Warren sheaf. [volume] (Warren, Marshall County, Minn.) 1880-current, 1911-03-02
INTIMIDATION OF MEMBERS OF
CONGRESS, fNFERENTIAL
CHARGE.
CLAIMS 1T DANGEROUS WEAPON
Use of Patronage as Reward Bribery,
Declares Bourne-Adoption of
Oregon Law by All States,
Remedy.

Washington, Feb. %. - President
Taft, by inference, was charged with
using his appointive power to intimi.
date members of congress. The in
ferred charge was made in a speech
in the senate by Senator Jonathan
Bourne of Oregon, president. of the
ter in the senate, but as yet no
and, until recent trouble over an Ore
gon appointment, the, intimate friend
and golfing companion of the chief ex
ecutive. The surprising thing was
that although all of the senator's au-
dience construed his remarks as an
attack upon the president, not a word
was uttered in reply.
The Beverly letter, in which Score
tary Norton declared that the presi-
dent had withheld federal patronage
from certain senators and congress-
men, but would discontinue that prac-
tice, was brought into the limelight.
On previous occasions insurgent SEN
ators have threatened to read this let
ter in the senate, but it is yet no
public reference has been made to it.
Mr.. Bourne opened his speech by
discussion of the Oregon law. He de-
clared that when this law is enacted
by all the states it will destroy the
power Of the federal machine to re-
nominate president or determine his
successor. The steam roller,'' he
says, will be relegated to the political
scrap heap and it's operators to the
shadow of things forgotten, while
fourth class postmasters will cease to
be a political asset for anybody or any
party.
One or Two Evils.
Senator Bourne said that the use
OF the presidential appointing power
to coerce members of congress would
be either bribery or intimidation
bribery if patronage was used as re.
ward and intimidation if withheld as
punishment. In this connection he
read Section $3.50 of the revised stat.
utes making it crime for any per.
son to offer or give anything of value
to any member of either house of con-
gress with intent to influence his vote
or decision upon any matter pending
in either house.
Continuing, he said:
"The natural inference from the
Norton letter is that the president of
the United States used federal pa
tronage to influence the action of
members of congress. This is
charge which no citizen can discuss
without regret, yet the whole subject
is of such vital Importance in the
preservation of representative govern
ment that would feel remiss in my
duty If failed to call it to the atten-
ton of the country and place in avail
able form such information relating
thereto as may come to my attention.
The undenied statement indicates q
deplorable and despicable subservience
on the part of the legislative branch
and dangerous and demoralizing
usurpation upon the part of the exc
cutive.
II would have as much respect for
common ward heller who buys votes
at the polls as for president Of the
United State who uses his appointing
power as means Of forcing or per-
suading mebers Of congress to deter
mine or change their course of action.
One transaction IL 40 dishonest, as
corrupt and as depraving as the other,
but the latter IS more dangerous, more
tnsidious. more psrnicious than the