Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1879-03-22
WAsHINGToS, DC, March 10, 1879.

| NAsHISGToS. D.t., hSrch ~, 1907
In view of the fact that many schemes
which end no support when proposed by them
selves are in the hurry of the closing days of
y session successfully smuggled through Con
gress and sanctioned by the President, be
cause he docs rot feel justified in obstrscting
the government for the sake of killing few
comparatively petty jobs, would it not be we'll
to divide the appropriation bills among the
several committees so that each portion may
be properly attended to by the committee
which presumably has the greatest know ledge
of the subject? If il is deemed essential that
the general appropriation committee should
report appropriations, let the action Of that
committee be supervisory, amending the
amounts appropriated but not the legislation
proposed As legislation is now carried on
by Congress vast deal of labor is thrown up
on the appropriation committee which should
not be undertaken by them and which causes
much detriment to the public service by rea-
son of one committee being unable to per
form the work of dozen. BY dividing the
work among the appropriate committees the
work can be done more intellyently and more
thoroughly Each committee will have its
proper share Of responsibility and each part
of what now constitutes the general appropri-
alton bills, will receive due consideration
both by the committee and the two Houses.
The schemes which now are struggled
through, will then be considered on their own
! -.
sderation, can be checked by the President
without preventing the passage of needtul
measures. Again, suppose there are pariic
ular measures on which the contendng part-
sans disagree; rs the course of legislation is
now, to secure political advantage all the
wheels of government are stopped, a proceed
ing savorins strongly of revolution; but the
fight can be carried on just as well by refus-
ing to appropriate for some particular parts
of the government machinery as by blocking
the whole and with far less danger to our in
stitutons. The veto power was given to the
President in oder that the consequences of
hasty legislation might be averted and time
has shown the wisdom of the grant; it would
IT.
it has often been used to protect the minority
from the encroachments Of the majority;
legislation which is unwise may secure the
votes Of the majority, but, if it incurs the
condemnation of a strong minority, it may
meet its just fate by the Intervention of the
Chief Magistrate. As long as the power of
veto pertains to the office of President so
long may conflicts between the Executive and
Legislative branches be apprehended. The
evils Of such conflicts may be necessary, but
if the mode of Legislation proposed be adopt
ed the range Of evil possible to those contests
will be narrowed. Such a system would
take in great measure from the hands of sell
fish demagoyues their power to harass the
country with extra sessions. wise polit-
clan may foresee the blame which must in
time attach to all who in any way make it
possible for such men to establish perpetual
political debating society at Washington. and
he will seek to render these extra sessions
impossible.
In connection with this subject the attempt
by Senator Edmunds this winter to revise the
rule which prohibited the passage of any bill
within the last few days of the session de-
serves strong commentator. Tho Hot
Springs scandal is fresh in the minds of all;
and similar scandals are always imminent
through the hasty enrolment of bills where
the copyists are driven almost beyond their
capacity, fact to which those who are famil-
lar with the closing scenes of II Congress
can bear witness. Again and again the
hands of the Senate clock have been turned
backward to give more time to those over
worked clerks-an illustration which show.
the hurry of the enrolment and point. IA
moral to this tale. BERT.