The Topeka state journal., 1909-01-08

Itfves to be lightly questioned. we may
be sure that no legislative pooy VIII p'
respected by the people unless 1T re-
Ispects itself We are jealous or the
honor of the nation; we should Dt
equally jealous of the honor OF our IN
stitutions-
."Doubtless in the congress are some
| time found unfit and dishonest men
but l believe that with few exceptions
the body is composed of men OF 1nteg-
rity. whose vote is determined not by
fear of the police but by an honest re-
gard for the public service. If the time
should ever come when majority OF the
chosen representatives of the American
people were so unfit for their trust that
their votes were controlled by craven
fear of the detection of their crimes,
then surely the republic will have come
up on evil days and the failure of pop
ular government will be demonstrated.
THE people of this country have
sent their representatives to the con-
gress Many of them have for long
years been reelected at the polls or
by the legislatures. We do not believe
that popular government and univer-
sal suffrage are such lamentable fail
ures that dishonest, cowardly or unfit
men are chosen to continue in office.
This matter we stand upon not only
for ourselves but for those who sent us
here The impeachment of those who
are chosen is the impeachment of
those who choose.
1.-The president says that no one
holds the dignity of the congress of
the United States in higher regard
than he does.
"It would be a thing to be deplored
if, as a result of any unfortunate in
advertence of language any untoward
combination of words or expressions
should remain in his message which
might be interpreted by the people as
Iessening the dignity and thereby
weakening the authority of the con-
gress.
1T is said in the message that Grim
inals should be prosecuted if found
in the legislative branch of the gov
ernment and with this we wholly
agree. But the president adds If this
is not considered desirable. a special
prohibiting the use of secret service
officers in Investigating members of
congress-
I'm other words it is suggested we
pass a law which will facilitate the
exposure of other criminals, but will
protect ourselves. If a majority of the
congress stand in favor of the expos
ure of their own misdeeds, they Will
be ready to vote for such law, but
such is not the case and against 1t we
must protest. II congress listens
tamely to reflections upon the char
acter of it's members and its honesty
of purpose, it will deserve and it will
certainly receive the contempt OF the
in the presidents message the con-
gress should refuse to receive and
mildly to consider.
Appeals to Traditions.
During long centuries our English
speaking ancestors struggled and bled
that a representative government
might be established among the
English people. Our revolutionary
fore fathers, more than century ago.
and bled that our govern
ment should be a representative gov
ernment, that the laws of the Amer
lean people should be passed by the
chosen by the Amer
lean people. The congress of the
of centuries of struggle for popular
Let every man who is a
member of it vote on this question In
the manner which seems to him most
worthy of the traditions of which we
are the heirs of the institutions of
which we are the protectors and of
the people of whom we are the repre-
sentatives.''
AS was the case when he first spoke
on the question before the holidays,
Mr.. Perkins was frequently inter-
rupted by applause. Upon the con-
cluSion of his remarks he submitted
the committee report which after
quoting from the presidents message
understanding this language to be
a reflection on the integrity of its
and aware of its own
constitutional duty as to its member
called on the president for any in
formation that would Justify the
language of the message or assist it
in its constitutional duty to purge
itself of corruption
1.-The president in his message of
January denies that the paragraph
of the annual message casts reflections
on the integrity of the house; at
tributes 20 the house an entire failure
to understand my message;' declares
ruption against any members of this
house. and by implication states that
he has no proof of corruption of any
of this house.
Understands English.
whether the house in it's resolution
Of December II, 1908, correctly inter-
preted the meaning of the words used
by the president in his annual message
Or whether it misunderstood that Ian
Suage as the president implies VIII be
Judged now and in the future acord-
ng to the accepted Interpretation of
he English language. This house
charged only with its responsibility to
he people of the United States and
It's obligation to transmit unimpaired |
% the future the representative insti- |
-utions inherited from the past, and to
preserve its own dignity. must insist
IN its own capacity to understand the |
import of the presidents language. We
consider the language of the president
n his message of December s, 1908, |
and without basis of fact
and that it constitutes breach of the
privileges of the house; therefore
be it
Resolved, That the house in the
exercise of its constitutional preroga-
ives declines to consider any COM
from any source which is
1ot in its own judgment respectful; !
and be it further
Resolved, That the special commit |
tee and the committee of the whole |
house on the state of the union be dis |
charged from any consideration of so |
much of the presidents annual mes
sage as relates to the secret service, |
saI,. e.. IL.