The Greenville journal. [volume] (Greenville, Ohio) 1850-1918, 1910-04-14

banks. there Is more or less debate On
the subject going on al odd moments
In the open chamber. II is noticeable
that the members do not commit them
selves specifically for or against GER
tain provisions Of the measure which
1t is likely may be subject to amend.
ment
seeond-cIass Mail Rates.
OF course the matter Of second-class
mail rates was the first great question
which the committee had to consider
II Is doubtful II there was ever any
recommendation or finding made by
the postofice department which Gre
ated such a row as did the proposal
to advance mail rates of this class. 1t
Is probable that the letters which the
members of the committee received
Tor and against the proposition to
raise the rates were greater in num-
Der than those received touching any
other legislation in years excepting
the proposition to keep Senator Smoot
OF Utah out of his seat. and the pro-
posal once advanced by the agricul-
tural committee to do away with the
biological survey. which has always
been known as the farmers friend
The letter writing in the case of the
second-class mail matter had its effect,
as the country knows. and 1t is likely
that for some little time at least, there
will be no further turbulent discussion
Of the matter either on the floor or
through the mails.
Dispute Over Power.
There have been recently, both in
congress and out of it, sharp ad-
verse criticisms of what has been
called executive law making" In
other words. some of the members
of congress and some OF the crit
les outside Of it are inveighing
against the practice of submitting the
recommendations of the president to
congress in the form of specific bills"
The amendments to the interstate
commerce law which have been sent
to congress and which are now under
consideration in bill form constitute
one of the bases of complaint of what
the most outspoken of the members
call executive usurpation." This rail-
road bill. for the amendments consti-
tute bill, has had a somewhat Pc
culiar history. In his inaugural ad.
dress one year ago last month the
president made it perfectly clear that
he intended to recommend legislation
the effect of which would be to further
control the operations of the great car.
rier companies Of the United States.
Bill Is Committees Report.
When Mr.. Taft returned to Wash
tngtOn In November. the committee
made its report to him, and when one
of the members was asked what form
it was likely the legislation in con-
gress would take, he answered.: If
you have seen the report of the presi-
dents committee you have seen the
bill which will be introduced"
What the member of the committee
said turned out to be true. The bill
which was introduced into house and
senate was practically a copy of the
committees report to the chief execu-
tive. When the bill was considered in
the house committee on interstate
commerce to which it was referred. it
was changed in many of it's particu-
lars, but the senate committee accept
ed the administration measure in prac-
tically it's initial form. 1t was this bill
more than any other which brought
about criticism concerning executive
law making.
Now, there are always two sides to
a question. and while congress is res
tive because of what it thinks is the
encroachment of the executive on the
field of congressional rights. it must
be said on the word Of the presidents
friends, that Mr.. Taft, because of his
judicial training, wanted to bring to
bear on the interstate commerce bill
the legal ability of the best lawyers in
his cabinet. the training of several OF
the interstate commerce commission
ers, and the legislative acumen of one
member of congress, who had had ex-
perience before with bills of the kind.
Wants His Legislation to Stand.
The president always has been
afraid apparently that some of the
legislation which he recommends, or
which congress passes without his di-
rect recommendation, might meet with
breakers in the supreme court He
wants to make his legislation, so his
friends say. absolutely proof against
adverse decisions on the ground of
unconstitutionality. So it is that his
answer to congressional criticism of
executive law making, as his friends
put it. is that he simply wants to give
congress good legal groundwork for
legislation. and that he will not com.
plain If changes are made in his
recommended measures provided his
advice on their constitutionality is ta-
ken.
From the beginning Of the republic
there always has been more or less
complaint of what has been and stin
is called executive usurpation." When
the Democrats were in control of con.
gress under Mr.. Cleveland's admins
tratiOn, they found fault with him for
encroaching on the rights of the legis-
latlve branch. Mr.. Harrison did not
escape. nor did Mr.. Roosevelt; and
now Mr.. Taft is coming in for his
share Of the legislative critics atten.
ton. GEORGE CLINTON,