The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1879-04-30
The Veto Of the Army Bill,

The President does wise and proper
thing in returning the army bill to Congress
without his signature, and justies the conf
dence of those who have all the time believed
that he would interpose his veto to prevent
the accomplishment of the injurious legisla-
tion proposed by the Democratic majority.
Tne message giving the reasons for re-
fusal to sign the bill goes at great length into
discussion of the Objectionable features of
the measure and will meet with the hearty
approval of the sound conservative sentiment
of the country. The provision which en-
counters the Presidents disapproval is the
sixth section containing the legislation which
the Republican minority have been arguing
against ever since the session began. The
President urges that the act Of June, 1878,
forbdding the use of United States troops by
civil officers of the United States as a posse
con.itatus, except in cases where such use is
expressly authorized by law is sufficient to
prevent any military interference with elec.
tions. The effect of this sixth section is to pre-
vent the use of force by civil officers to preserve
the peace or enforce the laws of the United
States on election day. The election laws
are constitutional. the message argues, they
are necessary, they have been properly en-
acted, and there is no serious complaint
against their execution. If they are faulty
they shoull be amended. This, however, is
not what Congress proposes to do. II let's
the laws remain on the statute-book un
changed but seeks to deprive the Executive of
the power to enforce them. In effect it forbids
the enforcement of the law, by ordering that
no force shall be used to execute it. An ex-
press provision of law authorizes the Presi-
dent to use the army and call out the militia
Tor the enforcement of laws when they are
resisted. The sixth section OF the vetoed
bill denies this power to the President.
After discussing the bill upon its merits the
President speaks strongly in regard to the
Objectionable method of putting this legisla-
ton upon the statute-book. An attempt is
made to coerce the Executive, to compel him
to sign bills which he disapproves, or submit
to the Withholding of supplies. The apprc.
prlation bills are in no sense money bills-t that
is they do not impose taxatlon.on the peo-
pie. Congress has already established the
army, fixed the cost of its maintenance and
caused to be collected from the people the
money necessary for its support. 1t now
says that the money raised for this purpose
shall not be expended unless the President
will approve bill he believes it his duty to
oppose, that it shall be diverted from the
uses for which it is intended.
While the President makes these points
against the attaching of political legislation to
appropriation bills his principal reasons for the
veto are based on the Objectionable character
of the bill itself. The legislation proposed is
not only unnecessary but harmtnl. These
reasons advanced for the veto will certainly
have great weight both with Congress and
the people. The President may not be sus-
tanned by majority in Congress, though the
Objectionable measure cannot be passed over
his negative. But the majority of the voters
will be with him.