The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1884-07-10
THAT VETO.
THE TARGET OF TAMMANY,
why and Wherefore He Vetoed the 5-Cent
bi'i-An Official Act Open to
Double CONSTITUTIONAL Bos-
ton Journals Opiuion.

The one act of Gov. Cleveland's nd.
ministration, which is cited as certain
to lose him votes is his veto of the five.
cent iare bill for the elevated roads. II
Is alleged that the Governor took the
utterly ullenabie ground that the char.
Ter rights granted to corporations can
not be revoked or charged without
violating the provision of the FpJeroi
constitution which fOrbids the PASSAGE
OF laws that impair the obligations of n
| contract. The power of the State over
IT'S creations has been too long asserted
ana exercised to render it likely that
SO g0od y lawyer as Coy. Cleveland
would undertake to deny il. And fine
Blllalo Courier shows how his position
/ has been either misunderstood or mis-
represented by quoting from his veto
message the real grounds upon which
ne Wllhheld his approval from the bill
, fcnuclng the fares in question.
Inc general railroad law of New York
! uIdcf which the elevated roads were or
San'zed, provides that the state shall
h0I reduce the rate of freight, fare, or
Utlcr prollts, OF Il railroad so as 10 make
INC income by them 10 per cent. of the
capita actually expended, or until after
actual examination by tho State En-
ginccr and Comptroller il be nrovnd
that the profits are greater than 10 per
cent In the case Of the elevated roads
the reduction was sought to be made
without any such examination, or any
proof mat the profits exceeded the pr6-
scrlbcd limits. GOV. Cleveland held that
me good faith Of the State was involved
IN tlc arbitrary reduction of the rate
permitted To he charged by the charters
OF the company, after but one wears
operation of the roads, which were CON
structed and finished pursuant 70 tho
privileges and restrictions granted and
imposed by the Legislature, and he
paScd ms veto upon the merits of the
case moro than upon the technical
ground afforded by the general railroad
act. Ills real OBJECTION saws the
courier, was that the rights Of the capi.
tal invested III the elevated railroad
uhupr certain guarantees ought 10 be
respected. His plea was for the
good faith of the commonwealth - If
the guarantees and inducements were
given and held out at timo when few.
hau faith that the road would ever be-
punt, the fault was with the Lcgisla
lure mat gave them, not with the Gov
Srhor, who insisted that thcy ought 10
be respected.
The reduction bill was passed rs the
result OF a popular clamOr, without re-
gard to tho merits of the case. The
road was owned by dcteStcd capitalists
WhoSc. high-handed course and defiant
attitude made them Justly obnoxious TO
the people. GOV. Cleveland could have
won cheap applause by signing II. or
ne could have entered his protest, and
shifted the responsibility upon the Lcg-
lSIaturc. lie chose rather to "brnyc
ohloglN for he sake of his convictions"
ana his brave course 50 impressed Mr..
Roosevelt that he confessed ho was
Nlrcngt hcncd 10y the Governors cyan
hIr 50 lar as 10 vote according To his he.
llW IN ,he right aid not In obedience To
the public clamor, az he had done i'm the
lirSl instance. SiNN-tNO members of
the assembly agreed with him, and the
veto was sustained 10y siNty-SiX votes,
though but four were east against il on
Us passage. COY. Cleveland may hnyc
been wrong, but he was ut least honest
ana brave in standing up for his sense
OF duty. Aud that is the sort Of a man
ne people ought TO believe in. BOSTON
Herald