New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1909-08-22
ADMINISTRATION MEASURES"

Attorney General Wickersham's announced In
tention OF devoting the summer 10 the prepare
ton Of railroad and other corporation legisla-
ton that will embody the policies Of the admin
istration is already being discussed as radical
departure from the custom OF law making
hitherto prevalent in Washington. 1t Is said
that before the corporation tax provisions of the
tariff law were prepared by the Cabinet and
presented 10 Congress as AN administration
measure" such action, while not unheard Of
was a most unusual proceeding. and that from
the corporation tax provisions drawn up toward
the end of a busy session, during which the Ike
cutiVe was cooperating with the leaders of both
houses Of Congress to secure a satisfactory COM
promise. 10 this corporation legislation. the
preparation of which an expression Of the
administrations policy is openly announced
months in advance of the next session of Con
gress is a long step toward an active and open
participation in legislation by the executive de-
partment.
But the corporation tax measure was not the
first hill framed by the President or the Cabinet
and transmitted 10 Congress in q compiered
form. as has been enormously suggested. When
Thomas jefferson was President he usually
drafted what legislation he wanted and sent 1t
to Congress. his authorship. though not adver-
fised being unconcealed He wrote, for instance
the law under which the territory of Louisiana
was 10 be governed, law used as model when
the problem arose of governing the Philippines
and the other territory acquired after the Span
fish war Undoubtedly other Presidents have
taken an active part in preparing legislation to
be submitted To Congress. II will be remem-
bered that at the beginning Of President Harri-
sons administration Secretary Window prepared
q bin dealing with the silver problem, which
went TO Congress as an administration measure.
IL was received with scant courtesy fn the Sen
ate, which was strongly for free silver coinage,
but was taken by the House a basis for its
moderate silver bullion purchase bill.
The contrast, however. between the reception
or the Window measure and the reception Of
Mr. Tafts corporation tax measure. which was
adopted because II was the administrations
measure, and which even went back TO the Cabi-
net for such amendment it was deemed to
require before passage is instructive. 1t shows
that marked change has taken place I'm the last
few years IN the relations of the Executive
and Congress. The legislation which previously
often originated with some member or members
of the Cabinet, especially legislation of tech
meal character, for the preparation of which
some executive department might be supposed
TO have expert qualifications, was not so off
cislly stamped. II was not so clearly known
10 the public as administration legislation.
The recent action Of Congress requiring the
SAtNullNt ~ ILtStul n HNSAtIiltlALtu
budget. TO balance estimates of expenditure and
estimates of income and 10 suggest new taxes
with the estimates, when a deficiency seems
probable, is an even stronger evidence of the de
velopment of Executive initiative in legislation.
Congress made the suggestion IN this case be
cause OF fits obvious helpfulness in encouraging
cooperation and preventing waste I'm appropria-
tons. Yet the new system viii probably operate
10 transfer 10 the Executive large degree Of
the responsibility for appropriations and greatly
To diminish the present responsibility of the two
houses.
The new practice developing in Washington
is OF longer standing in the states. THE Gov
ernor's bilI' is familiar phrase, SO familiar
that no one could say when he first heard II.
Though comparatively recent, It no longer ex-
cites comment The Presidents BILL" on the
other hand, would sound strange, indeed. Per
haps that expression will never come into use
In this state the preparation by the Governor
OF legislation which he recommends is an estab-
lished practice. which has been much employed
10y Governor Hughes. The public service legis-
lation and the direct nominations bill are ex-
amples Of administration measures in New York
State. In other states similar instances could
be mentioned.
This development is the result of the present
tendency OF public opinion to uphold the hands
Of executives and to strengthen their influence
There is no question that the public thoroughly
approves Of Governors bills" and that # will
equally support administration measures" in
Washington. The approval of them probably
springs from the recognition of one OF the weak
nesses of the American system, which does not
weld together for the purposes Of party govern
ment the executive and the legislative into one
harmonious party agency. Executives and egis-
latures, though of the same party, have frequently
been in imperfect harmony, each claiming TO
represent the opinion and policy Of that party,
until the public, tired Of the disunion and its
check on effective action, has come, in q large
measure, 70 recognize the Executive as the party
spokesman. With the custom OF administration
measures" If II becomes established, we NAV
have in this country something comparable u
what is called 'the government in the European
sense, which speaks for the party and proposes
measures for IT, The European system has its
weaknesses II results. for one thing In the
consideration Of measures too exclusively from
the point OF view OF party expediency. On the
other hand, 1t facilitates the pursuit of a CON
sistent and intelligent policy. Perhaps the "ad-
ministration measure" and the Governors bill"
when they become fully established. may cure
the defects Of the American without Introducing
those OF the European system.
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SOCIALIST MADNESS IN SWEDEN