Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-04-11

such tax; by that committee he tries
70 induce the house TO adopt that tax.
But such chain of communications
is liable to continual Interruptions; it
may suffice for a single tax on a for
tunate occasion. but will scarcely pass
a complicated budget-we do not say
ir a war or a rebellion-we are now
comparing the cabinet system and the
presidential system in quiet times
but in times of financial difficulty.
Two clever men never exactly
agreed about budget.
WEAKENs BOTH BRANCHES.
After saying that the division of the
legislature and the executive in presi-
dental governments weakens the leg
islative power. it may seem a contra
diction to say that it also weakens the
executive power. But it is not a con.
tradiction.
The division weakens the whole ag-
gregate force of government-the en-
tire imperial power; and therefore it
weakens both its halves. The execu-
tive is weakened in a very plain way.
In England a strong cabinet can OBJ
tain the concurrence of the legislat-
ure in all acts which facilitate its ad-
ministration; It is itself so to speak,
the legislature. But president may
be hampered by the parliament and is
/ likely to be hampered.
/ The natural tendency of the mem.
bers of every legislature is to make
themselves conspicuous. They wish
! to crafty an ambition laudable or
, blamable; they wish TO promote the
measures they think best for the pub
lie welfare; they wish to make their
will felt in great affairs. All these
mixed motives urge them to oppose
the executive They are embOdying
the purposes of others if they aid;
they are advancing their own opin-
ions if they defeat; they are first If
they vanquish; they are anXi iaries If
they support The presiden-
tial government, by its nature, divides
political life into two halves, an exec
utive half and a legislative half, and
by so dividing it makes neither half
worth a mans hsving-woTth his
making it a continuous career
worthy to absorb, as cabinet govern
ment absorbs, his whole soul.
The statesmen from whom a nation
chooses under a presidential system
are much inferior to those from whom
il chooses under a cabinet system,
while the selecting apparatus is also
far less discerning.
COOPERATIVE IN GREAT AFFAIRS,
All these differences are more i'm
portant at critical periods, because
government itself is more important
\ formed public opinion, respectable
allie and disciplined legislature, well
. chosen executive, a parliament and al
administration not thwaTting eaCf
other. but cooperating with each other
are Of greater consequence when great
affairs are in progress than Wher
small affairs are in progress.
Mr.. Wilson's innovation is, there
fore, an innovation only to our mod
ern American eyes He not Ona' is
returning TO the original American
practice of the original president
which Americans are NOT now accus
toned to- but he is undertaking IN
sion Of the legislative and executive
more nearly approaching thar OF the
british, to which the English are, o.
course, wholly accustomed.
. While the American governmental
theory is one OF complete separation
Of the three great branches. il is prob
able that the degree Of cooperation
contemplated by the president is no
20 great as 70 prove harmful or, il
. fact to prove otherwise than bene
fetal