The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1888-06-29
THE EXECUTIVE VETO.
REPORT OF THE SENATE COMMIT
TEE ON PENSIONS.

The Discussion of the Veto an Inter-
esting and Important Feature of the
Document-It Claims That the Rights
OF the Legislative Branch of the Gov
ernment are Abridged - 1t Recon-
mends the Passage OF Eight Pension
Laws over the Veto.
WASHINGTON, June Ex-senator Davis
to-day submitted TO the senate the report Of
the committee on pensions upon eight vetoed
pension bills, the merits OF which the re-
port discusses in detail, and the passage Of
which it recommends, the objections Of the
President notwithstanding. The more in
teresting and important features of the
report are embodied in the discussion Of the
veto power and the dangers with which, in
the opinion of tho committees, its too fire.
quent exercise is fraught. 1t says: "Since
May g. 1886, 1876 special acts granting pen
sions to individuals have been disapproved
by the President. These disapprovals
were based in great majority of
cases upon the expressed opinion of the
President that congress has erred in its
Judgment upon mere questions OF fact.
1t is, of course, impossible for
the President to examine the mass of docu-
mentary evidence upon which each case
depends, and which is invariably examined
by the committee, and it follows that when
he disagrees with congress upon the ques-
tions of fact in these cases, his Judgment
must be based, not upon the reports of the
committee in which the facts are always
stated with sufficient fullness, but on the
report of some subordinate in the bureau Of
pensions. This bureau, whose action con-
gress has reversed, is thus enabled to review
the action of congress by the express
direction Of the President.
CONGRESS- RIGHTS ABRIDGED.
This method of consideration is an
abridgenent by the executive of the exer-
else of the right of congress to waive that
strict proof which is required in ordinary
cases in the department. IL it shall ever
become established that such an exercise of
the veto power is sufficient as to this class
OF cases, 1t must follow that it Is proper in
all cases. That this has never before been
systematically attempted in any class of
cases does not remove the cause of alarm.
Usurpations move rapidly in republics,
from small objects to those of
the greatest concern. That the power
exists i'll the executive to disapprove any
legislative measures cannot be denied. But
the duty undeniably also exists that it
shall not be used in such manner, or upon
any occasion or pretext as TO make its exer-
else operate as an encroachment upon the
the powers Of other departments Of the gov
ernment The right to use the power of
executive disapproval so as to change
the ordinary method of legislative
action by majority vote upon proper sub
jects of legislation merely because the
executive differs from congress upon q suf-
hciency ofproof or thelexpediency of relief,
does not in the opinion of your committee
exist.
A MISCoNCEPTION OF POWER.
Such misconception of the extent of exec
utive power making it limitless. is fraught
with dangers to the Independence of con-
gress and to its constitutional powers, and
it clearly implies that factious or usurping
President who purposes to subordinate to
his will that department to which the con
stitution has confided the principal powers
Of the government, cen rightfully do this
and prevent the will of tte people from
taking statutory form except by two
thirds vote of each house of con
gress. The inordnate proportions Co
which the executive power has grown
during the last twenty-five years through
the tendency to Capitalization, through the
production Of those great subjects Of ad-
minlstraton which have come under execu-
tive control through its departments; /;
through the political influence of office
HolueIs anu tnIouBh.thc ulSCIeuoHuIy power
Of the executive over an enormous
financial system, give just cause
for apprehension. To admit that these
powers, (which have increased, which are
Increasing, and which ought to be dimIn-
ished,n can be reinforced by the constitu-
tional exercise of the veto power upon tine
action of Congress upon subjects clearly
within it's province and its duty, and in
volving not tho least infringement upon
any other department, is to admit power
totally subversive of the ends of the govern
ment and destructive to the federal consti-
tuition"