Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-08-02
3He Presidents Vct0.

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-The following is
the full text of the presidents message veto
ing the river and harbor bill
To the House of Representatives: have watched
with much interest the progress of house bill No.
6A3. entitled On act making appropriation for
the construction repair and preservation of certa in
works rivers and hsrbors and for other purpos
aud having since it received carefully examin ed
it, after mature consideration 1 constrained TO
return 1t 10 the house of representatives. In which it
originated, without my signature and with my objec-
tons to its passage. Many appropriations in the
bill are clearly for the general welfare and mos. ben
efcial IN their character. Two of the objects for
which provision is had by considered 80
important felt it my duty to direct them 10 the
attention of congress. In my annual message in
December last urged the vital Importance of legls-
laon for the reclamation of the marshes and for the
establishment of harbor lines along ths Potomacs
'front.' In April last by special message recon mended
an appropriation for the improvement of the Missis
sppi river. 1t Is necessary that L say that when
my signature would make the bill, appropriating
for these and other valuable national objects, q law
IL is with CREST reluctance and under a sense of
duty thht L withhold 1t. My principal object
ion to the bill is that it contains ap-
preparations not for the purpose of COM
non defense general welfare and which do
not promote Interstate commerce. These provisions
On the contrary, are entirely for the benefit of the
particular localities in which it is appropriated to
make improvements regard such appropriation
OF public money as beyond the powers given by the
constitution to congress and the president. feel
more bound to withhold my signature from the bill
because of the peculiar evils which maniestly re-
suit from this infraction of the constitution. Ap.
preparations of this nature, to be devoted purely
nnmbe local and objects amou teRa to increase s o In
zen of one state find that money
TO raise which they, IN common with the whole
country are taxed, is to be expended for local i'm
provements Ia another state, they demand similar
benefits for themselves, and II is not unnatural they
should seek indemnity themselves for such of the
pubic funds by securing appropriations for similar
improvements in their own neishborhood. Thus.
az the bill becomes moro Objectionable, it
secures more support This result is invariible and
necessarily follows neglect to observe the con-
sltuticnal lima itation imposed npon the lawmaking
power. The appropriations for river and harbor
improvements have, under the influences to which .
have alluded, Increased year by year out of proper
ton to the progress OF the country great az that
has been; In 1870 the aggregate appropriations
we're $3975,900; I'm 1885, S6,6s8677 in 1880. 49, &c.,,
$40, and In 1881, ll,45i30; while by the present
act there is appropriated S1S rag $50; While feeling
every disposition to leave to the legislature the re-
sponsibility of determining what amount
should be appropriated for the purposes of the bill,
so long as the appropriations confined to the OBJ
Jects indicated by the grant Of powers, L cannot
escape the conclusion that part of the law max
ing power Of the government, the duty devolves up
on me to withhold my signature from the bill con-
tanning the appropriations which, in my opinion,
greatly exceed in amount the needs of tho country
for the present fiscal year. it being the usage to pro-
vide the money for these PURPOSES by animal apprn
priasion bills, and the president is In effect directed
to spend 80 large an amount of money within 80
brief period, that expenditure can not
be made economically and ad
vantageously. The extrayagant expenditure
of public money is evil not to be measured by
Inv value of that money to the people who are taxed
for it. They sustain greater Injury in the democrat
iztpg effect produced upon those who are entrusted
with official duty through all the ramifcations of
the government. These objections could be removed
aud every constitutional purpose readily obtained
ahould congress enact that onehalf only Of the ag
gregate amount provided for in the bill be appro-
lriated for expenditure during the fiscal year, and
that the sum SO appropriated be expended only for
such object named in the bill as the secretary of
war, under the direction of the president,
shall determine; provided that in 40
case shall the expenditure for any purpose
exceed the sum now designated By the bill for that
purpose. feel authorized to mako this suggestion
because of the duty imposed upon the president by
the constitution to recommend to the consideration
OF congress such measures he shall judge neces-
sary and expedient, and because 1t is my earnest
desire that the public works, which in progress
shall suffer no injury. Congress will also convene
again in four months when this whole subject will
he open for their consideration.
lSigned] CHESTER A. ARTHUR