Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1882-08-09
Passed Over His Veto.


made for many benefcent objects, among
them the reclamation of the Potomac
marshes and the improvement of the Mis-
sissippi river projects, which he had es
pecially favored, the president continues
"My principal objection to the bill is that it
contains appropriations for purposes not for the
common defence OF the public welfare and which
do not promote commerce among the states these
provisions, on the contrary, are entirely for the
benefit OF the particular localities in which 1t Is
proposed TO make the improvements. regard
such al appropriation OF the public money as beyond
the powers given by the constitution to congress
or the president. | feel the more bound to with
hold my signature from the bill on account OF the
peculiar evils which manifestly result from this
infraction Of the constitution. Appropriations OF
this nature to be devoted purely to local objects,
tend to an increase in number and in amount. As
the citizens Of one state find that money, to raise
which they, in common with the whole county
are taxed Is to be expended for local improve
ments In another state, they demand similar bene-
fits for themselves and 1t Is not unnatural that they
should seek to defend themselves for such OF the
public funds by securing appropriations for SINH
liar improvements in their own neighborhood
thus as the bill becomes more Objectionable, 1t
receives more support this result is invariable
and necessarily follows neglect to observe the
constitutional limitations imposed upon the law
making power. The appropriations for river and
harbor improvements have under the influence
to which have alluded, increased year by year
out OF proportion to the progress of the country
great as that has been. In 1870 the aggregate APP
preparation was $3.50, 900 in 1915 S66iS,5l7
In 1880 IS 976 800 and in 1881, Sll 45l 200, while
by the present act there is appropriated SIS 49,
S75. While feeling every disposition to leave to
the legislature the responsibility OF determining
what amount should be appropriated for the
purposes of the bill so long as the appropriations
are confined to objects indicated by the grant Of
powers, cannot escape the conclusion that, as
tlal Ian, h NJ
the duty devoves upon me to withhold my sigma
ture from the bill containing appropriations which,
in my opinion, greatly exceed in amount the
needs of the country for the present fiscal year,
1t being the usage to provide money for these pur
poses by annual appropriation bills. The presi-
dent is in effect directed to expend so large an
amount OF money within so brief period that
the expenditure cannot be made economically
and advantageously. The extravagant expend-
iture of public money is an evil not to be meas
ured by the value Of that money to the people
who are taxed for it, They sustain greater injury
in the demoraliziBg effect produced upon those
who are entrusted with official duty through all
the ramiiications of government These objec-
tons could be removed and every constitutional
purpose readily obtained should congress enact
that one-half only Of the aggregate amount pro-
vided for in the bill be appropriated for expendi
ture during the fiscal year, and that the sum so
appropriated be expended only for such objects
named in the bill as the secretary of war, under
the direction of the president shall determine
any one purpose exceed the sum now designated
by the bill for that purpose. | feel authorized to
make this suggestion, because OF the duty i'm
posed upon the president by the constitution, to
recommend to the consideration Of congress such
measures as he shall judge necessary and expe
dent, and because it is my earnest desire that the
public works which are in progress shall suffer
no injury Congress will also convene again in
four months, when this whole subject will be
open for their consideration.
The act of the president and the unsn-
swerable reasons with which he sustains
his veto must win for him the unqualified
support and admiration of every man who
can appreciate the honest and thorough.gc.
ing discharge of a great duty. A more fear
less or tersely written exposition of great
abuse, accompanied by more wholesome pre-
cepts concerning the expenditure of public
money, has seldom emanated from any chief
executive of the nation. Although the veto
proved to be powerless to prevent the con.
summation of the purpose of the advocates
of the bill, the example of the president will
remain, and we believe the overthrow of the
long-continued and constantly increasing
abuses which have gathered around the
annual appropriation bill for the improve
ment of rivers and harbors will date from
this last but fatal triumph of its friends and
supporters. The strongly-stated points in
the above extract, which contains the essen.
tial portion of the brief message, need no
explanation. In few passages of frozen
truth the president says all there is to say
on the subject. In the first place he builds
upon the solid rock of the constitution.
Appropriations of money entirely for the
benefit of particular localities are in his be-
lief beyond the powers given by the consti-
tuition to congress and the president, and
the inevitable tendency and inherent i'm
morality of such appropriations are sum-
med up with consummste truth and brevity
in the single sentence "thus as the bill be-
comes more Objectionable it receives more
support" The figures which the President
gives are conclusive proof of the truth of
his singularly apt and forcible statement,
while the morality inculcated in his postulate
respecting the extravagant expenditure of
public money is worthy the heed of all public
servants as well as the congressman to which
it was addressed. A similar opportunity to
distinguish himself was afforded president
Hayes, and the resolution he displayed in
vetoing the funding bill passed toward the
close of his administration gave rise to the
hope that he would still further signalize
the close of his administration by putting
his official foot upon the annual river and
harbor "steal," the enormity Of which had
come to be fully apprehended, and the de-
mand for the suppression of the theft, by
press and people, universal. But Mr.. Hayes
did not rise to the full height of the occa-
sion and lost golden opportunity TO do a
, brave and righteous act. The bill which he
signed, though smaller in amount, lacked
even the redeeming features in the bill
which appealed strongly though in vain to
| President Arthur's sanction. There is sat
isfaction in the fact that the people heartily
endorse the veto and an assurance that with
a measurably honest congress success will
crown the next contest with this great
wrong.
| An analysis of the vote by which the bill
was finally passed shows that of the l22 af-
firmative votes in the house. sixty-nine were
republican and fifty-three democratic of
the fifty-nine negative votes thirty-two were
republicans and twenty-seven democratic.
There were 10 absentees. The vote was
only two in excess of the constitutional ma
jority. In the senate, Of forty-one afiirma-
tive votes twenty-three were democrats and
eighteen republicans; of the sixteen mega
tive, twelve were republicans and four were
democrats. 1t is also suggestive to note
that those senators who, like Dawes and Hoar
OF Massachusetts and Miller OF New York,
have been loudest in their advocacy of civil
service reform, voted for the measure
Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Connect
lent, Pendleton of Ohio and Boss Cameron
of Pennsylvania voted against the bill. In
the house Vermonts one negative vote was
cast by Mr.. Tyler,-Grout and Joyce not vot
ing. New York and Pennsylvania, seats Of
bossism and "machine politics." voted
by good majorities against the measure
while Massachusetts cast six votes for and
two votaa aoainat tha hin n 10 enmauhaj