The morning journal-courier., 1908-05-11
THE PRESIDENTS ATTITUDE.

At last a situation has shaped itself at Washington which may have seri- ous political consequences. There have been signs ever since President Roose- velt's renunciation of a second term nomination of strain in the relation of the executive and legislative depart ments. Tn the house of representatives there Is a likelihood of Speaker Cannon being overruled by the Republican and Democratic insurgents under the lead ership of the President himself In the senate the Brownsville matter has reached point where unless the great est self-restraint Is exercised the ma jority of that body may actually reprl- mand the President for interference with the course of legislation
 So far ae the senate controversy is concerned. 1t is not necessary to con fuee the issue by undertaking to an alyze motives. It may or it may not be true that the President dearly loves scrap and is ready to pit his power against that of the senate on the Brownsville matter. II may or lt may not he true that Senator Foraker, Sen ator Bulkeley and the other senators who are opposed to the policy of the administration in that connection wish to cross swords with the President for reasons more personal than political. l pie at the bottom of tho controversy. ] which must seriously concern every lov- CT of our free institutions. The consti- l tuition divides the government into 1 three parts, the executive. tho legisla- tive and the judiciary. To each Is giv- l en distinct and independent powers and l 1t Is obvious that any thing which lends 10 destroy that blame Is to say the least contrary to the letter and spirit of the constitution, and presum- ably contrary to the well being of the country itself One of the command l ing objections to Mir, Bryan's candi- dacy in 1896 was his threat to make over the supreme court In order that his views might receive favorable con sideration. One of the commanding virtues of Mir Taft's candidacy is the assurance 1t gives that if elected hie selection of judges will be patriotic and safe.
 Whether President Roosevelt as com mander-in-c n-chief of the army possessed the right to act as he did in the sum- mary discharge of the Twenty-hfth regiment from the service of the coun- try is a question susceptible of settle. ment by due process of law. Tn fact the question is alrea6.-' before the courts and win eventually reach the supreme court of the United States Nc such doubt can be entertained of the right of the senate to enact Legislation as 1t sees fit, subject as all legislation iS to the construction of the highest court i,, the land as to it's constitutionaity The President may veto such legisla' ton, if It meets with the approva of the house of representatives. Thc seriousness of the situation to which We refer, however, consists in the re. fusal of the President to await the TO- cept of objectionable legislation at his office He has written to three of tht senators of the United States anC bluntly told them that he was wei within his rights when he discharged the colored soldiers, and that ever should they enact bill determining the manner in which the discharged soldiers may re-enist and then pasi that bill over his veto he would no obey Its provisions, It Is this prema ture act of defiance, which has pro voked situation which calls for tho largest measure of self-restraint on tn, part of the senate If an open breach