Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1908-07-14
POWERSOF THE
PRESIDENCY
OVERRATEO
BRYAN'S CONCEPTION OF
DUTIES OF HIGH OFFICE
Believes Incumbent Should Be.
Relieved of all Political Ambi-
ton and Enter Position With
out Hope Of Second Term
IBy Morning journal Special Leased Wire

IBy Morning journal Special Leased wIre.I
New York, July 13.-W. j. Bryan
has written an article entitled, MY
Conception of the Presidency" for thu
July, 1908, issue of Golfers Weekly.
"The presidents power for good ~
for harm is often overestlmated This
government is government If
checks and balances; power is dis
tMbuted among different departments,
and each OF them works in co-opera-
ton with uthers. In the making Of
laws, for instance, the president joins
with the scnate and house; he may
recommend, but he is powerless 20
senate and the house concur win
him. The senate and the house are
also independent of eacn other. each
having a veto over the other, and Tho
president has veto over both, with
the exception that the senate and
house can, by two-thirds vote, OVER
ride the presidents veto The influ-
ence of the president over legislation
Is therefore limited: he shares re-
sponsbillty with large number of
the peoples representatives
Even in the enforcement of law he
is hedged about by restrictions. He
acts through an attorney general
(whose appointment must be lo-
proved by the senate) and offenders
against the law must be prosecut q
In the courts, so that here again The
responsibility is divided. In the maxi
ing Of important appointments, too, be
must consult the senate and Is of ne
cessity. compelled to exercise care and
discretion. The most important requi-
site in president as in other officials,
Is that his sympathy shall be with the
whole people, rather than with any
faction Of the populatinn, lie T. con-
stantly called upon TO act in the ca
pacity Of judge-deciding between
the opportunities of those who seek
favors and the rights and interests Of
the public. Unless his sympathies are
right the few are sure to have an ad-
vantage over the many for the
masses have no one to present their
claims. They act only at elections,
and must trust to their representa-
tives to protect them from all their
foes
Second, the president must have a
knowledge of public questions and the
ability TO discern between the true
and the false, he must be able TO
analyze the conditions and to detect
the sophistrles that are always en-
ployed by those who seek unfair adj
vantages.
"He must have the moral courage
to stand against the influences that
are brought to bear in favor of spe-
cial interests. In fact, the quality of
moral courage is as essential In a pub
lie official as either right sympathies
or a trained mind.
"A president must have counsellors.
and to make wise use of counsellors,
he must be open to conviction. The
president Is committed by his platform
to certain policies, and the platform
is binding; he Is also committed to
certain policies of government, and
these he is In duty bound to apply in
all matters that come before him.
but there Is a wide zone in which
he must act upon his own Judgment.
and here he ought to have the aid of
intelligent, conscientious and faithful
advisors.
But the presidency is the highest
kositon In the world and its occupant
Is an important factor in all national
matters. If he Is a devout believer
In our theory of government, he rec
ognizes the constitutional distribution
of powers. trusts thoroughly In the
people and fully sympathlzes with
them in their aspirations and hopes,
he has an opportunity to do a splen-
did work; he occupies a vantage
ground from which he can exert a
wholesome influence In favor OF each
forward movement.
"rhe responsibilities of the office
arc so great that the occupant ought
to be relieved of every personal am
bltlon. save the ambition to prove
worthy Of the confidence of his coun-
trymen for this reason, he ought to
enter the position without thought or
prospect of a second term.
while the burdens of such an Of
flee are so heavy and while the labors
of the office are exciting and exhaust
ing, the field Of service is large and,
measuring its greatness by service, a
president by oonseeratlng himself to
the public veal can make himself Sc
cure In the affections OF his fellow
citizens while no lives and create for
himself n permanent place in the ma
tons history"