The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1921-12-21
THE PRESIDENT AND CONGRESS


On assuming the office of president
of the United States, Mr.. Harding let
it be known that he would not be led
into any fight with congress, yet there
are many eviderRes that the legisla-
tive and the executive branches of the
government are acting at cross pur-
poses To illustrate, attention may be
been held at a much higher rate than
the president desired.
Now, it is proposed to pass a SOL
der bonus bill in opposition to the
views of both the president and his
secretary of the treasury. What the
senate will do to Mr. Harding's arms
treaty remains in doubt.
1t has been suggested that the pres
ident could impose his will upon con-
gress if he chose to adopt the meth
DDS ed b. former occupants of the
White House. Also he still has the
veto at lis command. But the presi-
dent can safely leave the verdict on
the differences between him and con-
gress to the jury of the people.
Voicing wha. probably is the view
of business circles generally the Woll-
man Review says:
Congress. or at least certain cliques
in congress- takes pride in its PRO
gressivisln." But congress is not pro-
gressive. he progressive branch of
our government today is the executive.
Congress has hammered away on the
familiar forensic lines It has clung
to mouldy tradition-the fetish of an
outgrown tariff, railing at the rail-
road barons." when it should know
that the owners of today are investors
who hope for fair dealings from their
lawmakers. Its attitude toward taxa
ton lays it open to the charge that
c. ~mned the Bourbons in the eyes
of mankind-it forgets nothing ana
learns nothing. 1t is the same kind Cf
congress that tore the soul of Wash
ington and added anguish to the bur
den of Lincoln.
The real work of the government,
it points out is being done by the
president and his executive family.
They, not congress, instituted the PFC
gram Of economy in national expendi-
lures. 1t is the president and not
congress that asks for a tariff framed
along scier tific lines It is the presi-
dent and is secretary of the sreasury
that warn against the enactment of
soldier bonus bill that will lay on the
country a burden of taxation that Will
paralyze inaust 1t is congress that
threatens to plunge the nation into
the resultant whirlpool of debt 1t
was the president and his secretary of
state who conceived the program for
the Conference on the Limitation II
Armaments greatest act of con-
structive craftsmanship m any time"
as one of our distinguished visitors
has said.
And If any barrier be imposed in
the way Of realizing the cherished
hopes of the world, that barrier will
be raised b. some Progressive" mem
Der of the house or senate who will
proclaim his opposition to the "reac-
tionary'' policy of the administration.
The time is not far distant, perha Us.
when public opinion will demand
more efficiency and economy than it
now gets in government. It should
not be necessary for the president to
go before the people to justify his acts
The record speaks for itself. The peo-
pie themselves should look carefully
into the record of every member of
the house and senate and the next
election should bring it's rebuke to
those who have placed their petty pO-
litical ends above the needs of this
nation.