Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-09-14
marvel At POWER
SHOWNBY WILSON
No President in Modern Times
Has So Dominated
Congress.
FAILS TO USE BIG STICK,
BUT HIS WISHES ARE LAW
Tact, Diplomacy, Firmness and Cau.
Gus Rule Secrets of Presi-
dents Success.

In the interim pending the completion
of the tariff legislation. and before the
final struggle over the currency bill.
members Of Congress are finding time to
take stock Of the legislative situation and
discuss especially President Wilson's
course-past. present and prospective.
1t Is gradually dawning upon some of
the senior and more experienced states
men of both political parties that no
President of modern times has SO poten-
tally influenced-shall 1t be said domi-
nated?-Congress as the present occupant
of the White House. Moreover, this has
been accomplished SO unostentatiously,
with such entire absence of "big Stick
flourish and attended thus far by such
freedom from party Irritation and fric-
ton, as to cause all Capitol Hill be-
holders to marvel.
Hope for Further Success.
Friends of the President are hoping
that an equally gratifying outcome will
follow his insistence upon currency
legislation at this session. The next
two or three weeks will determine one
way or the other the. realization of
this expectation. for 1t Is expectation,
superimposed on hope.
Democrats and republicans admit, 1t
cannot be gainsaid. that the President
has exerted powerful personal influence
upon the shaping of the tariff bill. But
the mill-clad hand has been inclosed In
glove of velvet. In his pubic state
ment the night the tariff bill passed the
Senate he was generous enough to give
all credit to the representatives Of the
people for the progress to date; but those
on the inside know that the representa-
tives Of the people full well realized tnat
a master mind was directing them,
strong hand controlling them-the MIND
and hand of Woodrow Wilson.
Policy on Sugar Backed.
Citation to one single feature OF the
tarin bill would suffice as proof-the
does not reflect the judgment OF the lead
ership of either the House or Senate. but
is the Presidents own. That it will
| testable: that 1t will cripple q vast Amer
fcan industry Is inevitable, and that in
| the end 1t will not reduce the cost OF
sugar to the consumer Is cOntendeu. But
sot it. His will is also written In many
| a line and expressed in many figure
and rate in other schedules.
Yet the men who have yielded their
| judgment to his have done so graciously.
" ith them 1t has been assent as well as
consent, and acquiescence once rendered
no trace Of bitterness has been left.
Roosevelt forced Cuban reciprocity on
his party against the grumblIngs of q
| large faction Taft forced attempted
Canadian reciprocity on his party against
protests. which did not die with the ac-
| tion of Congress, but came back to hurt
at the succeeding election. The demo-
Gratis give promise of backing up most
l.,.c kh4 ynAn g e
| bill In toto. shouldering the future re-
| sponsibiiity as their own.
Secret Of His Success.
| President Wilson'S success in handling
Congress is admitted to be due, in addI-
| ton to his own tact, diplomacy and firm
ness, to the free application Of caucus
rule 1t has been claimed that recourse
! to caucus domination has been invoked
more persistently. more frequently and
! with larger results In this Congress than
| heretofore. There is no question. ex-
| perienced legislators say. that the caucus
saved the tariff bill in the Senate. and
that without its iron-clad application a
| combination of senators from western
and southern states whose products have
| been free-listed would have been more
than probable.
| President wilson first impressed his
wish and will upon the Influential
| leaders, who made it party policy, and
| then the caucus ratified 1t and penaliZed
as party heresy any opposition to the
program thus framed. 1t is well known
| that half a dozen democratic senators
| found their course and vote lined out for
| them by such means, against their per-
sonal opinion.
May Be Political Issue.
The republicans are giving indication
| of making a political issue Of the use OF
| the caucus In passing the bill. but the
democrats are not alarmed. They say
| that the subject will be cold potatoes by
next campa ,gn time: that the voters Will
| not bark back to specialize upon how the
bill was passed 1t was passed and the
effect only will be the issue.
1t is the prevailing belief at the Capitol
| that the President VIII have to draw upon
his personal influence and again enlist
the caucus to force the currency bi l
through the Senate at this session IL
| he succeeds, and it now looks as II he
| will, it will be another tribute to his per-
sonal power and effort.
1t IS believed that a majority OF the
Senate is disncl.ned to pass the cur
renew bill now. Ii the President should
leave it to the option Of the Senate. that
ma jority would include many democrats
of prominence. But aGaln there enters
the personal equation. the notable de-
wants II, 1t Is his administration. let him
have it, is what democratic senators
say. r,,,.
There isn't any big stick In the White
House but congressman admit that there
is a mighty persuasive parsonage mold