The Hawaiian gazette., 1908-12-29
Gu JCRESS IS
EADY TO
FIGHT
By Ernest G. walker.
fM,n nsnoci,ltotbe Advortise, ,


as Mr.. Roosevelt's presidential SUI is
setting, the first real live prospect OF
war between the White House and
Congress appears. All during the seven
wears of his two administrations there
have been rumors of active hostilities
between the legislative and executive
branches. The President has been at
outs with the Senate and House lead
ers. He has fought them without
gloves. conducted crusades for legisla-
ton that he wanted and that they did
not want. But there has never been
open breach Compromise has followed
scrapring and the President has always
gotten at least half loaf.
But now the die has been cast and
IL the President chooses to press his
fight the Goth Congress and the second
administration of Theodore Roosevelt
may close, ranged on different sides
of a chasm. The cloakroom mutterings
and the fierce statements of Senators
and Representatives which they would
not stand for in public print may bloom
at last into formal and official declara-
tons.
The quarrel is at present probably
only in the incubating stage, but the
rressive manner. has adopted n resolu-
tion that reflects upon the President.
II comes from legislation regarding
what has been called "thc black cabi-
metz
Gave Congress Surprise.
When the annual message went to
Congress on Tuesday, December 8, it
contained page and more devoted to
the topic of "Secret Service" 1t was
very much of surprise that the Pres
ident should discuss the Secret Service
at such length or at all in an annual
message. He pointed out that Congress
at its last session restricted the oper'
ations of the Secret Service to the
Treasury Department, having by provi-
sion in one of the appropriation laws,
forbidden the transfer of Secret Ser
vice men to duty in other departments.
This struck hard at a practise the
President had countenanced of allow
ing Secret Service men to be trans
ferred for duty with the Department
of Justice and the Department of the
Interior, largely for investigating land
frauds. Representative Tawney, of
Minnesota, the chairman of the House
Appropriation Committee, is credited
With having brought about THE legisla-
ton to forbid such transfers. Congress
had quite splutter about it at the
time. 1t was claimed that Secret Ser
vice men had been detailed to follow
a navy officer and assist his wife to
get a divorce, but the abuses most com
plained of was the use of Secret Service
men to do work that the special agents
of the Department of Justice and of
the Interior Department could do, and,
as claimed, could do better.
The President declared in his annual
message, however, that this legislation
was solely in the interest of the crimi-
nal classes and that the chief argument
for it was to keep Secret Service men
off the trail of offending Congressman.
It happens that n number of Republican
Congressman have at times been impli.
Gated in Western land frauds. The
President recommended in his message,
with fine sarcasm, that the restrictions
on the Secret Service transfers should
be limited so that Congressman could
not be investigated by those sleuths.
Caused Great Indignation.
Great indignation at the Capitol en-.
sued, of course, as soon as the message
was read. Senators and Representa-.
tives forgot for the time being all else
in that document. They interpreted it
as serious reflection upon n great co.
ordinate branch of the government, as,
of course, there was no distinction be.
tween the good Congressman and the
bad Congressman, when the President
commented SO severely upon legislation
that Senate and House had soemnly
enacted.
The fires smouldered for two days.
The big leaders on both sides of the
Capitol had to take notice of the situa-
tion. Democrats in the Senate and
Democrats in the House threatened to
bring forward resolutions for an inves-
tigation of the facts about the legisla.
tion, if the Republicans did not. Speak.
er Cannon and Senator Hale, the new
leader of the north end of the Capitol
conferred again and again. A program
was Infinitely agreed upon and on Fri
day, after many, many parleys, reso
luton was presented by Representative
James Breck Perkins, of Rochester
New York, a staunch Republican, q
man of unquestioned probity, and one
of the most scholarly of members Of
the House.
1t cited the language the President
had used in his message and called fol
the appointment of committee of nv,
to make an early report. In most i'm
pressive and carefully chosen words Mr.
Perkins briefly recited what had beei
done and the necessity for some action
He spoke but three minutes and there
upon, without a dissenting vote, tn
House authorized the appointment o
the special committee. Speaker Car
non named Mr.. Perkins, Mr.. Denby, O
Michigan, and Mr., Weeks, of Mass,
ehusetts, Republicans, and Mr.. Wi
liams, of Mississippi, and Mr.. Lloyd, q
Missouri, Democrats. They have bee
studying the situation and formulatin
a report. The Senate is ready to az
and is expected to go quite as far g
the House is willing to go in showin
its displeasure at the Presidents eours
There has been talk that the Senat
would expunge that portion of the me
sage from the permanent Congr ssiol
al Record. For the message is read
both houses at the same time, but is NJ
printed in the records of the Houl