Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-09-26
THURSDAY EVENING SEPT. 26 1895.

took to nullily the laws of Congress, Of
the last session, appropriating money to
pay the sugar bounty for the year in
which the last tariff act was passed BY
which law the bounty was taken away.
The sugar crop had been pitched, all
ntracts made and expenses incurred,
under the faith and contract of the
bounty law of 1890. Mr.. Bowler did
not do his work secretly. He gave
ample notice. The Secretary of the
Treasury knew what Bowler was do
ing and refused to interfere by word,
look or gesture. To assume that the
President was ignorant of what was
going on is to impeach his intelligence
aud attention to the public interests.
The Secretary has remained perfectly
quiet. The President has been silent
and acquiescent over this monstrous &C!
of usurpation by mere bureau officer.
1t is BOW stated by New Orleans paper,
the Daily States that General Avery,
who is fishing aud hunting friend Of
The President, has lately seen the Presi-
d-nt at Buzz.rd's Bay, and that the
President had said that the payment OF
bounty was an obligation Of the govern
ment and that he would do everything
in his power to have the money PAID
with as little delay as possible" II is
a strange thing indeed, that upon mere
personal influence OF. q gentleman not
rated either as jurist or statesman,
the President should grant what he
had previously denied to the Louisiana
delegation in the two Houses
of Congress. II, however, he is
in earnest about it, we would
suggest that there is very easy way
{ reach the case. Let him remove the
arrogant official who assumes a power
not claimed by either the President or
the Secretary Of the Treasury, namely
power to nullify law of Congress.
l. is important to pay the money, ad-
nitted to be due by the President and
Congress, but it is far more important
to teach upstart officials that they are
not above the law they are sworn to
execute. Bowler decided against the
constitutionality of the law up
en- the allegation that all bounties
are unlawful and undemocratic.
1t is we'll suggested by the New
Orleans Picayuae that the same line
of reasoning would apply TO pensions,
and if he Is right in what he has done,
he should now cut of all the pensioners.
The Supreme Court at October Term
1894 (Frisbie vs.. the United States)
held, in these words, that pensions were
bounties: 1.-The pension granted by
the government to man who has pei
formed military service in defense of
the country is matter of bounty. No
peosioner has vested legal right to his
pension. Pensions are the bounties of
the government, which Congress has
the right to give, withhold, distribute
or recall at its discretion. "These words
are plain and unequivocal. If Mr..
Bowler is honest in his construction
aud has the power to annul laws OF
Congress, here is fine chance for him
to distinguish himself. He has saved
four or five millions due by the gov
ernment to the planters in Louis
lana, but he stands idly by
and permits hundred and fifty mil
lions of dollars every year to be wrunp
rs bounty from the pockets of the
people. The South in her poverty
pays not less than forty or fifty millions
as her share of this tribute. To pay
this sum involves an indirect tariff tax
alton of hundred or more millions, as
Mr.. Bowler himself would admit. Can
anyone gaiusay these facts? The
South gets little or nothing back out OF
this sum thus drained from her scanty
resources. Now if Mr. Bowler is hon
est and consistent, he can render a
great boon to the Taxpayers, and es-
pecially to the South, by annulling the
pension system as unconstitutional and
void. We have been told that absentee
ism was very bad thing for Ireland
because the profits OF estates are.collect-
cd and spent elsewhere. Here, how
ever, is an enormous sum taken every
year from the South and spent else
where. Louisiana's portion, direct and
indirect, annually exceeds the bounty
due for a single year under the law.
Relieved from such an intolerable bur.
Gen oil ,Gaxation, lands in the South
would rise in value, new industries
would start up and old ones prosper,
and Bowler perhaps live long enough
to see his monument reared in Virginia
and Louisiana by grateful people.
We think we see Mr.. Bowler making
SUI n decision as this. He thinks he
Can bankrupt an Cypress the planters
Of Louisiana, and that there will be no
cansure and no hereafter. ROBBED in q