The Detroit times., 1909-03-19
real DANGER LIES
IN LEGISLATIVE
UsURPATI0N
"a --PREsIDENT TAFT.
LATE GROVER CLEVELAND POINT
20 OUT TO COUNTRY THAT
EXECUTIVE HAS PLAN WHICH
sHouLp NOT BE INVADED.

l
executive branch" said President
Tart, In an address at the seventy
second anniversary OF Grover Geve-
lands birth In Carnegie hall. yester-
day. The real danger arises from
the disposition OF the legislative
branch TO assume that IL has tho
omnipotence OF parent and may COM
pIetely control the discretion con-
ferred upon the executive by the con-
stitution"
President Taft, the chief justice Of
the United States supreme court Sen
ator Root and Gov. Hughes spoke at
the Cleveland memorial exercises.
Hundreds OF prominent persons also
paid tribute by their presence. Mrs.
Cleveland, with her daughter. Marion,
and her son, Richard, sat In box.
The hall was crowded with people
Mr.. Taft's speech follows:
Grover Cleveland was as COM
pletely American in his character as
lincoln. without college educa-
ton, he prepared himself for the bar.
His life was confined TO western New
York. His vision Of government and
OF society was not widened by foreign
travel. He was pure product OF the
village and town life OF the middle
states, affected by New England an
cestry and the atmosphere OF clergy
mans home.
His chief characteristics were
simplicity and directness OF thought.
sturdy honesty, courage OF his convtc-
tons and plainness of speech, with u
sense of public duty that has been
exceeded by no statesman within my
knowledge. IL was so strong in him
that he rarely wrote anything.
whether In the form of private or
public communication, that the obliga.
ton OF all men TO observe the public
interest was not his chief theme.
"His career was a most remarkable
one. BY his administration or the af.
fairs of his city as its mayor he
showed his power OF resistance TO-,
and OF overcoming the influences that
made for corruption and negligence
in city government. both In his own
party and In the party OF his oppon-
ents- Before he had ceased his office
as mayor he had been elected gov
ernor. Before he had ceased his office
as governor he had been elected pres
ident OF the United States.
Retained Peoples Confidence.
The presidential campaign of 1884
degenerated into one of SANDER. scan
dial and abuse. but Mr.. Cleveland
came through II retaining the confid'
sence of the American people in his
courage and honesty and his single
Spurpose to better the public service.
n Mr.. Cleveland was Democrat He
was partisan He believed in par
ties. as all men must who understand
the machinery essential TO the sue
cess and efficiency Of popular govern
ment His impulses were all toward
the merit system of appointments In
the public service, and against the
spoils system; but he had practical,
common-sense view OF the problems
before him.
In his second campaign Mr.. Cleve-
flan6 stood for an Affirmative idea, that
or reduction OF the tariff, so as to
make X tariff for revenue. He at
tackled the protective theory and sys-
tenn. He stood for some aggressive
and Affirmative. IL was In accord
ance with the ancient traditions OF
the party.
'The first time Mr. Cleveland was
In power he was opposed by Re-
publican senate. This gave little OPP
portunity for any radical change by
legislation In the previous policies OF
y Republican administrations, but II did
Dffer an opportunity for Mr. Cleveland
10 point out to the country the fact
that our government Is government
Of three distinct branches, the execu-
y i've, the legislative and the judicial.
and that the executive has a sphere
which the legislative branch has no
right TO invade.
Danger is imaginative.
I'VE hear much in these days OF the
usurpation OF the legislative jurisdic-
ton BY the executive branch. As
long as the legislative branch has
. the power of the purse the danger Of
executive usurpation is imaginative.
The real danger arises from the dis
position OF the legislative branch 20
assume that it has the omnipotence OF
parent and may completely control
: the discretion conferred upon the ex-
ecutive by the constitution.
The country Is under obligation TO
: Mr.. Cleveland for having pointed out
in his controversy with the Republi-
can senate some OF the limitations that
there are In the constitution upon at
tempted legislative action TO restrict
executive discretion. In the end Mr..
Cleveland won in his controversy with
the senate. Whether he might have
done SO had both the house and the
senate been against him Is matter OF
doubt.
Another great debt which the
country owes to Mr.. Cleveland is the
assertion, made through him as ts
chief executive. or the power OF the
federal government directly TO defend
the federal Jurisdiction through the
process OF federal courts and by fed
eral troops, against the lawless In
vasion OF mob. Mr.. Cleveland was a
Democrat and. of course, respected
the traditional construction OF the
constitution by that party; but no fear
Of apparent inconsistency prevented
him from asserting the full federal
power TO maintain its authority "a
suppress lawlessness when directed
against federal right and federal juris
diction; and so he instituted proceed
fngs In the federal courts to restrain
the Debs boycott OF the country, the
tying up OF Interstate commerce and
the Interference with the mails and
he sent troops under Gen. Miles to
Chicago to make his assertion OF the
power effective. II cost him the sup
port OF the thoughtless, whose sym
pafhy against unjust aggressions OF
corporate power and wealth make
them wink at the lawless invasion OF
vested rights. But he succeeded In
sfopping what had really grown 10