The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1906-2016, 1912-07-19
THE PRESIDENT AND THE SENATE.

The rebuke administered President Taft by the sem
by Senator Bailey declaring in general terms tina.
any attempt the part of president of the United
States to exercise the powers and influence of his great
office for purpose of controlling the Of any
senator upon question involving right to a seat in !;
the upon any other within the eXclus
i've jurisdiction of the senate would violate the spirit
the the constitution invade the rights
of the senate" interesting assertion the indie
pendence by the legislative of the executive department
of the government, that should at the time bel
very wholesome in its evidence that fundamental prn-
cples still regarded OF some Importance and not
to be lightly put aside for the sake merely of expedi
ency according the school of political housht
that is prevailing generally. 49, d
The occasion of the resolution was the presidents
interest and intervention of influence in the Lorimer
case The evidence of this given by the president
in the of speech in Boston last ATri when he
read letter he had written Colonel Roosevelt some
1 thing than year before stating that he
ing his influence with individual senators to pc shade
them that the unseatng of Lorimer was desirable
| thing. Senator Bailey held, the majority the
senate adopting his resolution agreed that the
crtion influence by the president in this
improper T. o'e can be no doubt of the correctness
of this view accidentally considered, and it should,
also be the view prevailing and governing practi-
cal Of course, is not because the exalting
of the executive authority has gone to point of late
years in which almost interference by the president
with any other department of the government is both
justified extolled AS Senator McCumber said in
of discussion yesterday the presidential
office used for years to abuse the Of
congress- The reflection the Roosevelt era, and
the policy of President Roosevelt in this respect found
expression formulation the phrase, steward Of
the public welfare by which he defined in his Osawa-
9 tonne speech, his concel ton of the president
In the Lorimer case there was public demand fol
action by the senate, which President Taft sought tC
accelerate in its effect the senate by personal con-
: ference argument with individual members of thai
1t body. This of thing might be done in unoi-
FL cia and intimate way, not to border mpIl<
IL prety but when it is publicly announced as prac'
tce of which credit sought before the people as
it in the exposition made by President Taft it be-
comes matter of which the should take cog
h nizance upon which it should pass censure. Any
is attempt by the president influence the action of
re ators the ground eXpedency political other
WISE upon question involving principles right
e fundamental authority is extremely dangerous in
1t vasion distinct constitutional limits set by
wisdom founders Of the republic upon the
eral spheres of government it is well that the
of constitutional prescription established
political principles should not without remark Ex
ecutve influence determine the character of the in
IS dvidua senator should be eXerted upon The
h senate which is the sole judge OF its membership
than it should be exerted the Judiciary in the de-
termination of principles OF law If the senate is
responsive public opinon-and the degree of such
sponsivenes in full understanding of the constitution
of the senate is subject for interesting
sive consderationthere should be undertaking or
the part of the executive make it So however desr
able the end to be served at the moment by such un-
dertaking might appear whatever the political ex
igencies might be.