New-York tribune., 1896-05-30
,,rrOED BY THE PRESIDENT.
.r,,rp AND HARBOR BILL RETURNED
'hA WITHOUT APPROVAL.
,oxs TO THE MEASURE BASED CHIEFLY
s,,e,r OF RAPAcIrY AND GREED
WHICH Mr.. CLEVELAND THINss HE
srrs IN coNGREss-REPAss'GE

PRACTICALLY CERTAIN
, -rrEoRArE TO THE TRIsuNE]
.,,c.on Nav 2Q-The Presidents message
,ha River and Harbor Appropriation DILL
w.., rsached the House Of Representatives, this
s" created no surprise at the Capitol. Inc
I' hos been unanimous e'er since the pas
S'H0 .ho hill that II would encounter the Presl-
~. .u,nbatic disapproval. md the only inter-
~. l., Tho veto has turred on the probable
:, ohiection TO be yaised by the EXecu-
/ p a. ono can doubt that the President mas
"e ,bs hill with the Intention Of protecting
WV. r.roruas depleted by this Administrations
ps ~ e,o;o, nobcv let M Cleveland Is still
-.,rg 70 admi; the deplorable failure Of the
n,"..-corman Tariff act to produce sufficient
..s.nus 10 meet the wants OF the uoNeiHi"e"'
'' ~ weakly tries to shift the motive Of his
-,,o ,r,m evident economical TO pureiy "io'ai
w" a, unwilling TO confess that the Treasury
y. nav its debts only by issuing bonds ana sun
s,,Lny 10 the comfortable Administration
....rv that there Is a more than satisfactory
"..,rs IN hand. Mr.. Cleveland seeks to reouKe
Cess not for its extreme liberalty, but Tor
.v. .rnnosed spirit of rapacity and greed Whlch
easily discovers in all other public servants
h,r,sef II is practically certain that the Dill
.,, =. rsosssed in both houses over to-day's Veto
TUE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
r,s veto message is as follows:
IN the House OF Representatives ,,,,
~ ~ .a,urn herewith without approval House Dill
numbered 1871 entitled AN Act Making Ap
A"nr,a,lons for the Construction, Repair ana
ppssrvation Of Certain Public Works on Rivers
arS Hsrbors and for Other Purposes. There are
;onr hundred and seventeen items or approPria-
ian contained In this bill. and every part OF the
I'd In, G.
Hvors II directly appropriates or provides for
ssimmediate expenditure Of nearly fourteen mil
Inns OF dollars for river and harbor work: inns
sum s In addition to appropriations cohtalheu IN
.ro,her bill for similar purposes amounting 10 a
Ntle more than three millions OF dollars. WhCh
nave already been favorably considered at the
prssent session of Congress. The result is that
ihe contemplated immediate expenditures lor tne
objects mentioned amount 10 aoou' So'V"
millions of dollars
more startling feature Of this Dill IS us au-
thorzatlon OF contracts for river and haroor Work
amounting to more than sixty-two millions OF uoi-
lars Though the payments OF these CONTRACTS
are In most cases so distributed that they are 10
be met by future appropriations. more than thTee
millions of dollars their account are lncluueu
IN the direct appropriations above mentioned. VI
the remainder nearly twenty millions OF dollars
will fall due during the fiscal year ending June
80 1893 and amounts somewhat less IN the years
Immediately succ ceedng A few contracts OF
Ike character authorized under previous statutes,
these more than four millions of dollars must be
appropriated in the immediate future.
THE OBLIGATIONS INCURRED.
H. therefore. this bill becomes law the obf-
cations which will be imposed on the Govern
ment, together with the appropriations made for
Immediate expenditure on account Of rivers and
hrbors will amount to about eighty millions OF
alars Nor is this all. The bill directs numer-
Gus surveys and examinations which contehn,
plate new work AID further cphUdc'ss;; aiIn
which portend largely increased e&-enditures
and obligations. There is no ground for nope
that in the face Of persistent and growing de-
mands the aggregate of appropriations Tor the
smaller schemes not covered by contracts Will
be reduced or even remain stationary. For the
fiscal year ending June 30 1898 such appropria-
tons. together with the instamerts on con-
tracts which will fall due in that year. can hard
ly be less than thirty millions Of dollars
and IT may reasonably he apprehended that the
prevalent tendency toward increased eXpendi-
lures Of this sort and the concealment which
postponed payments afford for extravaganza Will
Increase the burdens cha geable TO this account
In succeeding years
In view Of the obligation imposed upon me by
the Constitution. il seems 10 me quite clear that
only discharge duty to our people when /
irterpose my disapproval OF the legislation pro-
posed. Many Of the objects for which IL appro-
pirates public money are not related to the pub
lie welfare. and many of them palpably for
the benefit Of limited localities or in aid Of In
pears that not a few of these alleged improve
ments have been so improvldently planned and
prosecuted that, after an unwise expenditure Of
millions OF dollars, new experiments for their ac~
c0mpllshment have been entered upon.
While those intrusted with the management OF
puohc funds In the interest Of all people can
hardly justify questionable expenditures for pub
he work by pleading the opinions Of engineers or
others to the practicabiliy OF such work. 1t ap
pears that some Of the projects for which appro-
priatlons are proposed In this bill have been en-
.eleo upon without the approval or against the
OBJECTIONS OF the examining engineers. i learn
from Official sources that there are appropriations
contained In the bill to pay for work which private
parties have actually agreed with the Govern.
Ment 10 do, In consideration Of their occupancy or
public property.
LECTURE on "PATERNALISM."
Whatever items of doubtful propriety may have
escaped observation or may have been tolerated
:" previous Executive approvals Of similar bills.
.n' convinced that the bill now under considera-
w" opens the way to nsidious and increasing
Nses ana Is In itself 20 extravagant as to be es-
' unsuited 10 these times Of depressed busi-
-..s a"a resulting disappointment in Government
nnosrae; inis consdera tion is emphasized by the
frontss t snat The public Treasury will be con-
nresen. win other appropriations made at the
present session OF Congress- amounting TO more
Acono .e hundred million dollars. Individual
tuss ~ ana careful expenditure are sterling vir-
ana ,h hen eao 70 thrift and comfort. Economy
,eAacton Of clear justification for the APP
th.on he nao.I OF public moneys by the servants OF
TONS 'o' ohiy virtues pu' soieihh oohsa-
h,s,. s,r rAtent that the appropriations contained
rsso, VI, are instigated by private interests and
ns.Ioc local or individual projects their allow
ma fa TO stimulate a vicious paternal-
ln,S'a encourage sentiment among our people
eycw 100 prevalent, that their attachment 10
s1serhment may properly rest upon the hope
Mt MtvVtduon OF direct and especial favors, and
iurr,sSe extent to which they are realized may
ar es1 an estimate Of the value Of Governmental
sNs.ddLo believe no greater danger confronts US as
peons u. than the unhappy decadency among our
ton III VI genuine and trustworthy love and affec-
hrhss.t our Government as the embodiment OF the
a. fhs ana best aspirations Of humanity, and not
u, ,sn, sver Of gifts, and because its mission is
bot tSs Of exact Justice and equality and
Itne allowance OF unfair favoritism
sbss ~ may be permitted to suggest, at a time
he ..s .ne issue of Government bonds to maintain
lsh,s..t and financial standing Of the country is
fcr /. OF criticism, that the contracts provided
Cpi,sa ,nis Dill would create obligations OF the
doIsrs states amounting to sixty-two millions Of
s.~'o' no leSG binding than bOnda for haf