New-York tribune., 1909-07-23
NOT ENOUGH NATIONALITY.

Quoting Henry Clay's words Il owe a para
mount allegiance TO the whole country, q SUD
ordinate TO my state, Ihe washington
POST suggests that there are too few men of
the Clay type left in Congress. Congress has
exercised national leadership In those periods In
which it dealt with large national questions and
strongly reflected popular ideas. In the decade
before the war and again in the decade after the
war the legislative department held the centre OF
the stage. 1t fought out the crucial issues OF
the time, shaped the policies of the polltcai
parties and overshadowed the administration as
a factor in national affairs. 1t was able to do so
because both branches were rich in men OF large
views and a broadened sense of responsibility
who did not dream that their activities should
be limited TO promoting the special interests
of their states and districts
We have happily Outgrown sectionalism In
the dangerous sense for no vital interests or
anita gonisms now bind any considerable num-
ber of states together in hostility to the rest
of the country. But a spirit of localism or
parochialism has developed which tempts GER
tain REPRESENTATIVES end Senators TO shut their
eyes TO national needs and to work exclusively
for the advantage, of their particular constitu-
encieS. Such spirit is demoraliZinS. and its
bad effects have been conspicuous in the failure
of various legislators at this session OF Con
gress 10 realize with Henry Clay that they owe
a paramount allegiance to the whole country
and only subordinate one to- the subdivisions
which sent them 10 Washington.
The House of Representatives has been less
CenSurahle in this respect than the Senate. The
Republican majority in the House deserves
aredit for supporting Mr.. Payne in bis efforts
to pass a tariff bill representing a step in ad-
vance in the rational application of the protec-
tive principle. The House bill satisfied the
reasonab BILE expectations of the party and the
Naf faVC u1aUphprS n hOth
HouSes-relatively more in the Senate-have
shown themselves anxious to nullify the
pledges of the last Republican national plat
form because they were afraid of disappointing
the expectations of their constituents or some
Of them who did not want to see those pledges
redeemed President Taft was forced to ad-
minister a rebuke TO a delegation Of Represent
ativeS ingenious enough TO ask him TO sustain
them in their fight to defeat revision, not be-
cause IL promised no national benefits but be-
cause it might cause some annoyance TO GER
tain interests in their districts. That was
parochialism unabashed Fortunately, it re-
t1ected a feeling which a substantial majority
of Republicans in the House do not share
In so far it thus circumscribes its point Of
view Congress will lose touch with the country.
II will cease 10 respond TO the sentiment of the
nation. and the nation will begin to doubt its
capacity for leadership. The people now look
10 the President their spokesman and agent
in legislation we'll as in administration. The
explanation of the change lies in the public con-
viction that the President more truly repre-
sents national opinion. He has, a broader out
look than Congress and is freer from petty en-
tanglements The nation demands a leadership
which is national in character, and Congress is
not likely to retain a full measure of popular
confidence unless it shows decisively that it is
capable of putting national above local con
siderations