The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1882-08-05
RIVER AND HARBoR BILL VETOED


ness
RIVER AND HARBOR BILL VETOED.
In spite OF numerous very confident prog
nostcations to the contrary, President Arthur
on Wednesday sent to the House his veto OF
the River and Harbor Bill. While he thinks
the appropriations for the Mississippi river
and to drain the Potomac flats, and few
Others are highly proper and necessary, yet
there are so many others that are no less
wasteful than unconstitutional that he is con.
strained to lnterpose his veto Following
is the text of the Presidents veto.
| To the lionse Of Representatives Having
watched with much interest the progress of
the house bill No. 6,242 entitled AN act max
ing an Appropriation for the construction, re.
pair and preservation of certain works on rlv-
ers and harbors, and for other PURPOSES and
having since 1t was received carefully exam.
ined it, after mature consideration, | am con-
strained to return it herewith to the House of
Representatives, in which 1t originated, with
out my signature and with my objections to
| Its passage. Many appropriations in the bill
are clearly tor the general welfare and most
beneiicent in their character. Two of the
objects for which provision is made were by
me considered SO important that | feel it my
duty to direct to them the attention ofCongress
In my annual message in December last
urged the vital importance of the reclamation
of the marshes and for the establishment of a
harbor line along the Potomac front. In
April last by special message | recommended
an appropriation for the Improvement of the
Mississippi river. Ii is not necessary that
say that when my signature would make bill
|appropriating for these and other valuable ma
tlonal objects law, it is with great reluctance
and only under sense OF duty that with
hold it. My principal objection to the bill Is
that 1t contains appropriations for purposes,
not for the common defense or general vel
fare, and which do not promote commerce
among the states. These provisions, on the
contrary, are entirely for the benefit of par.
tcular localities, IN which it Is proposed to
make Improvements. | regard such apprO.
priation OF the public money as beyond the
powers given by the constitution to congress
and president. l teel more bound TO with
hold my signature from the bill because Of
the peculiar evils which manifestly result
from this lntraction of the constitution ApprC-
prlations of this nature to be devoted purely to
local objects tend to increase in numbers and IN
amount. AS the citizens or one state find that
money to raise which they in common with the
WuOlC SouutIJ hAS tdhCO 40 " UC CApCuucu
local improvements IN another state, they de-
mand similar benefits for themselves, and it is
not unnatural that they should seek to mdemni-
ty themselves for such uses of the public funds
by securing appropriations for similar I'M
provements In their own neighbOrhood Thus
as the bill becomes more Objectionable it Sc
cures more support This RESULT 10 invariable,
and necessarily follows neglect to observe the
constitutional Limitation imposed upon the
law making power. Appropriations for river
and habor improvement have under the infu.
ences to which have alluded increased year
by year out of proportion to the progress of
the country. In 1870 the aggregate sppropri-
alton was $3,975 800; IN 1875 $6,64S, $3.50; In
1880, $S,976,500; IN 1881, $11, 451 800; while
by the present bill there is appropriated S1S,.
1855. While feeling every disposition to
leave the legislature responsible for determn-
ing what amount should be appropriated for
the purposes of bill, as long as the appropria-
tons are confined to the objects indicated by
the grant of power, | cannot escape the con.
clusion that as part of the law making power
of the government the duty deYolves upon me
TO withhold my signature from bill contain
ing 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 purposes
by annual appropriation bills, the president Is
in effect directed to expend so large an amount
within so brief time that the expenditure
cannot be made economically or advantage.
ousy. The eXtravagant expenditure of public
money is not to be made by the value of that
money to the people who are taxed for 1t.
They sustain a greater injury in the demon.
aiZing effects produced upon those who are
entrusted with official duty throughout all the
ramificatlons of the government. Those OBJ
iections could be removed and very const-
tutional purpose be readily obtained should
congress enact that one.halt only of the aggre-
gate amount provided for in the bill be appro.
prIatcd for expenditure during the fiscal year,
and that sum so appropriated be expended
only for such objects named IN the bill as the
secretary of war, under direction of the pres-
dent, shall determine, provided that in 70
case shall the expenditure for any one purpose
exceed the sum designated by the bill for that
purpose. | feel authorized to make this sug-
gestion, because OF the duty imposed upon
the president by the constitution to recon-
mend to the consideration of congress such
measures as he shall judge necessary and expe
dent, and because il Is my earnest desire that
thespubllc works which are IN progress shall
suffer no injury. Congress will also convene
again in four months, when this whole subject
Will he open tor their consideration.
(Signed) CHESTER A. ARTHUR.
Executive Mansion, AuL. /, 1882.
The Republican congressional convention
will be held IN this city, but the date has not