The Oakes times. [volume] (Oakes, N.D.) 1906-current, 1915-01-21
THE PRESIDENT
AND THE SENATE
(By Savoyard.l

Washington, Jan. 18.-Hcre is the
United States senate that assumes to
be the greatest dclibcrative body in
the world, I'M q sweat about peanut
tery-whether this man or that man
shall have an appointive Office. When
you see the American senate appeal
ing to its courtesy" and supporting
its plea with its dignity" you recall
the lady who proclaims her chastity,
the soldier who vaunts his courage,
the merchant who boasts his horesty,
the scholar who is vain-glorious about
his learning.
The senate of the United States at
this reading is labeled Democrat.
Is it fit for the job? Possibly. 1t
it a Democrat? We shall see. Will
it throw away its great opportunities
in order to feed the vanitics of few
of its Democratic" members of and
about whom you can never think
without reminder Of Balzac's regret.
which is too coarse for a polite man
like myself to quote?
A senator in congress who degrades
himself and chcapens his station over
a miserable bit Of patronage ought to
resign. Can you imagine Clay, or
Calhoun, or Webster, making warfare
on a president of his own party be-
cause one Of his henchmen was not
preferred for postoffice or other
place in the gift Of the president? l
can see how a German, or a Quay,
Platt or Penrosc, would raise a row
in such quarrel. But great sena-
tor, unless Roscoe Conkling be an ex-
ccption, never made a miserable bit
Of patronage an excuse for opposition
to his party leader.
Stephen A. Douglas-and it would
be rather difficult for you to name his
superior among all the members Of
the present senate-had a serious
quarrel with Buchanan, a Democratic
president of his own party. Mr.. Bu-
chanan gave all the patronage" Of
Illinois to the advcrsaries of Douglas
in that state. Did Mr.. Douglas in
woke courtesy" and appeal to
"dignity?" Not q bit of it. He
loftily said: "If am to be dependent
on such miserable expedients rs that
l would rather resign and return to
the carpenters bench, the plane, the
; saw and adze was reared to hate
the very name Of Charles Sumner.
In my fathers household he was same
as anti-Christ, or q little "samer," }"
but he was above wrecking his party
on question Of pap" He was too
lofty for that And he had big
quarrel with Gen. Grant at that, but
rot about patronage"
Here is Reed of Missouri, who has
sought to embarrass the president OF
his own party ever since Mr.. Wilson
allowed him to name the postmaste,
at st. Louis-the biggest piece Of pie
in the state. Mr.. Reed lays the Law
down that unless the president shall
name man he has chosen for q GER
tain district attorneyship in Missouri
he will appeal to senatorial courtesy
and see to it that no one else shall
have that Office. The president nomi.
mated Mr.. Bland, son Of one Of the
best-loved men Missouri ever pro.
duced.
In an interview, Mr.. Reed is ne.
ported rs saying that he has nothing
to suggest against the character o,
the capacity Of Mr.. Bland; but that
he had other views and preferred the
Office for another man. What is that
but usurpation Of the presidents
power to appoint? Can you imagine
Thomas H. Benton or George G.. Vest
arrogating to himself such unwar.
rantcd power? Hardly. 1t is an.