The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1912-11-17
PRESIDENT TAFT
SINGS SWAN SONG
iConsInnea from page I'D

term Tor thas purpose. Four years is
rather short time In which to work
Snt great governmental policies.
Another suggestion 1 would make
IS that legislative steps should be
taken. Tor there is nothing in the con
ssitnsion 10 forbid Il. bringing more
closely together the operation OF the Il
executive and the Legislative branches.
The studied effort to maintain these
branches Tigidly separate, is, think,
d mistake, | would not add any more
actual power = The executive in legis-
lasive matters. nor would / give the
legislative any more actual power In
executive matters The veto on the
one hand and the confirmation OF ap-
pointmens and the ratification or
treaties on the other, / would not
change But it does seem to me that
they need not be AT arms length as
they now are under our present sys-
tenn.
Twice Proposed.
at has been proposed twice in our
history, after the fullest consideration
ny some OF the wisest statesmen we
have ever had, to pass Law giving to
each department head d seat in the
senate and the house, and the right to
enter into the discussion of the pro-
pcsed legislation h either of the ma
tinnal legislative bodies This would
keep congress much better informed
rs TO the actual conditions in execu-
tive departments It would necessi-
tate appointment to the cabinet of
men used TO debate and TO defend
their position and it would offer an
opportunity for the public TO Judge of
the executive and the government
much more Justly and much more
quickly than under our present sys-
TEN The ignorance that congress al
times has Of what is actually going
ION in executive departments is fire.
qnentlr brought sharply TO the at
itsusion of competent observers.
The rules of the two houses as
an advised. forbid the use OF abusive
language by one member against an
other. A somewhat close examination
fof the rules however, Of both houses
does not show that there is any lin
itatioa upon the parliamentary char
acter Of the language which may be
directed against the president As TO
him, the members pursue their own
sweet viii, and that sometimes leads
them into language and epithetical
4 rsE$ ~ <.n
would hardly be called compliment
AIRY If members OF the cabinet
were allowed on the floor the very
presence would suggest the possibility
of reply, moderation of discussing the
administration, which does not now al
all times prevail The strongest reas-
on for advocating this change. how
ever, is that the influence Of the exc
cutiye shall have In shaping legisla-
/ ticn shall be more In harmony with
the responsibilities that the people
/ hold him 10 in respect 10 it. He is
the head of the party that elected him,
land as such, IL congress rs controlled
by the same political party. as it gen
orally is. he is looked to TO shape
the congressional policy and to secure
/ the passage of the statutes which the
party platform has promised. .
Now with such burden on him
he ought TO have a greater means or
bringing about what he wishes in the
character of the legislation to be con
sidered by congress, and the powers
of persuasion 10 secure the adoption
of such legislation than those which
the mere right to send messages and
the mere opportunity OF personal con-
sultation with leading members Of
the house and senate give him.