Alpena weekly argus. [volume] (Alpena, Mich.) 1871-1893, 1891-06-03
The Governors Veto.


bill which had for its real object the
giving of $4,000 to the citizens of
Detroit. His reasons are rs follows:
My objection to this bill is based
upon the ground of public policy and
justice to the taxpayers. The burden
of taxation, which reaches directly or
indirectly all classes, may be rightfully
exercised only for public purposes.
The determination what is and what
is not a public purpose belongs in the
first instance to the legislative depart
ment. Let us consider well before we
employ taxation for new and unusual
objects.
All taxation is burdensome and its
justification can be found only in the
benefit. direct or indirect, which the
Taxpayer receives in return. In this
case it cannot be maintained that the
general public are to be in any way
benefited, nor is the appropriation in
the aid of charity, to help the unfor-
tunate or relieve the distressed.
The bill proposes to take money
earned by the hard hand of labor,
and saved by the economy of patient
wives and mothers, and use it for a
social entertainment and general
good time. Not one in hundred of
the people who are forced to contrib
ute will participate in the pleasures of
the occasion. A political convention
or the Presbyterian general assembly,
now gathered in Detroit, would be
equally entitled to State aid. On no
principle of right or justice can this
use of the peoples money be defend
ed. We are here as the servants Of
the people, and am fully convinced
that if the proposition to vote this
money had been submitted to them,
20 votes would have been cast against
it to one for it. No public purpose is
to be subserved by the expenditure.
The money is taxed from the hard
earnings of the people, already Justly
complaining of oppressive taxation.
Any measure which unnecessarily
adds feathers weight to this burden
is great wrong, and more especially
when done by those whom the people
trusted and who promised to relieve
and protect their interests by more
economical legislation. In this State
taxation has steadily increased year
by year, and always the specious plea
was urged for new expenditures. at
is only a cent or five cents for each
individual and it will not be felt, or
the people will not care" But the
time has come when the people do
care. and we, their servants, should
heed their just demands, that the
State treasury should not be used for
private gain or individual pleasures.
This bill purposes to take from the
State treasury $4,000 to be used to
help entertain the veterans Of the
Union army who may attend the
grand encampment at Detroit. These
men are patriotic citizens. They
know their duty as such, and would
scorn individually to add one cent for
their entertainment to the burdens of
the taxpayers. They, one and all,
pay their way wherever they choose
to 60, and if it is to meet again old
comrades in arms, they do not ask
that it be at public cost. 1t is not
the veterans who rallied at their
country's call who are asking for this
measure, as the many remonstrances
from them to your honorable body
show. The demand comes from those
who hope to receive individual bene-
fits from the expenditure of the
money. The sum appropriated, if
saved to the treasury, will defray the
total cost of this legislature for 80
days or more. In former communi-
cation l expressed my belief that
our fidelity to the interests and rights
of the people will be the measure of
our success, and that every request
for public aid should be sternly denied
unless needed for public purpose.
In behalf of the taxpayers of this
State earnestly and respectfully
urge that you reconsider your action
in this matter.