The Washington herald., 1914-10-13
The Presidents Endorsement.

The Presidents plan of indorsng Democratic
members of Congress in series of letters which car
be used in the campaign is not new, but it may b,
effective The people will be pleased to have Their
Senators and Representatives praised by the Pres
dent for fidelity to duty and able as well as patriotic
public service. Other Presidents have written such
letters and they have been used for campaign pur-
poses. We seem, however have reversed the order
OF commendation by the President it appeared in
the beginning of the government President Wash
ngton was also appreciative OF Congress, but he
pressed his appreciation in the beginning, and
the conclusion of Congress session.
He did not wait to see whether the Congress
would work to his satisfaction He accepted the
Senators and Representatives as the responsible
agents of the people, selected by the people, and of
course satisfactory to the Executive When we are
talking about models of courtesy to and appreciation
Of Congress should not entirely ignore that first
message of the Father of our Country, in which he
said:
by the article establishing the Executive Depart
ment ii is made the duty of the President to recon-
mend to your consideration such measures as he
shall judge necessary and expedent. The circum-
stances under which l meet you will acqut me
from entering into this subject further than to refer
to the great constitutional charter under which you
are assembled, and which, in defining your powers
designates the objects which your attention is to
be given. 1t will be more consistent with those cir
cumstances. and far COngenial with the feelings
which acuate me, to substitute in place of recon-
mendation of particular measures the tribute that
due the talents, the rectitude, and the patriotism
which adorn the characters selected TO devise and
adopt them. In these honorable qualifications | be-
hold the sures pledges that as on one side no local
prejudces or attachments no separate views nor
party animositie will misdirect the comprehensive
and equal eye which ought to watch over this great
assemblage of communities and interests, so on an
other that the foundation of national policy will
be laid in the pure and immutable principles of pr-
vate morality and the preeminence of free govern
ment be exemplifed by all the attributes which can
win the affections of its citizens and command the
respect of the world
President Washington indorsed Congress when it
met; President Wilson ndorses Congress when it is
about to adjourn. 1t is just question which is the
better way
There was another peculiarly about Washington
message which has been dropped from such commun-
cations in recent years He began his economies at
home and in his first message said:
TO the foregoing observations | have one to add
which will be most properly addressed to the House
OF Representatives 1t concerns myself, and will
therefore, be brief as possible. When l was first
honored with call into the service of my country
then on the of arduous struggle for its lber-
ties the light in which l contemplated my duty re-
quired that I should renounce every pecuniary COM
pensation- From this resolution l have in no in
stance departed; and being still under the impress
Sions which produced it, l must decline as inappli-
cable to myself any share in the personal emolu-
nents which may be indispensably included in a per-
manent provision for the Executive Department and
must accordingly pray that the pecuniary estimates
for the station in which l am placed may. during
my continuance in it, be limited to such actual ex-
Denditures the public good may be thought to re-
luire"
Washington was economist whose ideas of |
economy have fallen into innocuous- desuetude