Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1883-02-22

WASHINGTON, Feb. 21.-Mr. Page, in be-
half of the committee on commerce, sub
mitted to the house voluminous report to
accompany the new river and harbor bill
which they recommend for passage. The
committee advert to the last bill of this
cising his constitutional prerogative, re-
turned the bill to this house without his
approval, and congress, in exercising its
constitutional right by two-thirds major
ity in each house, passed the bill, notwith-
standing the objections of the preside Mt,
and it became law. The Republican
newspapers at the great railroad centers
raised a hue and cry against the act, and
against those by whose votes it had passed,
bolstering the attack with every possible
form of misrepresentation and personal
abuse, in the endeavor to blind the people
assembling of congress the president, in
his annual message, took occasion again
to advert to the appropriations
for rivers and harbors and, evil
IDENTITY misled by deceptive
official balance-sheet, expressed the hope
that, ''no similar increase will be deemed
necessary during the present congress" As
if in harmony with this intimation, the
secretary of war has disregarded in part
several provisions of the law. He failed
also to furnish to the secretary of the
treasury and the chief engineers, estimates
of the appropriation required for the fiscal
year of June 80, 1884, as required to be
transferred to congress in his book of esti-
mates by provision of law. This left your
committee in the dark. Hence they reported
the resolution which was adopted by the
house, calling upon the secretary of war
for the reports and estimates of the engi-
neer department aforesaid, and certain
other information touching appropriations
and expenditures for rivers and harbors, to
which the secretary of war returned an an
swer Jan. 4, 1883. Upon receiving the re-
reports and estimates of the engineers,
your committee proceeded to examine the
same, and found number of important
river and harbor works would not have
dollar left at the expiration
of the present fiscal year ending June 30,
1888; that failure on the part of con-
gress to make appropriations for the COM
ing fiscal year, ending June 80, 1884, would
inevitably result in great loss to the gov
ernment in the matter of the plant, ''fll-
ing up channels and otherwise" and that
such failure would be equivalent to throw
ing away vast sums already expended in
the interest of commerce, and rendering
worthless the many incompleted improve
ments,as well as subjecting many completed
works to great damage. Notwithstanding,
therefore, the adverse views of the presi-
dent, your committee are impelled to pre-
sent to the house the river and harbor bill, |
as to act otherwise would be palpable and |
serious neglect of their duty to the house |
and to the nation. Your committee have |
endeavored solicitously to frame such bill |
only as justified in all respects by the alb
solute interests of general commerce, the |
ease and security of existing navigation
and the rigid requirements of |
public op1rion. The report goes on to
criticise the action of the president and
secretary of war in the following language:
''As to the exercise of the veto power on
the last river and harbor bill, while it is
that under the constitution the
president has the right to veto any bill
passed by congress, yet it is equally un-
|
exercise that right as to
president. through the secre-
'ary of war, either has
he power to withhold from expenditure
las not the power to so with
power to so withhold, then he has fail
- S0I1 - IL !
nd overstepped the bounds prescribed by
he constitution. If he had the power to
withhold them the veto was quite unneces-
ary."
The letter from the secretary of war
ives list of thirty-one such appropria-
ions in the act of 1882, which
he secretary says have been
withheld by him. at
ne suggestion of the president The asser-
on of power to temporarily withhold car
les with it the implication of power to
ermanently withhold; but whether it is y
le duty of the executive simply to exc
1te the law, except in cases where it is :
npracticable or palpably unconstitu-
onal, and in that event to so report to
ongress, is matter upon which this COM
littee is not dutiably bound at this time
express an opinion?
TIE committee go into very lengthy
rgument in defense of the various items
appropriated by the bill and say, in con-
usion, that the committee on commerce r
ave carefully considered the objections L
lade by the secretary of war, sent by him
, the house, as his answer to the house
of inquiry and compared the 1.
,atement as given by the Il
,cretary under each head with =
ne official statement of the engineer corps d,
to congress at the begin