The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1883-06-03
The Governors Review Of the supply
Hill.

The Governors Review Of the supply
bill.
The Governor did right to sign tho Aque-
duct bill. He thinks it is constitutional not
withstandng the appointment OF the Com
missioncrs in the bill itself, and says he will
be surprised and disappointed II it shall APP
pear that the work is not in good hands
We arc satisfied that he has acted wisely in
this matter.
The Governors action in respect to many
items OF the Supply bill also merits commen-
dalton. His refusal to allow fees to counsel
unnecessarily employed by the Legislative
committees will have a good effect. Extra
compensation such as was sought by the
Railroad Commission. in excess of an annual
appropriation which is amply sufficient,
was also properly denied. As to those items
which were clearly unconstitutional the Gov
errors duty was plain, and there are n num-
Der OF other instances in which he rightly
held ih1t the amount appropriated was
dispr0por.ionate to the services rendered.
But In several cases Gov. CLEVELAND has
gone very far wrong indeed.
Last summer 1t was discovered that the
ceiling OF the Assembly Chamber at Albany
was In need OF repairs, and the architects OF
the new Capitol expended more than $1,000
In repairing 1t. There was no money ap-
plicable to this purpose ut the time, and the
new Capitol Commissioners, according to the
Governor, gave their consent THAT the
architects might make what repairs to the
Assembly Chamber ceiling they deemed
proper ut their own expense, and
that the State should not be made
liable for the expenditure" 1t Is not to
be supposed, however, that the architects
meant to give their money and labor to the
State for nothing. The intent OF the parties
evidently was that the permission to make
repairs should not be construed into con-
tract on the part OF the Capitol Commission
ers to pay any particular amount but that
the architects were willing to rely for COM
pensation upon the justice and fair dealing
Of the Legislature when it should be con-
vened. The work appears to have been in
all respects satisfactory. and it ought to be
paid for, but the Governor wants to treat it
as gift.
In other words" says our esteemed con-
temporary, the Nc,r York Times. Gov.
CLEVELAND is willing to swindle the archi-
tects out Of money which the State owes
them for work done for the State, In order to
gain reputation AS a rcformer." This Is put
ting tho case rather strongly, perhaps; but it
must bc admitted that n Governor with Il
keen moral sense would hardly be willing tC
have the State avail itself Of the benefit OF
the work of these architects without paying
for their services.
The Governors objections to the payment
Of counsel who represented Judge WEST
BROOK before the Assembly investigating
committee in 1882 also seem to us unsound
H. argues thnt the committee was drectet
merely to conduct an inquiry set on foot b.
thu Assembly for its own Information, ant
tLa. "no person was On trial, no ono wa
called ON to defend himself, and the commit
tee stood In no need OF the assistance o
counsel In addition to that provided by tn
Assembly" The fact remains, however, tina
II vas entirely proper for the accused Judg
. to DO represented before the committee. H
was practically defendant from tho Yer
outset of tho investigation. Mr.. FRANCIS
STETsON, who acted rs counsel for the com
mittec itself, was all earnest advocate Of In
pcachmcI' II Is prcposterous to say tina
Judge WESTBnooK ought to have contente
himself with the sort OF legal advice and as
sistancc which hostile lawyer of wei
known ability was sure to give the commit
toe. We think he had right to counsel ,
his own on this OCCASION and al the invest
CATION ultimately resulted In a refusal to in
peach him, 1t Is an unusual hardship
deny him reimbursement for tho actual e,
pcnditurc consequently incurred.
Another item which the Governor disal
proves is the appropriation of 81 900 to CAR
MEIsNEn OF Battery B, Seventh Division, NJ
tionnl Guard, as gratuity, "hc being pc
manently disabled for life by tho prematul
discharge OF n cannon while on duty with h
battery at Emira on the 18th day of Ma
1872" Gov. CLEVELAND says that the dut
OF expanding the money OF the poop
with due regard to business principle
positively excludes the appropriation
the Same for gratuitics resting solely c
motives OF charity and bcnevocncc."
does not seem to have been ava
OF the provisions OF law in for
ut the time this injury was s,l
tained, which provided that every perst
who while in the actual service Of the Sta
became wounded or disabled In suppressil
any instruction should be taken care Of al
provided for at the expense Of the State. al
the further provision that every person wi
was wounded or disabled In such service
essss Of tumult, breach q To pesen o. Z