The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1915-03-04
The Half Way House..

The Half Way House.
The Congress which ends. subject
to manipulation of the clock. at II
noon to-day, is likely long 10 keep
the record" for perpetuity OF session
and multitudinous volume Of speech.
In the main. it has been, 81 far as
the Democratic majority in 1t il con-
cerned, the register and echo Of the
commanding will in the White House
With respect to the few and self
sacrificing original Democratic talents
in it, the greatest and the most toll.
Grant Of which goes with OSCAR CN.
DERwooD to the Senate. IL would be
time lost to review the work OF the
~Sixty-third Congress as its own One
absorbing personality has with nj,
good and honorable intention merged
the Legislative in the Executive. A
strong cha racter. stronger by its very
narrOwness. absorbed. or seemed to
absorb. two-thirds Of the functions
of the Federal Government and the
whole Democratic party.
Yet the most ,monopollstic genius
can derange only for a time the or.
derly procession Of political thought
and action. The Democracy. meek
after a long exile, and longing utut-
terably for the neshpots. could not
surrender permanently that indtvidu-
alistic and independent attitude. that
local and uncentralized freedom of
thought. which through many absurd
and sudden %surrenders. borrowings
and reversals. still maintains, even
through its later populistic and 70
cialistic backsliding. something Of the
old J%enersonian tang. A people or a
party blindly submissive 10 a chief.
however admirable. contradicts the
sound instincts and long traditions Of
the Democratic party. which through
u thousand errors and even IL il sur.
renders. or seems to surrender. to pm
ternalistic theories. its fated oppo.
site, keeps its hold. IL II is 70 keep il.
upon the people solely by being the
voice Of the many.
Let us praise, then. for wei they
merit praise for momentous public
service. the seven Democratic Sena-
Tors who resisted the order from the
White House to pass the ship pur-
chase bill. so sinister in its ~potencies.
economically 50 unsound and 50 alb
solutely undemocratic. Let us praise
likewise every Democratic Senator
and Representative who has dared 10
ssert the just constitutional func-
ton OF his post against the steady
monopolistic thirst Of power Mt the
OLuST euu VI Tue ANVuuf. iHtNf
United States are supposed to he gov
erned according TO the Constitution,
and not the desires. however benefi-
cent, of any man or superman.
Mr.. WILSON'S volition, eHerted
through this Congress-, and occasion
ally against the will of that body. for
the last two years 10 he regarded as
a sort Of old French parliament. eS-
istipg to register edicts. has done
considerable Of good and much that
IL doubtful. The Federal Reserve act.
no exclusive Democratic memorial.
by the way, is perhaps It's or his best
achievement. SO far as politics. and
the most parochial brand Of poliric@.
can he kept out Of its administration.
IL promises to he fruitful. Mr., WILL
sons veto of the immigration bill
Will always be an honor to him, So
~yl be his insistence on the national
faith as to Panama tolls.
But where was his fine courage
Muru he had to approve or ~disapprove
ambiguous exemption Of associations
Of farmers and laborers which the
fourth branch Of the Federal GOV
.rln"ut, the Hon. SAMUEL GoMrEas,
stuck into the Clayton act?
A. to his tariff, which popularity
bears Mr.. UNDERwooD's name, the