Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1908-03-16
SENATO OR T|LLMAN
Delivers Another CharaCteriS-
tic Speech.
ARRAIGNS THE PRESIDENT
Charges Many Shortcomings in En-
forcement of Law.
MR.. JOHNSON'S IMPEACHMENT
Or Acts Not Different From Those of
Roosevelt Since He Has
Been President.

Senator Tfllman of South Carolina in a
fiery speech in the Senate this afternoon
declared that eachment proceedings
were brought against Andrew Johnson for
acts not different from the acts of Mr..
Roosevelt since he has been President.
Senator Tillman held sway for about
ne said few things about the
two hours and half in which time
President. the republican party, the
national banks of New York and
stock gambling" that were Intended
to- make his political opponents sit up and
take notice. He declaimed against the
dominating influence and control of the
executive branch of the government over
the legislative and in less degree over
the judicial branches.
Nh Tillman had his usual large au-
dience on the floor and in the galleries
the crowd was the largest present TINS
session His speech was full of fiery
rhetoric his voice loud and his gesture
many and picturesque.
When he emphatlcally declared lha'
senators who do not agree with the
executive and who refuse to OBEY ms
will must be retired he looked toward
the republican side AS II he were chai
lenging any senator over there To deny
what he said.
The speech was on his own resolution
to investigate recent transactions OF New
York banks but Mr.. Tillinan apparently
thought the occasion a good one 10 Sa!
many things that were in his mind.
Johnson's Impeachment
1T has taken just forty-one years. he
began, "for the pendulum to swing from
one extreme to the other. In 1861 AndreW
Johnson who had held the executive OIL
flee had grown weaker and weaker In
the struggle against the fanatical and
revolutionary forces which had gathered
strength during the civil war, and lmme-
dately after he was Shorn OF all sem
blance of power and narrowly escaped
impea chment. To speak more accurately,
he was impeached and on the trial failed
of conviction by the pitifully small mar
gin of vote.
He was brought to trial on the fiimsy
charge Of having put construction on
the law which empowered him TO remove
his own Secretary of War and appoint an
other. He had swung around the circle
and made speeches none of which We're
in any degree more aggressive or more
denunciatory of men and things than our
President now delivers to appaudins
thousands Congress included this in its
bill of indictment. but it TOO trivial
to cut any figure in the proceedings.
The legislative branch was naughty.
insoent and tyrannical to the last degree
in its use and abuse Of power. Vetoes
We're overridden by tWo-thirds votes in
both houses and the presidency in
eclipse. The President drew his salary
and lived in the White House. signed
commissions, but to all intents and pur-
poses was nonentity, and exercised no
Influence or control whatever over legis-
lation and in every way the great office
of President lost prestige and all SEM
plance of control in our public affairs.
with the election of Grant the pendulum
began to swing the other way, and during
the last seven years it has moved with
such momentum that we have Witnessed
Il condition never dreamed of BY these
wise trainers of our Constitution. who de-
Clared so often that the three branches
should be forever kept separate and dis
tinc;.
Now the House Of Representatives COM
ing directly from The people by popular.
vote. has, under the rules adopted by it's
members, desenerated into little more
than a recording machine to do the will
of the Speaker and his lieutenants. Free
dom of debate in the old and true sense
has disappeared from that end of the
Capitol and measures OF the greatest i'm
portance are jammed through almost
witnout discussion under ;nc fteeu .u.cs,
under conditions, which, to say In. least,
discredtabe