Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1914-03-04
WlElps GREATER POWER THAN
ANY PREVIOUS WHITE HOUSE
OCCUPANT.
CONGRESS ALMOST CEASES
TO THINK FOR ITSELF
Every Committee consuIts With Pres.
ident Before Taking Important Ae'
tion-PoIities Inspires censrsssms"
70 Avoid Antasonizins White House
Fear Less OF Votes.
Especial Correspondence


Washington, March 4.-Old timers in
! Washington agree that not within their
memory has so remarkable a situation
been presented. with respect to legis-
lation. as we'll as TO politics. as now
obtains.
Congress has almost ceased to think
for itself and moves at the command
of President Wilson. Now and then
protest is heard: occasionally even
some democrat grun1bles about the
corridors AMI the cloak-rcoms, but
broadly speaking the important legis-
lation which passes through congress
lis dictated from the White House.
The chairman of none of the great
'coalmittees moves far without consult
ing the chief executive. The COM
mittees themselves aim to follow the
White House wishes. The democratic
caucus of the house and the democratic
caucus of the Senate take no step
without finding out whether president
Wilson sanctions IL
Roessvelt's Big Stick outdons.
When Roosevelt was president there
the big stick over the capitol. But
Roosevelt never rad congress in sub
1ecIion TO such degree as President
Wilson has the legislative branch In
subsection.
Something of the real facts OF the
situation became clear in the course OF
the tariff discussion and while the cur
rency bill was being considered. It Is
~. n
to the executive in the early part OF an
administration. when senators and
members of the house want jobs FOR
constituents. and then to become more
or less refractory. However. the
present Congress. though time since the
inauguration of Wilson wears on, Is
showing little sign of rebellion. IT IS
entirely clear tina. there viii be no re-
beliion before the congressional elee-
tons OF this year. Each democratic
member of the house and each senator
who seeks reelection Is seeking 70
avoid the appearance of any friction
With the administration. The feeling Is
that the president is popular and that
to get into collision with the White
! House would lost any democratic can
didate votes.
situation to Continue.
! Thus far. the president has had no
refusals from congress. He has been
given what he wanted. For nearly two
decades. the democratic party was out
OF power. And because of this. most
peculiar situation obtains in congress.
The democratic members of both
! houses are beset with hordes Of appli-
hcants for Office. They can get patron
age only by being on good terms with
the president The result is that the
! .irs, consideration Of every democrat IN
/ congress is TO have the White House
| approval Under such circumstances
ii, needs no diagram to perceive how the
| White House IS able to shape legisla :
/ ton.
| The situation apparently will con-
/ tinue indefinitely. Nothing indicates
there will arise in the democratic ranks
| in congress any such revolution OF IN
surgency as arose In the republican
ranks in the raft administration WIN
respect to trust legislati>n. all the tam
today is that it will go through as the
White House says it ought TO- "th
respect to repeal of free tolls through
the canal. though there is opposition
to repeal fror, democrats. there Is mol
much question, the president Will ge,
the repeal measure through in the end
/ The present condition Of things led
a prominent nouse leader the other day
Ito say that Congress had sunk to
lower level % influence than he had
ever known. With the judiciary or
| the one hand and the executive on the
fother. each vigorously reaching out fol
sauthority, he pointed out congress mac
sadly declined in power. The result Of
II, he predicted. would be to strengthen
the demand mat the size CT the house
be reduced and that congress ne MADE
to consist of single body.