The Washington herald., 1914-06-18
Rirht + Ps6t;oa Menaesl.

For ten years John Quincy Adams battled asainst
the so-ca1fed -pg lawss which practically forbade
the right to any one who desired to approach Com
gress with petitions respecting slavery In the end
the former Presdent of the United States who went
from the White House after his retirement Pres-
dent to seat long occupied by him IN the House
of Representatives, was triumphant and the "gag"
rule was abolished Z
That was an attempt to limit the right of petition
through the effect of rule of the House OF Repre-
sentatives
The Herald hopes that President Woodrow VIII
sons recent comments upon the organized agitation OF
business for the purpose of influencing or coun-
selling Congress was msapprehended by those who
heard him. But if there misapprehension
then the President may be accused of attempting to
effect by moral influence what the House of Repre-
sentatives in John Quincy Adams day did compass
by means of rule of the House: namely, the sup
preston of the right of petition For if business
men of the United States now entertain in common
the opinion that certain proposed legslations and
certain political agitations are of harmful influence,
tending to protract the business depression then if
the right of petition is be maintained theirs is the
undoubted right to make appeal to Congress so that
that body may give heed to public opinion as it is
voiced by the vast majority of business men Of this
country ~
1t will not do to intimate that because business
believe that it is their right to be heard whet-
er speaking individually organized bodies, they
are in that way conspiring improperly for the pur-
pose of influencing legislation.
Moreover this attitude is not consistent with the
one which has recently been taken by Congress and
apparently approved by the administration Organized
labor and organized agriculture did appear at Wash
ington and in various ways sought to impress upon
Congress their views respecting certain proposed legis
laton. They were not accused of having engaged in
conspiracy for the purpose of influencing Congress
Instead of that they tolerated and even en-
codraged --.. -..
The business interests of the United States are
not conspiring improperly to influence legislation 1t
the belief of these interests that their right to
appeal to Congress is fundamental and is not to be
denied They do not need to array statistics in order
to persuade Congress that business is depressed Yet
they might properly quote of the leading author
tiles That pre-emnenty great master of foreign ex-
change Max May, is no politician and takes no more
than citizens interest in politics. 1t not for
the purpose of political attack but for the purpose Of
stating fact that Max May recently said
"The harassment of business interests by the
national government is making capital sensitive is
checking enterprises and is, than anything
else the cause of business depression. The ac-
cumulation of funds in bank vaults which We are
now witnessing, especially in New York. is the re-
suit"
There come from the Treasury Department in
timatons that the heavy falling off in income tax re-
ceipts from the estimate made last may be traced
TO dishonest attempts to eyade the tax Yet there
is no experienced man who does not know that the
greater part of the falling off in income in the past
year traceable the depreciation of securities and
the passing of dividends and the payments of in
terest.
If it be true that President Wilson intmated that
business interests are conspiring to influence Con-
gress then it inevitable that the President of today
has become the victim of that peculiar isolation
which IN the past has caused other Presidents to
make mistakes The administration may learn here
after that the punishment for errors of policy no mat
ter how sincerely conceived is often quite as great
as the punishment for negligence or ruthless disre
gard of the duties of high Office