St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1884-07-26
CLEVELAND AND THE
WORKINGMEN.
THE TRUTH ABOUT HIS vEToEs.
PHILADELPHIA Times

Lie SIOuuuS upon WHICH IL Is
sought to create prejudice against
Gov. Cleveland are his vetoes of
the five cent fare bill, the mechan-
les 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 alb
rogated right vested in the COR
poration by previous Legislature
In that act the regulation of fares
was distinctly surrendered by the
State until the net earnings should
reach given sum. In spite of tins
agreement in the contract the leg
islature of 1888 passed a bill max
ing a uniform rate of fare of five
cents. The Governor vetoed it on
the ground that the legislature
could not abroSate Il vested right.
There was not the slightest doubt
the courts would have taken the
same view.
That the proposed reductions
were only of the slightest interest
to workingmen, is shown by the
fact that the rate had long been five
cents from $50 to $50 A. NJ, and
from 4:30 to 1880 P. NJ. The reduc-
ton of fares at other hours in the
day was n manifest advantage TO
! bankers, brokers, business men and
amusement seekers, but not of the
smallest interest to laboring men
and mechanics, who already bud
the privileges the vetoed bill con-
ferred.
Opposition to the veto was short
lived, and feeling of satisfaction
followed that one man had been
found who had the pluck and ill.,
tclligence to oppose such futile
legislation, even ut the risk of in
curing popular disapproval.
The Governor also interposed his
veto to the mechanics lien bill.
The original intention of this bill
was to give mechanics power to Sc
cure their wages by the means of
liens. But it was SO amended that
its purpose was either obscured or
lost. 1t gave parties four months
after performance of work or fur
nishing O! material to file lien, n
period ridiculously prolonged. 1t
also allowed the same costs as in
foreclosures, which in the case OF
small bills would have been so oner-
Gus us to eat them up entirely.
But, worst of all. it repealed exist
ing mechanics lien laws, which
were tar more favorable to the work
ing people than the new law. 1t
was found to be scheme to make
increased lawyers bills and to di-
minish the protection afforded the
mechanic. The Governor very prop
erly accepted the lesser evil and We
toed the defective bill.
The bill making twelve hours a
day S work for conductors and dri-
vers on street cars did not in any
way prohibit the making of con-
tract requiring any number of
hours work, and if it had the Gov
ernor very aptly objected that it
was an Interference with the rights
of employees, as well as employers.
1t was plain that if the car drivers
and conductors worked fewer hours
they would receive less pay, aud
the bill neither did nor could pre-
vent that. The Governor concluded
his objections by saying, Il cannot
think this bill is in the interest of
the workingmen."
One charge remains against Gov.
Clevelands vetoes. The last legis-
lature made a small appropriation
tor charitable institution known
as the Westchester Catholic Pro-
tectory. The Governor struck it
out, and the charge has been made
that he was hostile to the Catholic
Church as such. Mr.. Henry L.
Hoguet, President of the Protec-
tory, says on this question:
Owe never doubted the sincerity
OF the motive which induced Coz.
Cleveland to withhold his signature
to the appropriation for the Pro-
tectory. We thought then and think
now that he was not actuated by
any feeling of bigotry or of hostility
to Catholics or the Catholic insti-
tutions. On the contrary, Gov.
Cleveland is liberal in the extreme,
and we are of the firm belief that
he was led to Withholding his APP
proval of the appropriation solely
by sense of public duty as he
viewed it,
Upon these facts are based all
the charges made against Governor
Cleveland, by which it is sought to
raise objection to him among the
l,borinp md RELIGIONS claimants