Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1920-02-19
Let. &c. Back to First Principles


49,. C.. Back to First Principles.
when the Corefothers had hnisned
with their work Of establishing lhis
government they doubtless had not
iuagined a condition Of Things such
As now exists They had sought 10
p-eyen, personal government OF king
" rule under which the: had suHereo-
Ey checks and balances. rs dividlnS
Government into three branches, e1-
ecutive, legislative and judicial, per-
hitting the President 70 veto, pro-
viding for joint action Of both legis-
lative branches in the passage OF
legislation, providing also for I'M
peachment and ways for decio'As
,esnecting the inability OF chief e2-
ecu,ive TO perform the functions Oh
his Office, in these and other ways
,h.,, ,bonyht 70 safeguard the coun-
try against one man. rule.
These fathers anticipated Wisely
but they could not guarantee WISDOM
for their successors or give assuf-
spce that they would make proper
and intended use Of ways and means
provided.
Of further assistance in checking
the growth Of one man power came
the political organization decided
corrective Of the tyranny Of the in
oividual, for a man mus give as
well as take If he is to accomplish
much through this agency. from
which it is seen this has its virtues
as well as its faults. Nc practical
suggestion has ever been made for
supplanting this agency and yet
meet the requirements of our form
of government. Those who would do
eway with party consideration and
would not subject the candidate to
such preliminary scrutiny, are seek
ing a way to personal government
but are furnishing no corresponding
corrective of it.
II implies no criticism II the faith
ers to recognize in their work a
lack Of definitely defined elasticity;
the wonder is that the machinery
they installed has been capable Of the
adaptability to which it has been
subjected. A good measure Of this
success. however, is attributable to
the saving grace Of American COM
mon sense. BY reason of this it has
been possible to endow chief ex-
ecutive in time of great emergency
with powers greater than those Of
any autocratic sovereign. This was
done in time Of war and up to now it
has been possible to undo it without
injury and within comparatively
short time, SO that the people never
have become habituated to that sort
II rule. Once they become SO they
have lost a characteristic fitting them
TO be citizens of a democracy.
The armistice was sigced year
ago last November, since which time
the President has continued in pos
session Of those unusual powers and
today is exercising over boundary
disputes in Europe an influence
never intended in the most patriotic
mood Of our people when SO much
;.uthority was yielded to him. More
over. during the Presidents illness
these autocratic powers have appar-
entity been in the grasp Of the Presi-
dents private secretary. Mr.. Tumul-
t., for the attempt Of the heads Of
the various departments Of the gov
eminent to perform them has now
been discredited by the President.
Such a situation is anomalous and
dangerous and should not have been
Lermitted to exist by Congress, as
inning it had opportunity to know
ai,out the exact situation. Because
this responsibility has not been met
the President as well as the country
has been injured in reputation. That
.ho situation is ridiculous must be
1ereralIy conceded, but it is doubtful
if many Of us fully realize the danger
of Il.