Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1910-02-10

Washington, Feb S.-Secretarv of
the Interior .BalIiuger is again persona
grata with the senate.
A note from him explaining that he
had not intended 70 yontravena the
senate rules by sending up a bill for
consideration as he did last week and
promising not 10 do it again" was
read to the senate tcIay and was re-
ceiTed with satisfaction
This is the result OF the calling
down administered by Senator Ba-
con, of Georgia
One Of the strongest speeches made
in the Senate so far TINS session was
That of the senior senator tom this
state dealing with the continued en-
croachments Of the executive and the
cabinet and deartment officers on
the prerogattves Of Congress in orig
mating aud forcing bills to passage.
In the BaIlinger instance. which
provoked the Senator to an ex;emDor
aneous but nevertheless very forci-
bic, address TO his colleagues, the
Secretary fthe Interior deliberately
sent to the Senate q draft of a meas
ure accompanied by note express
ing the desire Of his department that
it be enacted into law
The cool effrontary OF suc3 a pro-
cedure was too much for Senator
Bacon and he proceeded to de-
moIish the pretences Of the depart
ment heads and their assumption Of
the right TO draft bills and call on the
lawmakers of the country to pass
them.
The speech was evidently very much
needed and it had the desired effect.
The ruth was driven home by the
Georgia senator that the time had
come to call decided halt on the
assumption by the executive and his
subordinates Of privileges that were
in aowise vested in their official po-
siriogs. Already, he declared. the
lawmaking body which was DESIGNED
as the greatest Of the three great CO.
ordinate bodies Of the government.
has been sunk to a position of inferi-
Ority to the executive and judicial de-
Bafsments. If it was desired to pre-
serve the prsrogatiyes Of the Congress
in any degree at all peremptory
halt must be called on the pretentious
srrogating to themselves by Cabinet
officers and others OF such rights as
Ballinger had assumed in this IN
stance.
Senator Bacon's position was so un-
questionably correct and his protest
was made in so strong a manner that
The senate with wonderful unanimity
sustained his views by declining to
receive the measure that BaIIinger
had sent 70 it This rebuke was ade-
quats and the note of apology from
the Secretary followed.
What the Senate needs is more men
of the type Of Senator Bacon, men
who are not continually pressing
against the pie counter and clamor-
ing for patronage, who are not be-
holden to the administration for their
positions or for their political strength
at home, and who have convictions
that are well based and the courage
to express and sustain them when
ever the occasion arises,
In all likelihood but for the indig-
nant protest Of Senator Bacon Secre-
tary Ballinger's bill would have been
meekly accepted by the Senate and a
precedent established that would have
come home in the future to plague
that body. It is a source of gratifica-
tion TO the Democracy Of Georgia that
its representatives at Washington are
ever on the alert u protect the Leg
islatiye department from further en-
croachments of this nature the
Democratic party stands for the prin-
ciples enunciated by Senator Bacon,
but ii has sadly needed champions of
late who were true blue.
yaa