The sun., 1908-12-18
The Duty of Congress.

The Duty of Congress.
The wisdom that divided the power:
OF government in the United States be-
tween three departments conceived in
thisAdistribution to lie the last and fina
bulwark Of liberty. Congress sits
under destructive imputation sucf
as no one of its predecessors has
been called on to repel. Character
lied by the Executive with words OF
infamy that spell its degradation to
the place Of lackey, it sees the respect
and confidence of the public shattered
and wrecked. The constituency it rep
resents, beholding il assailed with scorn
and contempt, awaits its adequate de-
fence OF its honor and the performance
Of its duty as an integral part of our
political structure.
On Tuesday, December S, the insult
OF the Executive to the Legislature was
communicated to Senate and House
That night there was murmuring. On
the next day the sensitiveness Of the
members of Congress was more mani
fest. And as their complaint rose in
volume and increased in intensity the
chief of spies was summoned with file
and record, to the Executive chamber,
whence issued from the moment of his
arrival, on highest authority, hints, inti-
nation and boasts of what the President
would do to those who dared to resent
in any manner his accommodation Of them
as Iawbreakers and criminals.
Here, then, is the issue that, precipi-
tated without warning, now dwarfs
and hides all others in its vital appeal
to intelligent patriotism. The Execu-
tive, armed with alleged reports of paid
spies and informers, attacks with fero-
cious malignity the Legislature. Threat
ening with public ruin and private dis
grace those individuals who dare op-
pose the extension and perpetuation of
despotic powers, the President bids the
lawmaking department obey his will
and surrender its constitutional duties
and obligations. The nation, scarcely
crediting its senses. watches dumbly
the raid on liberty.
Congress has seemed to hesitate. 1t
may be that it finds its justification
for it's meekness in the desire which,
however creditable, is in the circum-
stances inadmissible. to avoid the ma
ional shame which is in this situa-
ton, alas, inevitable. Congress must
begin merciless inquiry Of every de-
tail OF the Government secret service,
Il must pursue to the last corner and
crevice every trail Of espionage, every
track Of the informer. In the light of
day it must reveal to a numbed and
nation what there is of base
ness, of corruption, Of wrongdoing.
This 1t must do though high names be
sullied and shame spread on the people.
II it contents itself with mere reso-
lutions and half hearted Intellectual
meas; il it does not probe to the lowest
depths the activities of the agents of
the Executive, of which almost unbe-
lievable accounts find credence through
out the country, it will confess its de-
basement and dishonor, admit the in
capacity of representative government,
and give to free institutions blow more
destructive than has yet been struck.
At this point it seems not unreason-
able TO ask the President, in view of his
faculty for forcible, if coarse, exple-
live, what, in his judgment, are the
lerms which should be used to describe
adequately and appropriately this in
assault on a coordinate
department Of the Government Of the
United States, and fifty to set forth the
quality Of its unhappy author.