Omaha daily bee., 1895-03-30
BOUNTY PASSED OVER A VETO
Sugar and 0hicory Gets the Bonus Despite
the Governors Opposition.
HAD A BIG MAJORITY IN BOTH BRANCHES
More Than Two-Ihirds OF the Members
In Each House Vote TO Override
the Executives Objections
Text OF the Message.

LINCOLN, March 29.-(Speclal) )-Goyernor
Holcomb at 4 o'clock this afternoon returned
TO the house of representatives house roll
No. 81, with veto message The governor
bases his veto upon the grounds that tho
proposed law is in the nature OF class legis-
laton, and that 1t is of doubtful constitu-
tionality. The message in full is:
Io the Honorable, the House of Repre-
ssentatiyes of the State of Nebraska:
roll No 81 An wtHS"' He to my o house
ssmmeouragemSnt smSo, age, @ of the Manufacture Of
esa ond bersTGyr GbhS9Fy ana rte t. pEpSde & Com
IN the house under the title of "An Act to
proyide fsn,is for % the encouragement of the Man
sation Therefor" with ali of the provisions
as II now exists relative to the manufacture
bounty therefor After @ the ,f b aSe%. Saa reaebea Sb
,he ,iis senate an amendment was made to the
as to prS Gr sna hs se sy s
ment of the same bounty upon chcory
vided for the manufacture of sugar from
sugar beets. The amendments thus made
We're were concurred % In by the house and the
action.
FIRST OBJECTION TO THE BILL.
povmsnt nns pii,; II; IN substance provides for the
ury of three. aIebtSys out OF tne state treas,
for manufactured sugar or chicory from
r%aStories % now established and cent per
pound on the manufactured article from
factories hereafter established
i. am unable to approve of this act for
the nature Of class legislation and of doubt
full constitutionality Through it, under the
Of many 'he are invaded rSd'f aSd ne IF
means taken to advance the welfare of
those only who are engaged in this indus
The principle involved in the bill under
consideration Is not how TO raise revenues
q m np1i Of i,,,yt
taxation, but to what extent the revenues
derived by direct taxation may, by legis-
poses of the ordinary expenses of govern
ment and used in aid of enterprises of in
a public character and thus aid in the in
aividuai interests and personal purposes Of
While the eonstitutonality of the measure
may be said to be an unsettled question
and should perhaps be left to the courts
weight Of judicial authority is to the erect eiet
that such legislation is Unconstitutional and
rights of the, individual citizen.
The principles involved are of vital inter-
e Se gh o to he
gv by aXatSn any portion of the property Of
h tha o deayR ss he DP onsr of ss
government may well be questioned. The
constitution declares that the legislature
every person and corporation may pay a
or its H .he hs her
vision is. undoubtedly intended to preclude
the legislature from levying a tax for any
other purpose Whatsoever
TAXES AND TAXATION DEFINED.
A tax is q sum of money assessed, under
on Of Of an the ia on for the bs Sge
of the state. Taxation by the very mean
,ng Of fun the nba tern implies the raising
rnising OF 1t for private objects and pur-
poses. II a tax may be collected for other
in ny,n tncf Ie
islaturee, thereby jsopardizing the consti-
in the acquisition and enjoyment of his
Ihse ef s no to the
islature can compel a majority Of the he citi- .f
2ens 2 to transfer to certain favored and se-
estate as they may deem eXpedient through
the medium of direct taxation. An act
passed by the legislature Of this state to
trees by providing that there shall be ex-
empt from taxation of the property of each {
Nebraska, plant and suitably cultivate one
or or more acres res Of forest trees for timber.
each acre SO planted and cultivated, in
wolves the same principle as the subject
ilaudable object-tRe Legislature undertook
to to reduce the amount Of taxes which, under
have to pay in support of the. government.
The supreme G9urt DECIDED that this law
IL
pay bounty discrlminates against ali who
are not directly benefited and compels them
he shRa that Similar
cases involving this principle have been
endns the S Shs1 nna the n
land. 1t has well been said in one of these
numerous cases that II there is any proposi--
uniform weight of judicial authority It is
that taxes are to be imposed for the use
manifold p purposes of government me and md not not
fo5 pyats or the special benefit q
is imposed by and for, the state,
The authority to indiscriminately tax the
must be limited. @ There IS and ST Should TseIs be
clear line of demarcaton beyond which
the taxing power cannot go.
CONFLICT OF EMOTIONS.
Nebraska is a young and thriving state.
New industries are continually being es-
tabiished, There is always connected with
Or less diticulty and unceranty Sy as to n1re the
success of the ventrue. All stand upon an
to the success OF these enterprises by Civ
Ing Ing bounties n,I through the medium Of taxa
limit, and the state. with its now depleted
treasury, yin aOIm'o soon be bankrupt ou'o,
terests of our growing young state and its
future prosperity would be best subserved
by absSnng from PbGy 3S that Is Ta%gh
many industries deserving as the favored
ones mentioned in this bin will doubtless
be knocking at the door of each recurring
legislature praying for the stimulus of a
bounty to be taken from the pockets of the
people At each recurring session the legs-
lature would be besieged with the repre-
sentatves of different industries, each
for the smile of legislative favor
at the expense of the great masses of the
people
The people of Nebraska hail with pleas
ure the establishing Of Industries within
the state. Every legitimate plant located
means the employment of labor and a
stimulus to business In that locality. All
fair minded citizens are loath to offer dis
to worthy enterprises. but the
taxation OF the people Of the entire state
for for the encouragement ,G. Of a few industries
and obnoxious to the people of the state
The theory OF compelling the masses OF
the people to contribute through the offices
OF the tax gatherer to the support of any
favored individual or corporation does not
find favor with the great body OF the
people
MERIT RULE SHOULD APPLY.