Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-01-11
Observation-Disclosures II, 1883
The piscrimlnanng veto-Again

AAS b'oNA AAsA4AlAAAiAA~ WV 4Afa'~N'.'
The more we think of the proposition
to give to the President OF the United
States the discriminating veto the less we
like it. We will, therefore, mention
some objections additional TO those which
we presented yesterday.
The discriminating veto would make
the House Of Representatives careless IN
preparing appropriation bills. 1t would
promote the widest extravaganza. Why
should the members of the House OF
Representatives or those OF the Senate,
take the pains TO inquire into the merits
of any item Of appropriation when they
knew that all their labors were to count
for nothing unless the President could
he induced to take the same view which
they took as 10 the merits Of any par
ticular item? What incentive would
they have to the faithful performance OF
their duty
The discriminating veto would tend to
promote sectionalism. In Congress all
parts of the country are fully repre-
scented. and every member can make
himself heard and felt in behalf OF the
appropriations asked for by his cOLstitu-
ents. Every member has a vote, and
every member can exert more or less IN
fuence. But the President need consult
only his good pleasure. Its next to I'M
possible that he should not favor his own
section, however faithfully he might
strive to perform his duty. The result
would be that every section of the Union
would insist upon having the President
chosen from that section. There would
be sectional battle fought ont in every
national convention of each party. And
when either party selected nominee
from the East the other party would be
strongly tempted to take one from the
West.
The discriminating veto would tempt
the President TO reward his friends and
punish bis enemies in the distribution OF
the bounty of the Government. What
would such a man as JONI SHERMAN do
if he were President and had to pass
upon bill appropriating money to Nir-
GINA and Ohio? Would Virginia receive
any consideration at his hands ? Would
he not use his veto as n means
OF securing q third term for himself?
Would he not decide in every case
against the appropriations made for
building post-ofhces i'll Democratic States
if the sum total Of the appropriation
bill were in his opinion too great ?
Would he not be influenced by partisan
considerations to favor rivers and har-
bors in Republican States whenever he
had for any reason to veto some of the
items in bill appropriating money for
the improvement Of rivers and harbors ?
This sectionalism would be injurious to
the South rather than to the North. The
South is considered by the leading Re
publicans-all those likely to become
President-as entitled to no considera-
ton at the hands of the Federal Govern
ment. Mr.. SHERMAN or Mr.. CHANDLER
in the presidential chair, and possessing
the discriminating veto, would not allow
one dollar to be expended in erecting
courthouse, or q custom-house, or apost-
Office, or in improving a river or har-
Dor in any State wherein he might choose
TO decide that the negro vote was "sup-
pressed and the fourteenth amendment
"brutally nullified." The discriminating
veto would enable any malignant in the
Executive chair TO outlaw the South.
Can there be doubt upon this point?
The discriminating veto would thus
array the North against the South, the
East against the West, every mans sec
ton against every other mans section,
one State against another or against all
the others, and the President of the
United States against all the States that
might refuse to allow him to dictate their
domestic policy.
Will congressman ever surrender their
high prerogative Of levying taxes to the
President OF the United States? VIII
they ever turn over to him the power to
decide how the money collected as taxes
shall be expended? Will the southern
members ever dare to take such risk
as we have spoken of? Will they put
all their chances Of securing public
buildings and public improvements of
every sort at the mercy Of sectional
President? Hardly.