The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1910-02-13

a Roosevelt Pace.
Some one observed the other day that
the hardness Of the legislators TINS year
was not very marked in comparison
with what used to be accomplished
few years ago. That is largely true.
But the records for action were made
when Roosevelt was President. \ war
between the White House and congress
was generally waging during the two
last administration. The President was
proddiug the legislators; they were Te-
s.stng and yet. driven by public seutl-
meut. they did about what the Pres
dent wanted Of them. All this ba~
changed. There IS no warfare between
the White House and congress. The
President is not marshaLng public sen
timeut in his behalf. He = working
along amicabiy with Speaker Cannon
and Senator AIdrlch. getting what he
can from them and making no appeals
10 the country. Consequently the Lee
islaror- are Slipping back into their old
habit Of moving along very slowly in
deed. Lately the President has been
talking about an extra session Of con
gresS, if he does not get the legislation
he wants from the present session.
That is the usual presidential threat.
The congressman are not especially he
stirring themselves on account of it. al
though the extra session is the one thing
a congressman breads. 1t means extra
expense for living in Washington and
greater demands upon his time.
No Big Stick
Congress does not seem to mind when
the President speaks out sharply. The
senators and the representatives., whom
he tells to "get busy simply 60 along
about their affairs as though nothing
had happened. They promise to bear
this measure in mind and that measure
in mind, but that is all that comes OF
their promises.
The President gets mighty emphatic
occasionally. He has special English
expressions. which "Uncie joe Can
non particularly appreciates, for - n
Gle joe speaks the same language on
occasion and talks to his ''boys' OF the
House as wildly as the President is
disposed to talk to his ''boys' of both
legislative branches. Men are wonder
ing, however. whether one OF these
days the President may not do some
thing else than talk. If he could get
behind him militant sentiment
throughout the country, the memories
of senators and representatives would
be longer. They would keep on their
minds the things he talks to them about.
! Other matters would not be so absorb
ing. There would be an abundance of
| opportunity to execute the commissions
| the President entrusts to them.
| People Not Bothering.
! But the militant sentiment appears
! TO be absent The country may be with
| the President on many of his under
! takings. but the country is not sutfl-
! GENTLY wrought up over the situation
/ to sit down and write kilograms and
| letters to Washington. That makes
| bic difference. \ dozen letters IN the
morning mail from a congressional dis
! triet. all bearing down upon one pub
| lie question. which congress is supposed
! to be wrestling with, makes repre-
sentative of the people pause. 1t may
! alter his point of view absolutely. Such
/ letters used to come rolling in and they
! kept congressional individuals IN CON
| slant state of mind
! Just why so many people now are I'M
/ willing to spend the price OF postage
stamp to write down to Washington
/ and let the men who run things know
about it is not explained. The postal
/ receipts seem to be picking up, but this
/ is not due to increased letter writing
in the particular line referred to. of
course the question comes up: How
is the President going 10 make con-
gress take notice. which IS the ques
ton that has doomed large before many
President Out of a feeling of loyal
ty, the old regulars will probably do
something for him before the gavels
! fall on final adjournment, but it is not