Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1913-10-02
by the newspaper correspondents to draw

by the newspaper correspondents to draw
Mr.. Wilson out on the subject.
In response toa question concerning Mr.
Bryan's frequent absences when the Mex
lean situation was looming serious, the
President replied that although Mr.. Bry-
an was absent from Washington. he was
always In touch with the department and
ready to rush back the minute he was
needed. No effort could draw from Mr.
Wilson the slightest criticism Of his sec
rotary of State.
Apparently Mr. Wilson argues this way.
r. he has done, Mr.. Bryan sees tit to
leave piles of Mexican dispatches lying
unopened on his desk for days at a time,
If MIR. Bryan keeps business visitors wait
ms while he talks with political friends,
and then cuts short his audiences on
matters of official business to talk with
other political friends, that is Mr.. Bry
ans lookout and not the Presidents
The criticism. If criticism there Is, will
fall on Mr.. Bryan and not on Mr. VIII
son.
1t is the same with Congress The
democratic platform pledged certain leg
islation The President lays that legis-
lation before Congress If Congress does
and not the President.
At the same time the President does
not rest with the simple request to Con-
gress to do what is expected Of It, When
Congress says it IL tired and overworked
and wants to go home to play, the Pres
dent says he will stay at his desk and
wait until Congress has finished it's sums.
then teacher and pupils will all go away
for nice vacation. Congress Erumbes
some more. but feels all the time that lts
parents, which are the mass of voters of
the country, will inevitably say that
teacher is right and the pupils are wrong.
Nobody knows better than Wilson the
strength of his position. He knows that
nine times out of 10 the people are with
the executive az against the legislative
body. that the people like to see a mayor
lick a city council, n governor lick a State
Legislature and a president dominate
Congress.
Moreover, the President has all the
best OF it in the matter of publicity The
spotlight is on him and whatever he SAYS
or does is given the widest circulation
through the public prints Congress
knows this and fears the results of going
against him when he is apparently lead
ing In the course the people who elected
him counted on his pursuing.
| But although the President has accom-
plshed wonders he has not done il all
alone. He has had powerful allies in the
House, the most notable OF whom is Con-
gresham Underwood, chairman of the
committee on ways and means. and ma
jority leader.
Underwood has been tower Of strength
| to the President from start to finish
| Naturally they stood together on the
tariff, for that was Underwoods original
Offering. But they disagreed on the adj
visibility of putting the currency bill
| through at this session
| Yet when the President insisted, I'm
derwood sank his own feelings, put his
shoulder to the wheel and went to work
with Chairman Glass He has stuck
close to the job all through the caucus
discussion OF this measure, doing all in
his power to prevent any unnecessary
delay.
Furthermore. the members of the COM
mittee on ways and means and banking
and currency have not spared themselves
With few exceptions they have worked
like ditch diggers from start to finish. 1t
SO happens that Massachusetts has fur
nished two of the hardest workers on
these committees, Congressman Andrew
! j. Peters on ways and means and Con-
gresham Michael T. Phelan on banking
and currency