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Show SPOONER ON TAFT. No man in the United States is better bet-ter qualified to .judgo whether public affairs af-fairs aro proceeding in a lawful, constitutional con-stitutional way, according to the. established es-tablished usages, than is ex-Senator John C. Spooner of Wisconsin. When, thcreforo, ho throws up his hands in disgust at tho way matters aro going, it is time patriots aroused themselves and inquired whether we aro not wandering wan-dering into by and forbidden paths. Senator Spooner, in an address in Now York to graduates of the Homeopathic College, was caustic upon the question of the distinction between a politician and a statesman. It was plain, however, how-ever, that while his heart warmed towards to-wards a statesman, he feared and distrusted dis-trusted the politician; and ho manfully stood up for the distinction properly mado in the Constitution between tho powers of tho legislative department and those of tho executive department of tho Government. Pointedly he said, "1 never kuew the President was permitted per-mitted lo do everything that was not positively prohibited iu the Constitution," Constitu-tion," a fair blow at much of tho executive ex-ecutive assumption, not lo say usurpation, usurpa-tion, that has been so offensive to think- j ing men of tho Republic for tho past few years. And when Mr. Spooner further fur-ther proceeded to say, "1 havo read the oath of office which tho President takes, and it specifies that he is to execute and not make tho laws," ho makes the distinction sharp and clear as bctwoon the two functions of the Federal Fed-eral Government. Congress would have just as much right to undertake through officers of its own appointment, to execute tho laws, as tho President has to invade Congress with tho demand that it shall pass "administration bills." The rapidity with which tho country has advanced on this lino in tho past six 3cafs will soon bring up plainly in sight tho "man on horso-back," horso-back," tho dictator, who has been in tho past tho ruin of so many American republics, and who has been tho traditional tradi-tional 8upplnutcr of popular governments govern-ments among mankind from tho earliest historical time's. Mr. Spooner says pointedly, "I never could discover any theory by which the laws must bo passed as drawn b' tho executivo dcpartmonl. When you commingle com-mingle tho executive and logislativo you destroy the government," which is a truism that no ono would havo disputed dis-puted a few years ago. The exercise of such invasion by tho executive would havo made tho fathers of the country recoil with horror. It really looks, however, how-ever, as though tho country is ready lo accept Mr. Roosevelt as its libjurator, dictator, autocrat. The sentiment in the East, appears to bo so tremendously for him that ono wonders if Roosevelt is not really tho man who is fated to subvert tho Republic and erect upon its ruins a personal reign, whethor by dictatorship, personal autocracy or otherwise, it is needless fo inquire. Tho main thing is the threatening shadow of the Roosevelt personality as a distinct dis-tinct menaco to t.ho Republic, leading, perhaps, eventually to its ovorthrow, and the substitution in place of it of a personal government which a large portion of the American people arc certainly cer-tainly oven now ready to accept, but which if accepled would by no means terminate with Mr. Roosevelt's death. And no matter how well disposod he is towards beneficial rulo in the interest of tho people, once that personal rulo is established, the inevitable ruthless and selfish tyrant succeeds, and the people's liberties aro destroyed. Unfortunately, this very sort of change, this adoration of tho individual, individ-ual, this yielding by tho people to personal per-sonal dictation and rulo, has alw.rj's been tho end of popular government whenever and wherever that end has come, either in ancient or modorn times. It would bo n cruel mockery if Mr. Roosevelt, anxious as ho is to pose as tho sole and devoted friend of the people, peo-ple, should be tho ono to overthrow government of the people, by tho people, peo-ple, and for tho people. Curious and extravagant all this would seem; but the feeling in the East, as expressed from time to time by devotees of Mr Roosevelt, fully warrants the discussion discus-sion of this theme; and while it may be that tho present foreshadowing will never bocomo an actuality, Iho fact remains that thero aro multitudes who seem not only absolutely willing to havo tho Republic ond that way, but to be prepared for it and strenuous in the advocacy of Roosevelt ism in this form. |