The Emporia weekly news. [volume] (Emporia, Kan.) 1881-1889, 1882-08-03
VETOED.
The President Returns the River and
HArb0r Bill TO the House without
His Signature.

HArbor Bill 20 the House Without
His Signature
WASHINGTON, August 1.-The presi-
vetoing the river and harbor bill. The
following is the full text:
To the House of Representatives:
Having watched with much interest
the progress of the house bill No. G, 242,
entitled an act making appropriation for
the construction, repair and preservation
of certain works on rivers and haFbors
and other purposes, and having since it
was received carefully examined il, after
mature consideration am constrained
to return it herewith TO the house of rep
resentatiVes, where il originated, without
my signature, and with my objections to
the bill. Many appropriations in the
bill are clearly for the general welfare
and most beneficent in their character.
Two of the objects for which provision
is made were by me considered so I'M
portant that l felt it my duty to direct
to them the attention of congress in my
annual message in December last. l
urged the vital importance of legislation
for the reclamation and improvement of
the marshes, and for the establishment
of harbOr lines along the Potomac front.
Al APAh Ny sPCSAoi AACeSoSO ASOoW-
mended an appropriation for the
improvement of the Mississippi
river. It is not necessary that
l say, that when my signature
would make the bill apprOpriating aid
for these and other valuable national
objects law, it Is with great reluctance,
and only under q sense of duty, that !
withhold it. My principal objection to
the bill Is it contains appropriations for
purposes not for the common good or
general welfare, and which do not pro-
mote commerce among the states.
These provisions, on the contrary, are
entirely for the benefit of particular 10
calities in which il is proposed to make
Improvements. regard such an appro-
priation of public money as beyond the
power given by the constitution to con-
gress and the president. 1 feel more
bound to withhold my signature from
the bill because of the peculiar evils
which manifestly result from this infrac-
ton of the constitution. Appropriations
of this nature to be devoted purely to
local objects tend to increase in number
and amount as citizens of the state find
that money, to raise which they in
common with the whole country, are
taxed, is to be expended for improve
ments in another state, they demand SIM
liar benefits for themselves, and it is not
unnatural that they should seek to in
demnify themselves by securing appro-
priations for similar Improvements in
their own neighbOrhoods. Thus, as the
bill becomes more objectionable it
secures moro support. This
result invariably and necessarily fol-
lows a neglect to observe the constitu-
tional limitations imposed upon the
L. IrT- fleTr TO-.
river and harbor Improvements have,
under the influence TO which I alluded,
increased year by year, out of proper
ton to the prayers of the country, great
as that has been. In 1870 the aggre-
gate appropriations was $S,975, 900; in
1875, $6,64S, SIT; IN 1880, s., 976, 500, and
in 1881, $11 ,451 400, while by the pres
ent act there is appropriated $18,743,-
S75. While feeling every disposition to
leave to the legislature the responsible
ty of determining what amount should
be appropriated for the purposes of the
bill so long as the appropriations are
confined to the objects indicated by the
grant OF power, cannot escape the
making power, il duly devolves upon
me to Withhold my signature from the
bill containing the appropriations
which, in my opinion, greatly exceed in
amount the needs of the country for the
present fiscal year. Extravagant ex-
penditures OF public money Is
an evil not 20 be measured
by the value of that money to the
people who arestaxed for it. They sus-
tain greater injury in the demoraIizing
effect produced upon those who are
with the official duty through
ali the ramifications Of the government.
The objections could be removed, and
every constitutional purpose readily
should congress enact that one
half only of the aggregate amount pro-
Vided for in the bill be appropriated for
The expenditures during the fiscal year,
and that the sum so appropriated be
expended only for the subject named in
The bill, as the secretary of war, under
The direction of the president, shall
determine, provided that in no case
shall the expenditure for any one
purpose exceed the sum now designated |
by the bill for that purpose. / feel
to make this suggestion ]
because of the duty imposed upon the
president by the constitution to recon-
mend to the consideration of congress
Iuch measures as he shall Judge
necessary and expedieut, and because II |
q my earnest desire that the public |
works which are in progress shall /
Iuffer no injury. Congress will also /
,oavene in four months, when this /
Ehele subject will be open for their |
consideration. signedl
Executive Mansion, August /, 1882. !