Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-07-01
COMPLAINING OF THE vEToEs

L
Certain of our Republican cotempor-
aries have taken breath after the Govern
or's veto work, and now proceed to pitch
into him. 1t may be remembered that a
similar attack was made upon him for his
vetoes during his first term; but the effect
on the public mind, both of the vetoes and
of the criticisms, was seen in the election
of the Governor to his present term. The
criticisms take two lines of argument
One is based ON theory concerning the
use of the veto which is obviously manu-
factured to suit the needs of the OCCASION;
the other depends on appealing to the in
terests injured by especial vetoes.
Of the first class is the argument pro-
duced by the New York Recorder, which
thinks it very wrong for Governor to ex-
anime all bills and kill those which do not
meet his approval. 1t says: "The veto
power has been given to the Executive as
sacred right, a special privilege, to be
sparingly used, to correct errors into
which even the most prudent assemblies
might fall, and not that the Executive
should be the master of the Legislature. /" 1t
is singular that if the veto power must be
'sparingly used'' no constitutional pro-
vision ever said so. The Constitution
under which Governor Patterson is acting
declares that if the Governor 'does not ap-
prove" the legislation submitted to his con-
sideration he must return it without his
signature, which seems to indicate that if
the veto power is to be used sparingly the
legislature must be sparing in sending in
legislation that meets Executive disap-
proval.
The fact is that the Governors policy in
giving all legislation a careful scrutiny,
and acting with an independent anc igor
Gus judgment, is the only way in which he
can fulfil the duties laid upon him by the
Constitution. 1t is infinitely superior to
the weak doctrine, actually avowed by
some of his predecessors, that they have
got to approve whatever the legislature
sends them. In adhering to that policy
the Governor has vindicated the support of
the Independent element which largely
aided his election; although The DIS
PATCH in some individual cases cannot
agree with his action. Thus after vetoing
the compulsory education bill, because its
details were not proper, it is difficult to
see how he could sign such travesties
upon their avowed purposes as the ballot
reform and the Constitutional convention
measures. These are single cases on
which THE DISPATCH cannot agree with
the Cover while applauding his general
policy Of making the veto an effective
check upon reckless, negligent or corrupt
legislation.
The Philadelphia Press takes the other
method of attacking the vetoes by pub
fishing pictures of animals in contracted
quarters, with the legend "No appropria-
tions for the Zoo," and of a very shabby
looking building with the inscription
Memorial Hall Must Remain as 1t Is. -
But is not the esteemed Press little in
discreet in this? Every one knows that
Memorial Hall need not remain as it is
unless the City of Philadelphia is too
mean to repair its own property, and that
the animals in the Geological Garden can
have expanded quarters if the city
furnishes them. Will it weaken or
strengthen the Governors popularity to
have the people of Erie, the miners of
Westmoreland, and the mill hands of Al
legheny county know that he refused to
have their money used for the enrich
ment of such entirely localinstitutions?