The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1914-12-28
CURRENT COMMENT
Cabinet and Congress.

Although the presidents annual ad
dress to Congress does NOT as rule con
stitute popular reading, it is probable
that the one upon which our chief mag
istrate is now laboring will have wild
or perusal than is usual from the fact
80 many issues out OF the routine class
will doubtless be touched upon. Per-
| haps one OF these will be the question
recently preached, whether or not It
would be expedient to grant that privl-
| lege or enforce that duty, according to
the point OF view. of admitting mem
beers of the cabinet to the floor of Con-
gress. SO far a. the president has thus
Jar expressed himself, he apparently
still has an open mind on the question,
but as he has in his own case availed
himself OF his constitutional authori-
" TO address Congress in person, we
might suppose that he would be favor
ably disposed toward extending the
method TO the members OF his admins
trative family
Ii is the position OF Senator Borah
upon this matter that men who are not
elected by the people should not have
power to vote upon measures that come
before the lawmaking body OF the ma
ton, and that attitude reflects, We be-
lieye. public opinion in general II
would menace the political balance as
the people had established il, and give
the executive branch Of the government
too strong a leverage. II would dis
turb the lust coordination that nov eX-
lets. and would be 80 radical a departure
that we have little fear that anything
OF that sort viii be seriously proposed
ON the other hand we believe that TO
increase the directness and intimacy OF
official relations between members OF
the cabinet and the Congress would be-
and wise At the pres
ent time Congress and the public have
10 await the annual reports to learn
" hat - going on in the several depart. /
ments There j. no assurance that these |
reports will be- read with much care. 4
even by the men 20 whom they are pr 4
narily addressed. although they should i
b. III cabinet officers were granted the 4
privilege Of seats in either branch or
both branches Of the national legisla
lure. and on motion of members per
nitted or requested from time 70 time
ID state the condition Of affairs under
heir respective Jurisdiction. i i quite
possible that more intelligent legisla
iou would b. the frequent and graft
wing consequence
This relation. however should not b.
simply one-sidcd The value Of i would
irpend a. much upon proper rross-eN-
.ninat ions a. urou she voluntary state
neuts and explanations Of cabinet
members themselves A. these inter
aeatu1es Wouli not b. put % men un-
~ oHth they would not involve pub
,eitF ior state secrets. but would doubt
- elicit talts proper 80 b known and
4 tine when they might have > Def
.ts laanre upon legislation actHaiiy IN &
.roerss Annull reports ere largely
aaAewsrd elimpzes Eren when they
atair rfeBmn1en8atiun- bearing uraon
- future theY ere likely 81 eoule 80
t.ma uhen not aHnverieut g.
tnsi8fF thsm De che rrent ri snah
tanrr. fonrrr-s wouif sll ~ Ton
ress ufth 81 that that implifs hat ID
aaH base thf hnrft Hf more ful
"a frequent Information uu measures
- lrtirnatflF concerned ti,f rrurfrF
fia-f1r Tfanarrff