything political ends there. The mas ter overshadows everybody and domi- mates everything-the government is my government the army is my army the fleets of the navy are my ships Suppiiants for legislation whether they be tie railroads or the trusts, or the |, labor unions, go not to the capitol but to the White House for redress of their e}rIevances and the initiation. of their Tneasures and Congress-, forgetful of it's Sroud traditions, fergetful of it's duty to | fMee people, forgettil of it's obligations f, SIfhe constitution and to itself meekly su l11nits. or with feble if any protest re- listers his will.
 M Almighty Man.
 rhe President is $ mighty man. Po- | 3{ kally speaking, he Hs become an all- 1d Ehty man. Bigger thn anybody, big E }s than everybody. Htsays to this one |{ts and he goeth. and Vat one do and w aoeth it. He says to fie House, Pass k n law and pass thatlaw, and they cXFHT All right, MT. Presfnt and they Xxk If. He says to tA Senate pass sfl law and pass that la4and they say,
 right. MT. President, Ind they pass (JItJe says, T don't walNo be Presi- a third time. but l W1S Taft to be