Ripley County democrat. (Doniphan, Mo.) 1905-1920, 1913-03-28
WILSON'S PLAN TO VISIT THE
CAPITOL OCCASIONALLY
BREAKS PRECEDENT.
NO REASON He SHOULDN'T
Any President Who Sought to infia-
snee Legislation Could % II Much
More Privately by Conferences In
White House.
ey GEORGE CLINTON.

the CaplIOi WneTo ne can % III tUuSl
with legislation. created its ten days
stir, and 1t will create another ter
days stir, and perhaps more, II aftei
the extra session convenes he car
ries out his hinted intention
It does not seem that there would
be anything to create special interest
let alone undue excitement, In the
expressed desire OF the president ci
the United States to sit for few
hours each week under the same
dome OF the capitol where he would
bn in easy reach of such members al
might Nike to consult him or as he
might like to consult, but anything
which breaks precedent In Washing
ton raises comment, stir and frequent
ly strong opposition. There is moth.
ing IN the Constitution or laws OF
the United States to prevent the pres
ident from making his Office any
where that he wishes In the city OF
Washington. and II his desire is to
have a branch office in the capitol,
nothing can be done t. prevent It, and
very likely there is no reason except
that of tradition and precedent why
1t should be prevented
Has No ulterior Motive.
No one in Washington has been
found to say that he thinks for an In
slant Mr.. Wilson has any intention
of coming over to the capitol to make
"his will dominant" They think that
his desire In the matter Is entirely
democratic, and that II is born Of a
wish to be In closer and Q more re-
sponsive touch with the members than
would be the case II he spent all his
time In the White House while con-
gress Is in session This feeling of
an utter absence of any untoward IN
tention on Mr. Wilson's part has not,
however, prevented criticism, and II
has come not only from members of
opposition parties but from members
of his own party The thing probably
will psove after little to have been
oniy tempest in a teapot.
II the executive authority ever Is
used wrongfully to influence legisla-
tion, 1t can be 80 used at the White
House just as readily as at the cap
itol. In fact, the observer OF years
In Washington knows perfectly well
that II president wants to make his
will felt he Is much more liable to
attempt 1t at a distance rather than
from the capitol. where all the mem.
bers in way would be watching him.
Every day OF the parts of the year
when congress is in session scores OF
senators and representatives go to the
White House. some on their own er.
rands bent. and others called there
by the president who wishes to con-
suit with them upon matters OF legis-
lation.
When the president wants to see q
member alone he takes him into his
private Office and closes the doors.
What passes there no one knows, I'm
less the president or hts visitor
chooses to disclose Il, and the visitor
never win disclose It unless the pres.
ident gives him permission, for such
conferences always are held to be con.
fidential.
Federal Protection for Birds.
BY an act Of the last congress
just three days before adjourn.
ment the whole system OF prntec
tion OF the wild birds OF the United
States was changed. This bill will 80
into effect at once. but the existing
state laws win remain az they are un-
til the department OF agriculture has
prepared new federal regulations for
the governing Of the protection OF
game and insectiyorous birds in all
sections OF the Union. This matter
IL Of interest to every sportsman and
every market man. to every farmer
and 10 every bird lover, no matter In
what state OF the Union he lives.
It should be said that the federal
laws win have no control OF non-mi-
gratory birds. whether they be game
birds or song birds. This limits the
action Of the law very little. however,
because comparatively few birds re-
main within the borders Of any one
state through the twelve months Of
the year One or two examples may |
be given. however. Of birds which |
probably must depend hereafter. for
ths protection OF their lives ana Of |
their families from actual extinction /
on the action Of state legislatures
The rufed grouse. called the partridge
tn many states and the pheasant in
other states. Is non-migrafory bird, /
st least It probably viii be 30 de-
cided 20 be by the department Of agrI-
culture. The prairie chicken also Is
and It probably also
must depers arnn stats ~ ssosIoA,
pat naaslr Al 80 sZ..r saras Il ths