Der Deutsche correspondent. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1841-1918, 1917-03-07
THE WISE WAY FOR THE PRES
IDENT TO PROCEED Is TO PRO-
TECT THE RIGHTS OF CON-
GRESS AND THE PRIVIL-
EDGE OF THE PEOPLE.

Hearst says:
The founders of this Republic, as
we all know but frequently forget,
created three distinct departments Of
government, with the plain and oft
expressed purpose of making them
checks upon each other. The we'll
debated and digested plan of the
founders contemplated judicial
department which should not invade
the rights OF the legislative or the
executive, q legislative department
which should not invade the rights
OF the judicial or executive, and an
executive department which, above
all, should not invade the rights Of
the judicial or the legislative de-
Dartments.
The fathers were readers OF
history, and they all fully realized
that the encroachments of the exc
cutive upon the powers of the direct
representatives Of the people had
been the one thing which had caused
the fall of nearly every republic
which had preceded ours.
The diatribe, therefore, which
President Wilson yesterday levelled
at the Senators who refused to sur
render the powers OF Congress to
the executive was levelled equally
at the founders Of this Government,
who endeavored to provide a system
by which the powers Of Congress
would NOT be surrendered to the
executive.
The President Is not just to the
Senators who acted from conscien-
tious and patriotic motives in voting
according to their best convictions.
He is not just to the democratic
citizens of this country who believe
with these Senators that powers Of
Congress should be retained and
the functions Of Congress exercised
He is not just to the founders OF the
Republic who intended that the
liberties OF the people should be pro-
tectcd, the powers of Congress
limited to Congress. 1t is a mistake
for Roosevelt and Wilson to be inn
patient of restraint and to attribute
unworthy motives to those who
honestly disagree with them. ButMr.
Wilson's own heart and mind are too
big and his position too exalted to
warrant him in long maintaining
any such unjust attitude. The
motives which animated the Sena-
tors who opposed President Will
sons encroachments upon the rights
OF Congress are as pure and as
patriotic as those Of any patriots
who ever served their country self
sacrificingly under trying condi-
tions, according to the inspiration
within them. The character OF the
Senators who constitute the opposi-
tion is sufficient vindication of their
L.. III, NJ.
Wilson has conspicuously, IL not
considerably called public atten-
ticn, will In some calmer and cooler
day represent a roll of honor.
The Senators who voted to retain
the powers and functions OF Con-
gress are NOT unwilling to stand
back Of the President in his every
rightful attitude and endeavor, but
they insist that Congress shall stand
in support OF the President and not
surrender to the President-not
eliminate itself and it's rights and
It's functions and leave only the
executive to perform the powers
definitely reposed in the Congress.
II thore are several important
measures, as the President states,
left unenacted, it is because the
President insisted that Congress
enact measures Of concession and
virtual abdication which it was
properly unwilling to enact, instead
Of allowing Congress to perform
the duties which 1t was periodically
ready to perform.
There should now be called an
immediate session OF Congress.
There should, in fact never have
INT t,..r IA hot
the Congress just expired and the
incoming Congress.
The incoming Congress should be
assembled and the functions of Con-
gress performed and practised by
Congress-.
The President is by nature, train
ing and trend OF mind a federalist.
He, therefore, very sincerely be-
lieves In the absolute advantage or
concentrated authority of highly
cent? allied powers But the adj
vantages Of centralized and decen-
ttalized government were amply de-
bated in the convention which
framed the Constitution OF the Unit
ed States, ana responsibility in favor
of distributed powers.
The founder Of the Democratic
party, Thomas Jefferson, believed
very ardently in reposing the power
and function of government as near
ly as possible in the hands of, the
actual source OF all governmental
authority--the people. The founder
of the Republican party, Abraham
Lincoln, continually expressed his
admiration for, and acknowledged
his Indebtedness to Jefferson and
the principles of Jefferson. He, too,
advocated government of and by
the people, and appreciated the
wellestablished fact that it is di-
ficult, if not impossible. to retain
government for the people unless 1t
is also Of and by the people.
The truest democracy Is q govern
ment in which the people themselves
express their views and ratify their
laws by direct referendum vote.
While this Is not always possible
under complex modern conditions
we laust nevertheless realize that the
further we drift away from such
direct popular government, the
further we depart from genuine