The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1873-04-10
Gov. Hartranft'S VetOeS.

The Philadelphia Ledger-which is pc
~Iitically Embellishments in the follow
ing terms on the veto messages which
have created such CONSERVATION among
rings and cliques
For more than a month past we have
been laying aside for further considera
ton the veto messages of Gov. Hart
ranft. We have before US at this time
about twenty of them some brief, some
elaborate, some of limited interest. some
OF large aud general Importance, and all OF
them, we are glad to say, based upon sound
and Wholesome doctrine or principle. A
number OF the bills vetoed were for IN
necessary legislation 10 behalf OF hospitals.
homes. church building societies, &c. !;
others were to create banks, saving funds.
manufacturing companies, which legIsla
tion was unnecessary, as being within the
power of the Courts, or was wrong, mas
much as it granted inequltable, dangerous
or unlimited powers /; still others were TO
release persons or corporations from lIabli
ties or obligations common to all the
~citizeDs of the State. or were designed to
take away from particular persons the pro.
t~ectious they now have under the law, or
TO grant relief to some persons to the ex
peDse of all others. lu all these instances
the Governor seems to have subjected the
bills to the test OF ~salutary general priu
ciples. Where the authority or privileges
asked for 10 the bills were such as the
Courts have power to bestow under gen
eral laws of the Commonwealth, he has
returned the bills to the Legislature with
The suggestion that the applicants for
such legislation should be referred to the
Courts Where the law has already pro
vided a sufficient remedy for or means to
accomplish the particular object ostensi
ly sought by the bill. be has pointed out
that tact to the Legislature. Where the
proposed legislation violated the princi
les of equity or fair dealing, or were in
conflict with some policy. or granted un
restricted powers, or endangered the in
terests OF the people of the State, he has
spoken to the Legislature 10 very plain
terms, and expounded to them clearly the
principles OF sound Legislation on such
subjects.
OF the veto messages thus briefly and
very generally described four or five are
Of unusual interest aud importance, and
should be of great value. These are the
messages returning Woods Run Saving
Fund" supplement the bill Incorporating
the Keystone Iron Company the bill re
Iatiug to the sale by common carriers Of
unclaimed goods. and the Somerset Fire
Relief bill. The Woods Run corpora
ton was chartered by the Allegheny
County Court in 1871, to erect houses.
to make contracts for building. aud to
buy, hold or sell real estate in that coun
ty. BY an act of Assembly it had been
authorized to receive moneys on deposit
and pay interest, which deposits were
made a first lieu on its real estate, and it
was prohibited from discounting CONNER
cial paper, or any paper. From its inno
cent and limited beginning 10 Allegheny
county under the Court charter Of 1871,
expanded by a legislative act OF the same
year, this corporation sought 10 1873 by
the bill vetoed by the Governor to be
cume not only a dealer in real estate and
a savings Bank, but to be a bank of dis
count with power to operate in 'collaterls"
in any part If the aCorLd, with power TO
charge any rate OF interest that might be
agreed upon, without any provision Tor
paying up the capital stock, aud without
imposing upon the recipients of these
enormous and dangerous privileges the
proper individual liability. Against each
and all Of these enurmities the Governor
interposed his objections. clearly aud full
" stated. laying down the principles of
suuud banking and the use of capital. as
he had previously done in the case OF the
Mifilnburg Bank bill and this style of
legislation may now be considered as ell
tectualIy checked. Yet there have been
reams Of similarly monstrous charters
passed in the last dozen years. Some one
had referred him to these as precedents