New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1910-03-15
THE NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.

terferc." he repeatedly declared THE re-
sponsibiity rests on Congress Mine be-
gins where that OF Congress ends. II the
bill is too bad L shall veto it, but I have
no authority TO seek to control the VIII
of tho peoples representatives Finally,
in the closing days OF the session, some
of tho schedules impressed him so far
from fulflment of the party pledges that
when he was asked by the leaders-and
not before-he told them tho rates must be
modified he would veto the BILL The
rates were modified and he approved 1t.
and as leader of the party he has since
sought TO make the best of It.
GENERAL LEGISLATION.--Wh Con-
Gress convened in regular session Prcsi-
dent Taft, in quiet and dignified mes
sage, recommended for the consideration
of the two houses such measures he
judged necessary and expedient." Since
then no has submitted a number of i'm
portant messages, but none of them has
contained even an implied threat. His So
called Legislative programme includes
only those measures to which the Repub-
lican majorties were pledged by their party
platform. Other measures he has recon-
mended as necessary and expedient"
uub lIt ild1 Uftlllltu 10 MANS ltltltl n test
Of party regularity or even TO utilize the
patronage at his disposal to compel the
legislators to support them. Friends have
urged him to appeal TO the people for sup
port and from the commanding position
of his high office to seek to coerce Con-
gress. Invariably he has replied with a
vehement affirmation of his unwillingness
so far 10 reflect on a representative gov
eminent as to seek to array the people
against their chosen representatives. In a
word, Mr.. Taft the President is not differ
ent from Mr. Taft the judge. CONVINCED
that the principles of the Constitution,
adopted for all time, are more important
than the achievements of single Con
gress or a single Presidential term he has
adhered strictly to his judicial and con-
scientious conceptions. lie has even placed
the principles of the Constitution above
the policy OF conservation, and in so doing
he fondy believes he is hest promoting the
policy.
POPULAR JUDGMENT-Has President
Tafts course been popular with his eighty
million constituents? Do they respect his
scrupulous observance of the limitations
imposed upon the Executive by the Con-
stitution? Would they have preferred a
''AiN S'DS'
could command TO drive Congress TO choose
more progressive Speaker; President
who utilized the press and the rostrum to
compel n more adequate revision of the
tariff: who awaited himself of the patronage
he controls and the influence he can exert,
not only to secure a fulflment of the plat
form pledges, but TO compel the enactment
OF all the legislation which his progressive
Judgment dictates as important TO the public
welfare? Without attempting, at this early
day, to answer these questions, ii is per-
haps pertinent TO suggest others which log
ically follow. Do tho people OF the United
states believe in a one-man government?
Are they weary of the responsibility i'm
posed on them by the Constitution for the
character of the legislative branch? Do
they demand that the Chief Executive OF
the future shall exercise that responsibility
for them? In short, has the Constitution
with its provision for three coordinate and
independent branches of the government
grown obsolete? Can negative answer be
given to the first of these questions-those
which apply directly TO the administration
of President Taft-wthout inevitably i'm
plying affirmative answers TO the latter?
q ~