The Madisonian. (Virginia City, Mont.) 1873-1915, 1896-06-06
IT'S WASTE OF MONEY
President Disapproves of the
Eighty Million River and
HarbOr Bill.
Objects to Appropriating Pub
lie Money to Promote Pri-
Vate Ends.
Reckless Expenditure of Funds
at This Time Con-
demned,

AL .
the presidents message vetoing the
river and harbor bill:
To the House of Representatives:
! return herewith without approval,
house bill No. 677, entitled IAN act max.
ing appropriations for the construction.
repair and preservation of certain public
works on rivers and harbors, and for other
purposes" There are Az items of appro-
priation contained in this bill, and every
part of the country is represented in the
distribution OF its favors. 1t directly ap-
propriates or provides for the immediate
expenditure of nearly $14, 10000 for river
and harbor work. This sum is in addition
to appropriations contained in another bill
for similar purposes amounting to a little
more than s., 5000, 600, which have already
been favorably considered at the present
session of congress.
A More Startling Feature.
The result is that the contemplated i'm
mediate expenditures for the objects men
toned amount to about $17, 600, 900. A
more startling feature Of this bill is it's
authorization Of contracts for river and
harbor work, amounting to more than
$62,OOO,O00. Though the payments on
these contracts are in most cases so dis
>AN'o N"NS u w DC liz Ny lutUIG
appropriations, more than So, 900, 600 on
their account are Included in the direct
appropriations above mentioned. OF the
remainder, nearly $50, 600, 900 will fall due
during the fiscal year ending June so, 1898,
ana amounts somewhat less in the years
immediately succeeding. A few contracts
OF a hk character, authorized unler pre-
vlOus statutes, are still outstanding. and
10 meet payments on these, more thar
S4,OO,OD must be appropriated in the i'm
mediate future.
If, therefore, this bill becomes a law
the obligation which will b. imposed on
the government, together with the appro-
priatiOns made for immediate expenditure
on account of rivers and harbors will
amount to - 4
About Eighty Millions of Dollars
Nor is this all. The bill directs nunler-
Gus surveys and examinations which con-
template new work and further contracts,
and which portend largely increased .ex-
penditures and obligations. There is no
ground to hope that in the face of persis-
tent and growing demands, the aggregate
OF appropriations for the smaller schemes
not covered by contracts will be reduced
or even remain stationary. For the fiscal
year ending June 80, 1898, such a%ppropri-
ations together with the installments on
contracts which will fall due in that year
can hardly be less than $50, O0O, 900; and it
may reasonably be a%pprehnnded that the
prevalent tendency toward increased ex-
penditures of this sort and the conceal.
ment which postponed payments afford
for extravaganza, will increase the bur-
dens %chargeable to this account in sue.
ceeding years.
Some Further Reasons.
In view of the obligation imposed upon
me by the Constitution, it seems to me
quite clear that l only discharge a duty to
our people when l interpose my disap.
proval OF the legislation proposed. Many
OF the objects for which it appropriates
public money are not related to the public
welfare, and many of them are palpably
for the benefit Of limited localities. or in
aid of individual interests. On the face of
the bill, it appears that not a few of these
alleged improvements have been so i'm
providently planned and prosecuted that
after an unwise expenditure of millions of
dollars, new experiments for their accom-
plishment have been entered upon. While
those entrusted with the management of
funds in the interest of all the peo.
pie can hardly justify questionable ex.
p%enditures for public work by pledging
the opinions of engineers or others as to
the practicability of such work, it appears :
some of the projects for which appro-
priations are proposed in this bill has
been entered upon without the approval,
or against the objections of the examining
engineers
Working For Private Parties.
I learn from official sources that there
ire appropriations contained in the bill to ,
pay for work which private parties have
agreed with the government to do :
n consideration Of their occupancy of
public property. Whatever it was of
doubtful propriety that may have escaped
observation or may have been tolerated in
executive approvals of similar
oills, l am convinced that the bill now
lnder consideration opens the way to in
idious and increasing abuses, and is itself
20 ~extravagant as to be especially unsuited
o these times of depressed business and
e~sulting disappointment in government
evenues. This consideration is empha.
lied by the prospect hat the public treas
Try will be confronted with other appro-
'riations made at the present session of
ongress, amounting to more than $500.
10000.
Virtues and Obligations.