The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1892-05-26
A COMMEMORATIVE VETO.


ished. 1t has little use in ga Government
Of the people, for the people, and by the
people" The peoples direct Representa-
tives in the Legislature or in Congress should
have full power and fullresponsibility as toall
laws they make. If they make bad ones it
is solemn lesson to the people to be more
particular in the selection of their Repre-
sentatives. But they are not nearly so likely
to make bad laws if they have the whole
responsibility for them, than when they
share this responsibility with President OF
Governor.
However, Gov. Flower, of New York, has
made one of the rare uses of the veto power
which tend to give it responsibility, and
make the people reluctant to abolish it.
The Legislature of New York in the exer
else of such discretion as it has-which,
heaven knows is astonishingly little-chose
to pass a bill repeating the law exempting
pension money of veterans from taxation.
In Withholding his signature from this, Gov.
Flower said, very pertinently and forcibly:
/ am not in sympathy with the purpose of this
bill Its object is practically to repeal the statute
which. construed by decision of the Court of
Appeals. exempts from taxation soldiers homes
bought with pension money. The intention of the
law I,nsu oub tn fo led
veterans the full benefit of their PENSIONS and to
encourage them to invest their well-deserved
money in little homesteads where they could pass
the remainder of their days secure against the
danger of being ousted for non-payment OF taxes.
This privilege is one which the State well afford
TO grant to the broken-down defenders of our
country. and one whose revocation, / am conf
dent, the Legislature would not have assented to
had it understood the full purport of the measure
now before The attitude of the soldiers OF the
State toward the measure is well reflected in the
letters which have received. urging me TO with
hold my approval from it. One of these is from
the Commander OF the Grand Army of the Repub-
lc. Department of New York, who states the senti-
nents Of opposition so well that give his COM
muncation herewith in FULL
"oFFIcE OF CoMNAyDER. DEPT OF NEW YORK,
"GRAsD ARMY TEE REPUBLIC =
SYRACUSE n. Y, April 80 1892.
DEAR SIR: Owing to my absence from the
State, by order of my physician, was unaware.
until my arrival here yesterday of the passage by
the late Legislature of what is known the Deyo
BILL which provides that Soldiers Homes that
have been purchased with moneys received as pen
sions for services rendered the United States
should be subject to the tax laws OF our State.
The Court Of Appeals has decided that Homes
purchased shall be exempt from execution for
the people was. and is now. that these broken down
veteran soldiers should possess and enjoy their
little homes for the balance of their days without
molestation. Now. is 1t possible that the great
State of New York will at this late day take back
ward step and allow the Homes of these veterans
TO be taken away from them for non-payment Of
taxes? Our State and country have been made
rich and prosperous as the result OF the heroic
services Of these veterans. and we cannot believe
that the people of the State desire now TO do any
thing that will seem to them unjust. As the Com
mander Of the Department of New York. Grand
Army of the Republic. representing over 1900
members and in their name, urge and beseech
you not 10 allow this bill to become law. We
look TO you for assistance and feel confident that
our appeal will be heard. Respectfully.
ct. L. POOLE,
Commander Department.
These views accord SO entirely with my own
that have hesitation In refusing my signature
TO the bill.
The unnecessariness of such bill becomes
very apparent when one reflects how lax the
State of New York is in collecting her dues
from her millionaire citizens For example,
last year the Assessors in New York City
reported 81 500, 100000 worth of personal
property as liable to taxation. The Board
of Advertisement confirmed this assessment,
and said most emphatically that the whole
Of the property should pay taxes yet it re-
suited in the tax being fought off on all but
S225,000,000 worth. In other words, nearly
six-sevenths of the property evaded taxation.
This was mainly owned by millionaires, who
could afford to employ high-priced lawyers,
who make speciality of fighting off taxes
for wealthy clients For example, the Van
derbilts were assessed On S40,000,00O of
personal property. They declared they
would pay on no more than S., 00O, 600 worth
and the Tax Commi ssioners, feeling that it
would be wiser to compromise than to fight,
accepted an offer of 100000. 1t was the
same with substantially every other million
aire in the city. The only people who paid
their taxes in full were the moderately we'll
off, who were too conscientious or too poor
to fee lawyers to cheat the State for them.
Remembering these facts, it seems con-
temptible that the Legislature of New York
should turn from and spare the rich rascals
who defy the law, to prosecute the poor vet
erans who are poor mainly because they
gave everything to uphold the law.
AS we have said above, the millionaires of
New York City defraud the State and city
every year out Of the taxes on 81 ,275 600, 900
worth of property, or more than the aggre-
| gate value of all the homes of veterans in
the Nation.
Even bad thing may have good uses and
| Gov Flower has most unexpectedly found a
good use for the most obnoxious veto power
He has our hearty concentrations.
THE Superintendent of the Michigan