The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1882-08-03
rHE uAaBoR AND RIVER nrLI.

published in this mornings issue, our
dispatches show that the house and senate
yesterday passed the river and harbor bill
over the presidents veto, and thus assume
the responsibility of the act, the president
havlngexonerated himself That there were
many proper appropriations made in the
blll Tor unfinished work that really
ought to be done, or for new
improvements that are truly
necessary, thereis no gainsaying. The Mis-.
slssippi river, for instance, ought by no
means to be left neglected, The overaows
and consequent disasters occasioned by in.
adequate attention to that great inland sea
nave entailed millions of dollars of loss to
The people Of the whole country. TO saw
nothing Of the widespread evils, sickness,
death, etc., brought to the doors OF those
VINO live in that immense valley. sAnd
so OF the Missouri river and other
rivers and streams. Equally true is it of
the harbors on our extensive sea coast. But
on the other hand there were appropria-
tons for little bayous and creeks that the
country had never before heard of. Money
seems to have been rendered with lavish
lloerallty that is startling to taxpayers.
AS the president shows, the sums set aside
and expended under this csptioned bill
have run up from 100000 in 1870
to 100000 in 1875, to 100000 in 1880,
while this bill of 1882 runs the figure up to
nearly Sl9,OOO,000 Surely this does bear
the appearance Of a wasteful expenditure
oil the public funds, and when we come to
observe the points of its application we are
convinced of the reality of the fact. Be.
SIDES this comes the fearful decentralization
which such conduct must bring about
over the entire country. We begin to sus-
pect that congressman who aided in such
scheme were looking rather to making
themselves friends in their respective
homes, and were trying TO aid one another
by the Il tickle you and you tickle me"
process, than to their duties as true guar.
dams of the public purse. PRESIDENT AR
THUR certainly acted as an honest official in
declining to approve such wholesale job
berry. If the house of representatives, whose
province it is to originate all such bills,
deem it prudent, patriotic and Just to pass
the bill over the veto, they should of course
assume the responsibility as they have
done. To our minds, with the lights before
us, it appears that the veto message looks
rather to the perspiring taxpayer than to
the percolating stream of insgniG-
cant pretensions, looks over the
heads of selfish congressman to-
ward the great sea of justice. A howl
went up when Mr. ARTHUR vetoed the
Chinese bill last year, we may look for a
similar hue and cry now but that veto be-
got better bill for that purpose, and al.
though the present congressional session
may not have the time to prepare, digest
and pass another river and harbor bill vet
In four months from now, proper bill can
be produced. In this connection we
should say that it has often occurred to us
that in bills of this nature much time,
trouble and expense could be spared if it
were made possible for the president to
veto such portions or sections as in his
Judgment 1t might seem proper; under
such arrangement, the really meritorious
or deserving objects could be secured, while
orthers would be held in allegiance. This
would require constitutional amend
ment, but it could be voted on
at the next election, As matters
now stand, however, the veto is the only
remedy. Through the salutary fear of its
exercise, our representatives ought to be
made more careful.