The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1915-02-11
New YORK MAYQUlT
DEM0S0NsHlPB|lL
To Go Republican If
Tactics Continue, Says
German.

German.
WASHINGTON. Feb. 11.-That the
ship purchase bill OF President vii.
son will split the Democratic party
has been indicated more strongly than
ever in the senate. The President told
callers that he would not consent to
an abandonment OF the measure.
Neither danger Of a party split nor the
certainty of an extra session OF con.
gress will swerve the executive.
One assertion Of Senator O'Gor.
man Of New York struck terror to the
hearts Of the administration follow.
ers. He indicated clearly that New
York is In the balance politically and
that unless conditions take q decided
Change the Republican party will
sweep the state in 1916:
THE likelihood Of New York re.
naming In the Democratic column Is
doubtful" said Senator o'Gorman.
land II you want to remove the last
lingering hope, let 1t be known to the
people there that 35 senators repre-
senting states with aggregate popu.
lations only equaling that OF New
York. which I as q single senator rep.
resent. have attempted to bind their
representative. They cannot compel
me to not represent my people and be
%recreant to them. No n can con-
troll my intellectual liberty"
Refers to President.
Senator o'Gorman, although not
naming him apparently, had the Presi-
dent in mind In his statement.
Senator Hitchcock of Nebraska also
resisted executive interference In the
Legislative branch OF the government
in q warm speech.
The speech OF Senator Hitchcock,
was but another proof Of the rising
tide of independence in the Demo-
cratic party. He said he believed in
open, public discussion Of public af-
fairs and the opportunity to vote his
convictions and mot the convictions
of any caucus or the wishes Of any
public official"
Senator Hitchcock, after reciting
the invitation to "a conference" to
discuss the shipping bill, asserted
that the meeting was SUDDENLY trans
ferred into a caucus and by a vote We
are told that We are bound hand and
foot and denied the privilege of
either offering amendments to or Of
supporting amendments to the ques-
ton. We are told that we have not
the privilege Of dotting an Il" or
crossing a ST. or in any way altering
what the majority Of the caucus may
have decided"
Asserts Independence.
Senator Hitchcock read an article
he had written almost two years ago,
before a ship purchase bill was even
thought OF, in which he discussed the
importance Of thoroughly establish.
ing the independence and individual
responsibility Of senators charged
with the duty of legislation. The sena.
tors declared: IF senators and rep
resentatives coming to Washington
allow their hands to be tied by the
caucus, or permit the President to in
struct them how to vote, representa-
tive government fails. Those who
elect senators and representatives
have the right to direct how they
shall vote and no one else"
Senator Hitchcock said that the
struggle now going on in the senate
involves not only the independence
OF the senator from all control by a
party machine. hut also his indepen-
dcnce from control by a coordinate
branch Of the government. Referring
to President Wilson and his attempt
to dictate to senators how they shall
vote on the shipping bill the senator
said:
Attacks Ono Man Rule.
president Wilson is a man Of great
intellectual force and high moral char.
actor, but no man under our system
is great enough or good enough to be-
come the whole government. Our
forefathers were afraid to trust to one
man power. For that cas- they
provided for q congress to enact, a
President to execute and a supreme
court to interpret laws. They made
much of these three coordinate
branches of government independent
OF the other. They made n a
check on the other. This was done
for the protection Of tho people. and
was a wise precaution.
1.-THE independence Of congress
cannot be maintained II individual
senators and representatives give way
under presidential influence and u r
render their legislative conscience
and individual judgments into his
keeping. I utter no word Of criticism
Of the President. Amy man Of con-
| yiction in his position will use such