The Owosso times., 1921-04-29
WASHINGTON LETTER.
A REPUBLIC ONCE MORE


Washington, April 26.-"A recent
incident at the White House affords
one more impressive and encouraging
demonstration of the restoration of
constitutional government" asserts
the Republican Publicity Association
in a statement issued today through
the President of the organization,
Hon. Jonathan Bourne, Jr. The
statement, continues:
Senator Mccormick and Repre-
sentative Good recently engaged in
friendly dispute as to whether the
budget bureau to be provided for by
Congress should be directly under the
President or located in the Treasury
Department. Thinking to avoid a
more general controversy when their
bills came before Congress, they de-
cided to put the question up to Mr..
Harding. But President Harding
courteously declined to act as arbit-
sr and requested the two solons to
reach an agreement between them
selves, which they proceeded to do,
and the indications are that the new
bill will Observation-Disclosures
bill will provide that the budget bur-
eau shall be located in the Treasury
Department, both its director and as
sistant director to be appointed by
the President and confirmed by the
Senate. The Secretary of the Treas
ury will have little connection with
the work of the budget bureau, ac-
cording to the present plan.
"The incident shows Mr.. Harding's
adherence to the policy of hands off
so far as the legislative branch of
the Government is concerned. There
is to be no coercion of the legislative
by the executives, nor is the legisla-
tive branch to dragoon the executive
into protesting 'acquiescence in its de-
mands. That was gently, but forci-
bly,, intimated by Mr.. Harding in his
first address to Congress, when he
said, in suggesting a resolution which
should undertake to do no more than
thus to declare the state of peace
SIT would be unwise to under
take to make statement of future
policy with respect to European at
fairs in such a declaration of state
of peace. In correcting the failure
of the executive, in negotiating the
most important treaty in the history
of the nation, to recognize the con
stitutional powers of the Senate, we
would 90 to the other extreme, equal
y ly Objectionable, if Congress or the
Senate should assume the function OF
: the executive. Our highest duty il
, the preservation of the constituted
= powers of each, and the promotion o1
, the spirit Of cooperation so essen
tial to our common welfare
"To the younger generation o.
Americans such language may seen
strange, such an attitude constrained
Y Within the period of their politica
7 consciousness they are unable to re
call anything like these manifestation
e of regard for one of the great basi
e principles underlying American Con
:. stitutional Government, namely, tn
d separation of its three branches-ex
> ecutive, legislative, and judicial
e a trinity of function with oneness o
o purpose-the liberty of the individ
d ual. Yet that principle has been cor
e tended for since organized govern
is ment marked the first step in civil
d zation; and since that day, over 70
Is years ago, when the Tyrant job
'e bowed to the barons at Runnymad'
ID and guaranteed the principle !
rs Hagna Charta, it has found its higf
est development in the governments
evolution of the Anglo-Saxon rac'
The three branches have frequentl
contended for supremacy, but tn
- - principle has never been forgotten.
~ "In recent years in America tf
:. - struggle for supremacy has bee
waged between the Legislative ar
the executive, with the vast powe,
IN Of patronage of the latter ev'
+ weakening the moral fiber of the fo
mer, until by 1913 Congress was b'
1t, the sinking coistril of the dictate
n, All this is to be changed, not by r
IT. action, but by the restoration to ea'
branch of its constitutional dignit
l.. We are a Republic once more"
rd
IL cOVEPNMENT CIEANINCS