The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1875-06-23

The Governors vetoes since the adjourn
ment of the Legislature have been IN the
main wise, and his reasons in the important
cases will command general approval Inc
taxpayers of the State will thank him Tor I'M
portant reductions, amounting in the aggre-
gate to nearly two millions and three quar-
tiers. But he should be content with the
merit and the praise of having acted judi
ciously on the various bills that came before
him, without making o boast OF his laboIs.
The reduction of the time allowed the Gov
ernor for signing bills to thirty days after the
close of session, by the recent amendments
of the State constitution, was very well, and
it ought to have been still further shortened
At any rate there is no sense in the recent
laudations of the Governor for having acted
on so many bills within the allotted time
The President Of the United States keeps
abreast of the business of Congress during Its
session, never signs a bill after the adjourn
ment and has never had great mass
of unsigned bills lett on his hands. This
sound practice OF oil our Presidents proves
that vigilant, alert Executive can easily
keep up with the business of a session and be
prepared to judge of the merits of bills before
its close. 1t has long been the custom OF our
Presidents to go to the Capitol on the expir-
ing day of q sess on and occupy himself in
signing the bills passed by Congress on that
day The consequence of this business-like
practice is that when the session closes the
public is left in no doubt as to which of its
acts are to stand on the statute book as laws.
This practice of our Presidents is not only
business-lilze, but IS respectful to Congress
and in accordance with the theory Of the veto.
1t is not the intention either Of the federal
constitution or the State constitutions to
clothe the Executive with an absolute veto,
but only with a qualified veto. He is re-
CURED to send back the bills which he dis
approves, with his objections, and give the
legislative body an opportunity to pass them
over his veto if two-thirds OF both houses
agree in overruling his objections. Ten days
is the utmost limit Of time allowed him for
the consideration of any bill during session,
which is clear requirement that he shall
not allow this branch of his duties
to be ever more than ten days
in arrear. This is reasonable
requirement, because, with his superior
knowledge and wider experience, the Execu-
tive should be capable of deciding on the
merits of bills as rapidly as the members who
vote on them, and there ore very few bills in
deed respecting which he needs the permitted
ten days for making up his mind If he is
properly attentive to the public interest he
watches bills in their progress, and can never
be taken by surprise, as if called to investi-
gate a new subject, when bill comes to him
for his signature. We cannot join in the ex-
travagant eulogies bestowed on Governor Til
den TOR despatching in thirty days the bust
ness which the constitution would have COM
PEELED him to complete in ten il the session
had extended ten days longer. wholesale
negative Of bills under circumstances which
do not permit the Legislature to reconsider
them is contrary to the theory Of the qualified
veto vested in the chief executives of our
American governments. The sounder prac-
tice which prevails in federal legislation and
in most Of the State governments might
wisely be adopted in New York. The reduc-
ton Of the time to thirty days is an improve
ment, so far as it goes; but there is no coed
reason why our Governors should not keep up
with legislative business as the President
always does at Washington.