Morris tribune. [volume] (Morris, Minn.) 1880-2000, 1882-08-10
DOINGS OF CONGRESS-
TUESDAY, AUGUST ].

adversely the house joint resolution author
izing the issue of = per cent bonds for ex-
change for bonds bearing higher rates of in
terest The sundry civil bill was considered,
and the committee amendment striking out
the proviso discontinuing the deposit sys-
TEN in land surveys was rejected.
Senator Cameron called up and had passed
the bill appropriating 100000 for public
building at Williamsport, Pa. A bill was
also passed removing the political disabil-
tiles of Frank ID. Armstrong of Mary yland by
reason of his participation in the war of the
rebellion Senator Bayard submitted re-
port from the conference committee on the
japanese idemnity fund.- and stated that an
agreement had not been reached as the SEN
ate conterrees had persisted in their amend
nent to refund the principal only.
HousE.--rhe naval bil7 was reported
back, andu large number OF senate amend
ments were concurred in, against the rec
ommendation of Mr.. Robson, who report
ed the bill. The remaining amendments
were non-concurred in. The foreign affairs
committee presented report upon the
Chilli Peruvian investigation. A resolution
was offered for final adjournment on the 4th
inst, and motion to refer it to the ways
and means committee was lost. 1t was then
committee The following message was re-
ceived from the president vetoing the river
and harhor bill;
To the house OF representatives: l have
watched with much interest the progress OF
the house bill No. G,242 entitled AN act
making appropriations for the construction,
repair and preservation Ofcertain works on
rivers and harbors, and for other purposes"
and having, since it was received, carefully
examined 1t, after mature consideration L
am constrained to return it herewith to the
house of representatives in which it origin
ated, without my signature and with my
objections to its passage. Many appropria-
tions in the bill are clearly for general welfare
and'mOst beneficiary in their character. Two
of the objects for which provision is made
were by me considered so important that
felt it my duty to direct them to the atten-
| ton of congress. In my annual message in
| December last urged the vital importance
| of legislation for the reclamation of the
marshes and for the establishment of har-
Dor lines along the Potomac's front In
| April last, by special message, Irecom
| mended an appropriation for the improve
ment of the Mississippi river. 1t is not
| necessary that say that when my signature
would make bill appropriating for these
| and other valuable national objects law
| it is with great reluctance and under sense
VI utlly llidl l NlllIOlu IL HOW. My
| principal objection to the bill is
that it contains appropriations for pur-
| poses not for common defence or general
welfare, and which do not promote COM
| merce among the states. These provisions
on the contrary, are entirely for the benefit
of particular localities in which it is appro-
| priated to make improvements. | regard
such appropriation of public money as be
;yond the powers given by the constitution
|
| bound to withhold my signature from the
| bill because of the peculiar evils which
manifestly result from this infracion Of the
constitution Appropriations Of this nature,
| to be devO.e ed purel Y to local Objects tend to
| INCREASE IN NUMBER AND AMOUNT
| and citizens Of one state find that money, to
| raise which they, III common with the
| whole country are taxed, Is expended for
| local Improvements in another state, they
demand similar benefits for thense, :; and
it is not unnatural that they should seek to
| indemnify themselves for such of the public
| funds by securing appropriations for SINH
| lar improvements III their own nelghbOr-
hood. Thus, as the bill becomes more OBJ
| jectiOnable it secures more support. This
result is nvariable and necessarily follows
neglect to observe the constitutional lmita-
| tons imposed upon the law-making power.
| Appropriations for river and harbor improve
| i
| have alluded, increased year by year
OUT OF PROPORTION
to the pl 0gress OF the country, great as that
has been. In 1870 the aggregate appropriation
was So 975, 900, in 1882 Sc 64s, 80, in 1880
$5,976, 500, and in 1881 $ll ,451 300, while by
the present act there is appropriated $!5,-
,7Ss, l50 iWhitei feeling every!dispositibn to
/ determining what amount should be approI
priated for the purposes of the bnl,' SO long
| as appropriations are confined to the objects;
Indicated blythe grant of powefT cannot es-i
| cape the confusion that as part of the law
making power the government the duty
devolves upon me to withhold my signature
from Dill containing appropriations, which
in my opinion greatly exceed in amount the
| needs lof the country for the present fiscal
year. 1t being the usage toprovide money for
these purposes by annual appropriation
! bills, the president is in effect directed to
spend so large an amount of money within
10 brief period that the expenditure can
not be made economically and advanta
| tageously. The extravagant expenditure of
public money is an evil not to be measured
by the value of that money to the people
| injury in the demoralizing effect produced
'EuTpn those who are fentr'isted viii official
! duty through all the sramificatiorsl Of the
! government. These Objections could Be re- re-
! moved 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 ex-
penditure during the fiscal year, and
that the sum SO appropriated be expended
only for such object named in the bills as
the secretary of war, under the direction of
the president, shall determine, provided that
in no case shall the expenditure for any
purpose exceed the sum designated
BY the bill for that purpose. l feel authorized
to make this suggestion because of the duty
imposed upon the president by the constitu-
ton to recommend to the consideration OF
congress such measures as he shall judge
necessary and expedent, sand because. it is
are in progress shall suffer, no injury: Con-
/ gress will also eonvenein four month wl1en
this whole subject viii be open tor their
''pytsfrnstSH &9nsdSyH Oi tHrsrrn,A!4 A44nAlAbtiaot 4nAlAbtia,o
Executive Mansion, August !.
WEDNESDAY, AuaushE ~ ~ ). Ju9tI
sENArE.-At the opening when all wa.
ready Senator Mcmillan moved to take
up the river and harbor bill and pass it over
the Presidents veto, and in wild furry the
roll call began. The nays were very scat.
tered, although the vote was about what was
expected. The Republican senators who
voted to sustain the President were Messrs.
Blair, Don Cameron, Frye, Hale, Harrison,
sss aag va Ws SSsn snd ssppo2t aSt:
Baysla 81 Pepdisson s sN1 IShSns ssSIs
of Virginia and Morgan of fAlabama, dodged
the issue, although in their se&ts aatihg fthe
roll call, and the following ewere paired
Messrs. Beck, Hill, Chilcott, Groome, Ed.
munds, Garland, Fair, Plumb, Harris, John.
ston, Lamar, Lapham, Mcpherson, Sewell,
Mitchell and Vance.
An appropriation reported from the libra
ry committee of S., 600 for the purchase of
supreme court records and briefs belonging
to the estate of the late Senator Carpenter
was adopted. The sundry civil appropria-
ton bill was passed.
HoUsE.-The river and harbor bill was
passed over the presidents s veto-122 to So
an analysis of the vote in the house shows
that party politics did not enter into the con-
test The Mississippi valley and the south
Joined hands and reinforcedIby California,
tohhaee aka NASSAU g ASiJbstts;9 "a 9skspt all
estSrf R ftssYM thssYM i SsaIEfgppWtfYst RpFtieh