Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1885-02-03
TuEsDAY......F FEBRUARY 8. 1885,
The Discriminating Veto.


In theory. but Objectionable in practice.
Many other theories are Of the same
kind. Among such may be classed the
proposition TO amend the Federal Con-
stitution so as to give the President OF
the United States discriminating veto
that is, to clothc him with the power to
approve such parts Of bill as he likes
and disapprose such parts of it as he
dislikcs.
The theoretical papers of New York
city of course favor the PROPOSE
ton: and as they mislead the
business men Of the country into
many bitches, it is not surprising
that the National Board of Trade has
been induced to declare in favor of the
discriminating veto so far as congress
SIGNAL appropriation bills arc concerned.
This that Board did last week.
Under the Federal Constitution the
United States Senate is not allowed to
originate bills "for raising revenue"
Mr.. HURD. Of Ohio, made speech IN
the House of Representatives the other
day in which he took the ground
that that clause Of the Fede-
raj Constitution which requires
all bills for raising revenue to
originate in the House Of Representa-
tives also required all appropriation
bills tor originate in the same body. He
contended that the BLAIR bill. which
originated in and had been passed by the
Senate, was therefore such bill as the
Senate could not constitutionally origi-
late. Whether this contention be well
founded or not. the vote in the House of
Representatives upon the question of
disposing of Mr.. HuRD's resolution
shows that a large number Of members
Of that body agree with him in that
contention; and if any other bill than
the BLAIR bill had been involved, the
House might possibly have voted TO en-
dorse Mr.. HURD's proposition.
Now, in view Of the facts just recited.
is it to be expected that the House of
Representatives will ever propose an
amendment to the Federal Constitution
giving to the President the power to APP
propriate all the revenues Of the Gov
ernments For this is exactly what the
discriminating veto would do. During
the present session of Congress a river
and-hsrbor bill will be passed appropri-
ating millions Of dollars to the improve
mcnt Of hundreds Of rivers and harbors.
If Mr.. ARTHUR had the discriminating
veto-power. he would strike out of the
bin whatever items did not commend
themselves to New Yorker. He
knows little OF nothing as to the merits
Of such items as those for improving
the smaller rivers and harbors,
and would probably veto half
or more of the items in the
bill. The appropriation of s750,0O0
for the improvement Of Galveston har-
Dor, and sl5O,000 for improving the
James river, would perhaps be stricken
out Of the bill; or he might even strike
out the items appropriating money to
the improvement Of the Mississippi
river. There is no telling what items
President would approve or what
items he would disapproye. He would,
we repeat, practically decide upon all
appropriations.
What would result? The represen-
tatiyes Of the people would become the
bond-slayes Of the President. In order
to keep the good will Of their constitu-
cnts they would have to secure appro-
priations for their districts. In order
to secure appropriations for their dis
tricts they would have to Aatter and
cAjole the President. The Executive
would become dictator in effect--the
distributor of the public moneys-she
Grand Almoner Of the Nation.
Another evil would result: Congress
would soon cease to. examine with care
any appropriation bill. Knowing that
the President would strike out whatever
items might fail to meet his favor, the
two houses would allow any aud every
sort Of items 70 60 into the riyer-and-
harbor bill. Millions Of dollars would
annually be involved in such bills
over and above the reasonable
sums which under the present
constitutional requirements are ap-
propriatcd to the improvement
Of rivers and harbors. The members
would agree among themselves to put
into the bill oil sorts Of items merely
to please their constituents, knowing
that the President would strike them
out. II would soon no doubt be con-
sidered good joke to put into such
bills items which the President could