Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-06-03
SENATE PASSES 1T
The River and Harbor Bill Carried
Over tho Veto.
VEST CHALLENGES TEE STATEMENTS
Tho President Severely Criticised
by Several Senators.
NJ ATT ERS IN THE HOUSE

A contest for the right Of way arose as
soon as the Senate met today. Mr.. Vest
(Mo). who In the absence of Mr.. Frye is
in charge of the river and harbor bill,
sought to have the Presidents veto of that
measure taken up. This was opposed by
Mr.. Pettgrew g. d.. in charge of the In
dian appropriation bill conference report.
Mr.. Vest urged that the suspension and
possible destruction Of the work of i'm
provement of internal waterways was of
more moment than any other one subject,
save that Of the national honor. 1t was
imperative that the question be settled
now, so that if the veto was sustained, Ii
could be determined whether another river
and harbor bill was to be framed. The bill
and veto were taken up-yeas, SO; nays, 10.
me negative vote was cast by: Demo-
crats-Bate. Chiffon, Harris. Palmer. Villas,
5; republicans-Brown, Morrill, Pettigrew
Pritchard. Teller. 5; total, 10.
The veto message was then read.
The Veto Statements Challenged.
Mr.. Vest said the veto contained state
ments which. however much he might re-
spect the high office OF the President,
ought not to go unchallenged. The Senator
did not question the Presidents veto pre-
negative, but the trainers of the Constitu-
ton never had intended that this power
should be exercised in the ordinary affairs
OF the government. 1t was to be power
10 meet extraordinary emergencies when
popular passion had led to hasty Iegisla-
tlon, or when constitutional question was
involved The early Presidents, who stood
nearest 10 the Constitution, exercised the
veto power but seven times; twice by
Washington. five times by Madison and
never by Jefferson or John Adams
MI. vest then analysed the statements
oi tne veto concerning extravaganza. The
President had, he said, stated that the blll
made direct appropriations Of about s14-
OOO.oo. while in fact they aggregated 3I2 =
uoo.3O, a difference OF 81 ,3S1 100 This was
,ha characteristic of the exactness of
the emanations Of Mr.. Cleveland. who
never mad served in a legislative body and
seemed TO have tendency to minimize the
responsibility Of a legislator to his con-
stituents.
Mr.. Vest took up other items showing
tnat the totals were less than the Presi-
gent statements would Indicate The
senator said as to the general charge of
e6traVaSance, that in view Of the vast in
terests involved, the extent of the country
ana the fact that the river and harbor bill
covered TWO years. this measure was COM
paratlVeiy reasonable. There were items
open 10 question, yet, as in all legislation
'his was the result Of compromise
As to Serving Private Interest..
Mr.. Vest said he had addressed a letter
to Gen. Craighill, chief of engineers. ask
ing for the facts as to that statement of
official sources that the bill contained an
preparations intended to serve private in
terests The Senator said Gen CraiahilI
made no reply, but in response to a tele-
graphlc query answered that the letter had
heen referred to the Secretary of War for
Instructions
Up 70 this date no information had been
given. so that for reasons best known to
the administration" said Mr. Vest bitter
~, 1T Is considered best not to go into
lot a hos
general and rhetorical defamation as to
the alleged extravaganza and fayorit;sm
contained in It," Mr. Vest said he believed
one or the Presidents charges applied TO
'fe brunswick, Ga, harbor, one of the best
ana most economical improvements in the
country. The Senator spoke of the cheaner
rates or transportation resulting from i'm
proVements at the 500. New Orleans. Bal
uhlofe, New York, Boston and. elsewhere
In the platform On which Mr. Cleyeland
was first nominated was a strong plank for
waterway improvements, and his early mes
sages Endorsed these improvements Mr.
vest prophesied that in the near future
legislation would be directed to further
developing internal commerce and cheap-
enlng transportation.
MIR. Sherman on the Veto Power
Mr.. Sherman said he would vote to mass
the bill over the veto, because the improve
ment OF the waterways of the country was
one OF the most important branches of ma
lopal development, and one in which other
great nations were showing even greater
advance than the United States. The Sem
ator expressed the opinion. also, that the
an appropriation bill. The legislatjve
branch was given the exclusive right ito
appropriate money 1T Is time to curb
this daily exercise of the veto power de-
clared MIR. Sherman. ut is a most extreme
power and a dangerous one unless exer-
cised only in the most extreme cases in
volVing constitutional questions But this
wise restriction Is set aside. and we have a
veto every week or so, every day or So -
Mr. Smith On. j. said this discussion of
the veto power was not new. jackson had
seen mt to use it. and was followed ty
flerce ana Polk and this veto was in ac-
cord with established precedents. The Sem
ator SAID that, as result of personal in
qulry at the engineer department. he was
able to state that this bill contained arpro-
priations Of $40, 800 900 for projects which
had not been approved by the government
engineers, and $780, 900 for projects which
the engineers had reported unworthy
Mr.. Villas Defends the Veto.
Mr.: Villas CWis.) said that the bill con-
tained important appropria tions for his
state, but he could not bring himself to the
conviction that this great burden should be
added to the distressed shoulders Of the
people Of the country. He regarded the
criticisms of the veto by Mr.. Vest as OK
cessively minute and inconsequential The
President doubtless took the figures fur
nished by the engineers, speaking broadly
of the millions involved without particu-
lariZing to the last cent
Mi. Villas took up the extent of appro-
priations at this Congress. These, he said
would exceed 500, 000,0N before reaching
the river and harbor bill Congress had
come to dealing with vast sums as lightly
as would some oriental prince who had no
comprehension of values. The appropria-
tiOnS present
strip. Mr.. Villas said, those # the Con-
gress which became famous as the bill
lon-dollar Congress- 1t would impose the
highest measure of taxation ever put on
the people in a single year. and to the top
of this was to be added another $50. 600
600 for rivers and harbors. Where was the
money coming from. asked Mr. Villas: was
it coming from more taxation or more
bonds?
"Of cot Sc. the Secretary of the Treas
ury will have to stop paying when he has
no more money to pay with" exclaimed
Mr.. Villas, but Is it the desire of this
Congress to drive the treasury into bank
ruptcy?" The Senator from Ohio (Sher-
MANI, said Mr.. Villas, appealed for more
revenue, as though raising revenue was
some legislative trick. Instead of that,
more revenue meant more taxation sucked
with the tremendous force of law from the
product of labor and burning deeper the
stripes into the shoulders of labor Be