The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-19
The Re gulation Of the Federal Ex-
eClIttye.


ecutive.
THE Sun has printed letters enough
from Its readers to show the wide
spread and intelligent interest which
our fellow citizens are taking in the
proposition that the particular kind Of
regulation most needed by our AFFLICTED
republic is the regulation Of the Fed
eral Executive.
We quite agree with those Of our
correspondents who describe this ae
the greatest present issue.
Few OF the evils now retardng the
national development and obstructing
the return Of prosperity for the people
and cloudng the future Of business
big and little. may not be traced di-
rectly or indirectly to the unwarranted
assumption by the Executive Of pow
crs aud functions not entrusted to 1t
by the Constitution. Nowhere else Is
Aheit uui'i way ~ 'hlS tihic oo heNo-
lutionary and swiftly progressive and
defantly audacious q change in the
framework of our Government. 1t Is
time that Americans who think beyond
six o'clock tomorrow morning should
consider soberly ana justly the certain
consequences of failure to check the
aggression begun under ROOSEVELT, ar
rested to some extent during the years
Of TAFT. and continued with acceler-
ated vlgor and momentum, almost IN
the geometrical ratio, during the first
fifteen months of WILSON and BRYAN.
Executive power, now so eager to at
tempt the regulation Of about every
thing else in the world. is itself the
thing which Of all things most urgently
calls for Federal regulation.
BY the regulation of the Federal
Executive THE Sun means the limita-
ton of executive activities to the con-
stitutional functions, and the restora-
ton Of that balance Of power among
the three coordinate departments of the
Federal Government on which depends
the life of our institutions.
Not single law need be passed to
effect the regulation Of the Executive.
1t Is only necessary to awaken the pub
lie consciousness and conscience to the
significance Of the mighty change that
is going on, openly in some respects,
insidously in other respects, and then
10 point to the Constitution as the
chart Of safety.
We are going to be old fashioned and
tiresome enough TO insist again on the
supreme Importance Of keeping In view
the limits on executive power pre-
scrlbed, aftirmatlvely or negatively,
by that forgotten instrument, which
President WILSON has sworn to pro-
tect and defend. The Constitution re-
ouires him to execute the laws made
by Congress, not to dictate to Congress
the laws 1t shall make. II requires
him to participate in legislation TO an
extent well defined In its precise II
somewhat archaic terms, hut II does
iiot ~Mp6wer HrNb >monopoftzr' the
legislative function. The Constitution
authorizes the President TO figure
neither as Hmlcus curiG in the case OF
The Judiciary nor Is boss, mentor, whip
master or handspring Of the Congress
Il does not Constitute him the censor OF
the moral. social or commercial affairs
Of the country. 1t has not sworn him
III either as the guardian Of the good
or as the scourge of the wicked. IL
does not mention him as the agent Of
public service. II does not commission
him 10 engage In uplift work even at
home, much less 10 expend the ma
TONS trea sures and the lives OF It's
soldiers and sailors for the benefit Of
downtrodden aliens. The Constitution
does not make the President and his
appointed advisers the final judges OF
what is hes, for the citizens Of our