The Washington herald., 1914-07-13
A Gradual Change in Government.

Senator's Townsend and Clapp on Thursday IN
dulged in some pointed criticism of the Senate for
becoming inert and passive in all matters affecting
legislation and accepting the legislative program OF
the President Both Senator'S. pointed out that this
acquiescence of the Senate is leading to reversal OF
our plan of government from of divided respon-
- ,;5s % the rule Of man which brought about
the rccIa lton of Independence and the creation OF
I..s sgFcrr ment
T icism raised by Senator's Townsend and
,- he more significant in that both those Sen
a--. Jared to be Indifferent the encroachment OF
b.. So 7lc.re on Congress, when it began few years
ESQ ruce- ne administration of President Roosevelt
EEGy Doth supported the President as against the
organization of the House and Senate and that was
the beginning of Cannonism and Aldrichism.
Both Senator's were no doubt, sincere then and
are sincere now, but in the beginning they could
not see the Developments of few years, and the
application of the theory that the President should
lead and dictate well recommend to Congress.
1t is possible that President Wilson has carried the
theory further than President Roosevelt would have
carried it. and also that the present Democratic ma
joriy in the Senate is yielding than would have
been Republican majority to a Republican Presi-
dent
The danger IS however in the theory rather than in
its application The theory has grown and it is not
only threat to the House and Senate constituting
legislative body independent of the Executive, but
it is dangerous to the old plan of the government.
We have had a good many strong in the
White House, and some of them have been impa-
tent with the failure of Congress to follow their
Recommendations but the Senators and Representa-
tves were in closer touch with the people, and either
more closely represented the ideas of the people
able to convince the people that they right
and the President rarely succeeded in dominating
Congress.
With President Roosevelt there began a change
With his appreciation of the value of publicity, and
his skill in securing it, he had the ear of the people
more than had the Senators and Representatives and
he placed his appeals in such seductive form that he
secured the support of the people against their
own representatives.
1t became the habit of the people to read what
the President said and criticse Congress for not
implicitly acting on his recommendations.
President Wilson has but taken advantage of the
change in public opinion begun under the admnistra
ton of President Roosevelt, and followed by that
of President Taft The present Chief Executive has
invented nothing new. He has established the theory
and applied to it his experience teacher. until
it now stands out, without apology, the domination
of the Executive will the legislative department
of government.
Inc American peOPle possibly neeued 10 hSNe uie
new system brought out in bold relief as the asser-
ton of right on the part of the President to ap-
preciate what it means. They that in
the election of 1912 they not only elected President
but leader who assumed that for four years his
ideas of legislation should govern rather than those OF
the men elected to legislate.
1t is significant that two such sagacious statesmen
as Senators Townsend and CIspp have pointed out
| the change of which they appeared to be unaware
! few years ago.