The Ocala banner. (Ocala, Marion County, Fla.) 1883-194?, 1921-07-22
TOM WATSON ON HARDING

In his debate on the propriety of
The president to appear before Con-
gress urging that laws pending be not
passed, Senator Thos. E. Watson of
Georgia, said:
Mr.. President if, may be allowed
to refer to the obsolete instrument
under which this Government was
formed and under which it is now sup
posed OF be operating and to support
and defend which we all took solemn
oath upon being inaugurated into
office, I will read the following:
He
The President
Shall from time to time give to the
Congress information on the state
of the Union, and recommend to
their consideration such measures as
he shall judge necessary and ex-
pedient.
Yesterday we had staged here a
very dramatic performance, in which
the President of the United States did
not give us any information, and he
did not recommend the passage of
any measure. He recommended that
measure which had been duly re-
ported from one of the committees of
the Senate, and which had been de-
bated here for several days, should
not pass AS constitutional lawyer,
knowing something about the Con-
stituton and having often argued ev-
cry point in it in courts of law, | say
the President of the United States
had no right to say what he said here
yesterday.
He has right to give us informa-
tion which we are not supposed to
learn from the daily papers or from
other sources open to the public. He
has a right to recommend certain
legislation, as President Washington
did; but when it comes to negation,
when it comes to saying Congress
shall not do this, that, or the other"
his power is confined to his veto. That
is his constitutional power and obi
cation, and he has no other.
The Senate, respecting itself, will
always listen respectfully to the Pres
ident of the United States. It res
poets his Office; it respects the man;
but he is the Executive, and we have
just as much right to go to the White
House, Senate and House of Repre-
senatives and tell him not to make
an appointment or not to recommend
a measure as he has to come here
and tell us not to pass it, The Presi-
dent of the United States should lift
himself above debate 1t is for us to
debate. 1t is also for the House of
Representatives to debate. 1t is not
for the President of the United States
to come here and take part i'm the
debate, and that is what he virtually
did yesterday; and / am sure that
every constitutional lawyer in this
body must realize that the veto pow
er. not absolute, is given to him to
state his reasons why a measure
should not become law this Chamber
has stated his reasons why a measure
should not become law this Chember
is not bound by his reasons, but can
act upon its own Otherwise your
veto power is superfiuous, If not ridi-
cuious.
In listening to the Chief Executive
yesterday | heard expressed in rheto-
rical form the very reasons that had
been gyen us by Secretary Mel on. as
here by the uplift Senator
from New Jersey (Mr. Ere. inghuysen).
Nothing new was heard. Nothing
conclusive was heard. The question
was left where it was, except that the
highest official in the Government
oy his personal interposition evidently
sought to overawe the Senators in
he discharge of their duties.
once upon time King OF Eng
and tried that on the House of Com
mons in Parliament. He came in per
son and asked that certain royal de.
cree OF his be executed. and immedi-
tie there rose throughout the cham.
er the cry of Privileged" "Privilege,
Privilege and the House refused
o act at all or to say a word until the
King had retired. The time has been.
Senator'S, when King of France.
booted and spurred for the hunt. with
| whip in his hand, could come be-
ore the Parliament of Paris and or
le1 certain edict registered. and
lave it registered, and go on to his
sunt. Il was not long before his
,reat grandson died in the Power
House, as Carlyle described, which
Exploded the 'who.e Bourbon dynasty.
That kind of persons rule is absolute
y antagcnistic to our democrAatic
.E