The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-07-24
A FEW POINTS DISPOSED or.
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The Tammany people made use OF GER
tain yetoes OF Governor Cleveland TO pre-
lldice the delegates at Chicago against
him, but without effect. The Republic
cans are taking up the Grady argu-
ments, 30 10 10 just as well 10 dispose OF
them. The yetoes In question were OF
the Fiye-cent Fare Bill, the Mechanical
Lien Bill and the bill regulating the
hours OF labor OF drivers and conductors
OF horse cars.
The bill fixing the fare on the elevated
railways at five cents abr0gated right
vested In the corporation by q previous
Legislature, In that act the regulation
OF fares was distinctly surrendered by
the State until the net earnings should
reach a given sum, In spite of this
agreement In the contract, the Legisla-
ture Of 1884 passed bill making a uni
form rate OF fare Of iive cents, The Gov
ernor vetoed II on the ground thai the
Legislature could not abr0gate a sted
right. There was not the slightest Oubt
that the courts OF the State would have
taken the same view,
That the proposed reductions were
only of the slightest interest TO working
men IL shown by the fact that the rate
had long been FIVE cents from $50 TO
$3.50 u, m. and from 1880 TO 1880 D. m.
The reduction OF fares at other hours In
the day was a manifest advantage 10
bankers, brokers, business man and
amusement seekers, but not OF the
smallest interest TO laboring men and
mechanics, who already had the priyi-
leges the vetoed bill conferred. 0pp0si-
tiOn 10 the veto was shOrt-liyed and n
feeling OF satisfaction followed that one
man had been found who had the pluck
and the Intelligence TO oppose such fn-
tile legislation even at the risk of incur.
ring popular dlsapproval
The Governor also intefp0sed his veto
To the Mechanics Lien bill. The Origi-
nal intention Of this bill was TO give
mechanics power TO secure their wages
by the means OF liens. But II was 30
amended that lts purpose was either OBJ
scured or lost, IL gave the parties four
months after performance OF work or
furnishing OF materials TO file lien, a
period ridiculously prolonged, IL also
allowed tbs same costs M In f0recl0s-
ures, which In the case OF small bills
would have been 80 0neTOua as to eat
them up entirely. But worst Of all 10
repealed existing mechanics lien laws,
which were far more favorable TO the
working people than the new law, II
was found to be scheme TO make In
creased lawyers bills and 10 diminish
the protection aifored the mechanic.
The Governor very properly accepted the
lesser evil and vetoed the defective bill.
The bill making twelve hours days
work for conductors and drivers on
street cars did not In any way prohibit
the making OF u contract requiring any
number Of hours work, and, II 10 had,
the Governor very aptly objected that IL
was an interference with the rights Of
employees az we'll ~ employers. II was
plain that II the car drivers aud cOnduc-
tors worked fewer hours they would 70.
ceiYe less pay, and the bill neither did
nor could prevent that. The Governor
concluded his objections by saying. III
cannot think this bill Is In the interest
OF the workingmen."
One charge remains against Governor
Cleyeland's yet0es, The last Legislature
made small appropriation for a char.
liable institution known ~ the Vest
chester Catholic Pr0tectOry. The Gov
ernor struck II out and the charge has
been made that he was hostile 10 the
Catholic church ~ such. Mr.. Henry l..
HOguet, President Of the Pr0tectory, says
on this question:
ave never doubted the sincerity OF
the motive which induced Gov. Cleve-
land to withhold hls signature TO the
appropriation TO the Protectory. We
thought then and think now that he
was not actuated by any feeling OF big
Otry or hostility TO Catholics or the
Catholic institutions, On the contrary,
Governor Cleveland IL liberal In the ex-
treme, aud we are OF the lrm belief that
he was led to withholding his approval
0f tho appropriation solely by sense Of
public duty AZ he viewed IT,"
The Governor was also accused Of ve-
toing u bill giving 10 Catholic clergy
the same rights In public institutions,
such rs refOrmatorles, prisons, &C., pos
sessed by clergymen Of other denomina-
tiOns, The truth IN, the bill never reach
cd him, but was killed by the Republl-
cans Of the Legislature,
Upon these facts are based all the
charges made against Grover Cleveland,
by which II IL sought to raise obiec-
ti0n TO him among the labOrlng and
religious elements.