Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1888-08-17
FRIDAY. AUGUST IL, 1888.
The Discriminating Veto.

The Discriminating Veto.
The fact that the President allowed
the river and harbor bill TO become q
law, though he strongly disapproved Of
some OF the items in it, has operated to
confirm us in the opinion that the dis
eliminating veto would DO an evil, no
thing but an evil, and an evil con-
tinually. But here comes our contem-
porary Of the hdcr-Appeai, and tries to
convict us Of error. 1t says:
"Mr. Cleveland explains that while,
IN its main features, he approved Of the
bill, II contained a number of provisions
to which he could not give his consent,
and rather then jeopardize its fate by
veto Inc allowed it TO become law in the
manner indicated Here is fresh evi.
dence for the desirability Of such changes
in the statute rs will enable the Exocu-
tive TO veto individual items in an appro-
priation bill, and thereby at tho same time
80 act according TO his convictions and
not endanger the passage OF bill which,
though II may have some flaws, may be,
as a whole, measure deserving ms ap-
lroyaL"
in other words, the President if he
had possessed the discriminating veto
would have approved all tho appropria-
tions which met bis favor and disap-
proved ell those which did not meet his
favor. But that is not the whole story
for he would probably have vetoed
dozens Of meritorious items simply be-
cause he was not acquainted personally
with their merits. Whoever reads care
fully the Congressional Record knows
that item after item ia every year
added TO the river and harbor bill
after it Las left the committee in
charge Of it, upon the motion
OF congressman from the locality of the
stream to be improved. Why is this
done? Because the local congressman
can in FIVE minutes give good and con-
vincing reasons Why the new item should
he inserted. The President knows no.
thing concerning hundreds OF important
rivers and the further these are from
his home the more likely viii he be to
regard them as OF little or no i'm
portance.
The President has moro power than
the Queen Of England. He has vastly
more patronage. Hecan influence legs
lation to greater extent. Give him
the discriminating veto and he would be
not "petty boss, but a real dictator.
The congressman who now besiege the
committee having charge of the river
and barbor bill would then "cTook the
pregnant hinges of the knee" TO the
President TO secure favorable action on
their itams. He would situpon throne
and receive the obeisance Of his cOur-
tiers. We are afraid that some Of the
most independent of congressman would
almost be tempted to sacrifice portion
OF their independence if they thought
that the President had a notion OF de-
priying their constituents Of hundred
or two hundred thousand dollars. And
what would a million of dollars not do ?
But the discriminating veto would be
applicable TO all bills The President
might approve the appropriations for
building custom-houses, post-ofiices, and
court-houses in the States which voted
the ticket of his party, and veto the APP
preparations for like objects in the States
which did not vote the ticket OF his
party. Or he might thus favor districts
electing congressman who would sup
port his administration.
And what would not the discrimi-
mating veto be in tho hands of an un-
scrupulous partisan President ? Think
OF AKrHDE as President turning over to
MALONE oil the patronage OF the Gov
eminent within the State OF Virginia,
and then rejoice that ARTHUR dad not
possess the discriminating veto. Think
OF ANDREW JOHNSON excepting all gre
bels" worth over twenty thousand dol
lars from the operation OF his proclama
fion OF pardon, and then rejoice that he
did not possess the discriminating veto.
The executive and legislative depart
ments Of tho Government should be kept
separate. TO give TO tho President the
discriminating veto would be to empower
him to amend every bill that might be
passed by Congress. tits true his present
veto power enables him to take part in
legislation. But it is only negative
part. He must approve all or disapproye
all the features of every bill. He cannot
dot an or cross It. He cannot choose
as between the sections OF bill But,
possessed OF the discriminating veto, he
would DO able to take bill as it passed
tho two houses OF Congress and convert
il into legislative monster. lie might
spproye every feature OF every bin that
augmented his power and disapproye
every feature Of every bill intended TO
curtail his power.
Read the interstate commerce bin and
then imagine that " President BLAINE
had had the power 70 veto those OF its
features which he did not like and to
make laws Of those OF its features which
he did like,
How an INSCRIPTIONS President would
ehuckle over the simplicity Of his oppo-
nents in either house OF Congress who
might add to-a bill features designed 10
protect their party from other features Of
the same bill. He would strike out eli
such protecting features.
Suppose that Mr. BLAINE were now
President and possessed the discrimi-
mating veto. The Republicans 10 the
Senate would be under no necessity
Whatever OF moving 10 strike out from
the MINIS bill any, even the most objec-
!ionsble, OF Tho features They may