The Owosso times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1897-1926, 1919-10-03
CONGRESS AWAKENING TO ITS
RIGHTS

A recent issue of the Michigan
Manufacturer and Financial Record
contained very strong and well
written editorial touching upon
"Some Ideas About Representation
in the halls of congress, which has
awakened the attention of many
members of that body. The last
number of that publication gave
space to a letter from it's Washing
ton correspondent from which we
quote the following:
Senators and Representatives, DEM
ocrats and Republicans alike, agree
that the time has come when MEM
bers of the Senate and House should
be in Washington what their constitu-
ents think they are, real representa-
tives of the people and not the rub
Der stamp of the administration.
They are especially strong on the
point brought out that Administers
tions so minded steal away the au-
thority of Congress-" and there is
| much talk of reading this part of the
editorial into the Congressional Rec
ord.
The older members of the House
and Senate, without regard to party,
realize that the time is fast approach
ing when the issue as to whether
Congress is to exercise it's constitu-
tional powers must be met. And they
are getting ready for the fray. The
first shot will probably be the reading
of the editorial so that it will become
part of the official proceedings of
the present Congress. And here is
how the situation is now shaping it
self:
President Wilson, not only in deal
ing with the Peace Treaty, but gener-
al legislation as well, has about gone
the limit in the assumption of legisla-
tive functions by the executive de-
partment. His attitude toward Con-
gress has been throughout that of a
schoolmaster of the old type. He has
been dealing with a rubber stamp
Congress and there had been very
little discussion and few serious OBJ
jections to his legislative program.
AS war measures, all sorts of legisla-
tive proposals have been pushed
through Congress often by the votes
of the opposing party.
Now Congress proposes to demand
that the President give an account OF
his stewardship, This accounts for
the large number IF Investigations
that are being conducted by Congress
sional committees. By the beginning
of the regular session most of these
committees will be ready to make
their reports. In these reports it will
be shown whether the President has
abused the power that Congress has
placed in his hands, and whether it
is better policy for Congress to keep
its control of the public purse or turn
it over entirely to executive author
ity.
During the war; said Rep. Joseph
w. Fordney of Michigan, in discussing
the situation at Washington, Con
gress surrendered most of it's author
ity to the President. He was COM
mander in chief of the Army and
Navy and as such conducted the war.
This was necessary to successful
prosecution of the war. At the same
time, the President is accountable to
the people and Congress for the man.
ner in which he expended the mil
lions that were placed in his hands by
Congress. AS far as am able to take
part in the proceedings of Congress,
/ shall insist on an accounting from
the President to people and Congress
as to how our immense taxes have
been expended and the treatment of
the men who responded to the call Of
the country and won the war.
at is also apparent that the Presi-
dent does not know that the war is
over and that the time has arrived
when Congress should assume its
constitutional authority. In electing
the present Congress the people of the
country placed their stamp of disap-
proval upon the policies of the admin
istration. The results of the election
amounted to demand for an investi-
cation of the manner in which the war
was conducted and change in the
policy Of t66 g1vernnent. Under the,
English system of government the
President would retire from his office.
/ see no reason in view of the recent
election why the President should
imagine that he has a commission
from the people to dictate to Con.
gress. The Michigan Manufacturer
and Financial Record is right in de-
handing that Congress should exer-
else its constitutional functions. If
the present members of the House
do not carry out such policy, they
deserve to be retired at the approach
ing election. The time has arrived
when Congress should either take the
part in the government that is pre-
scribed for it by Congress or be
abolished.
Similar views are held by Demo-
Gratis as well as Republicans. The old
er members of both houses have view
ed with apprehension the assumption
of loUielativa poxuoro bxr fha Ewoc,,