The American Senate continues its struggle with President Roosevelt. It
has made amendments in the proposed Agree- ments to arbitrate which nullify them, as each treaty would then have to undergo a further ratification by the Senate before it o mild be acted on ; it has postponed his favourite measure, which transfers the control of railway rates from individual States to the Federal Government; and it is about, it is believed, to reduce the proposed increase to the Fleet, and to reject the Agree- ment recently made for giving advice and assistance to Santo Domingo. It is determined, its spokesmen say, to defend the Constitution against the aggressions of the Executive. At present the President is powerless, though the people are with him, and it is difficult to find a way out of the deadlock. Might it not be possible to pass an amendment to the Con- stitution which would authorise the President, in case of the rejection, either by the Senate or by the House of Repre- sentatives, of a measure which he held to be of vital import- ance, to take a Referendum ? Americans are accustomed to that extremely democratic device in many of their State Constitutions, and may yet adopt it rather than see their worshipped Constitution partially paralysed.
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