San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1896-06-07
CLEVELAND'S VETO.
DEFINES HIS POSITION ON THE DE-
FICIENOY BILL.
Says Heirs of Claimants of Past Gen.
tury Are Not Entitled to Much,
Insurers to Nothing.
By Special wire to the SUNDAY LIGHT.


WAsHIN GTON, June Elm veto
ing the general deficiency appro-
priation bill, Mr.. Cleveland says (:
"To the extent that the constitu-
ton has devolved upon the presi-
dent the participation in legisla-
ton, l suppose his action on bills
presented to him for approval in
wolves the duty to be performed
like others pertaining to his office,
with care and circumspection, in
full view Of his responsibility to the
people in his obligations to sub.
serve the public welfare. 1t Is diff
ficult to understand why, under
the constitution, 1t should be neces-
sary to submit proposed legisla-
ton to the executive scrutiny and
approval, except to invoke the ex-
ercise OF the executive judgment
and invite independent exec.
utive action. Unpleasant in.
cidents which accompany the
use of the veto power would tempt
its avoidance, IL such course did
not involve the abandonment Of q
constitutional duty, and assent to
legislation for which the executive
is not willing to share the respon-
sibility. regret l am constrained
to disspprove this important APP
preparation bill so near the close
OF the present session Of congress.
L have, however, by immediate
action after it's receipt, endeavored
to delay as little as possible the re.
consideration of the pro posed legis-
lation, though / am obliged to con-
tent myself with less complete ex-
plantations of the objections than
would otherwise be submitted.
The bill has many features far re-
moved from the legitimate de.
ficiency bill and contains a num-
Der of appropriations which seem
exceedingly questionable. With
out noticing in detail many items,
/ shall refer to two of them, which,
in my judgment, justify action.
The bill appropriates one mill
lion, twenty-seven thousand,
three hundred and fourteen dol
lars and nine cents for partial pay
ment of claims which originated
in depredations upon our COM
merce by French cruisers during
the closing year OF the last cen.
fury. l have become quite fsmil-
lar with those, having congression'
al experience, as having been
pressed for payment at occasional
Intervals of repose, for nearly one
hundred years.
at is somewhat In fashion In
interested quarters to speak Of the
failure Of the government to pay
such claims as neglect and repudia'
ton by government; a denial Of
Justice to citizens who have sui
fered, or course the original claim.
ants for years have been beyond the
reach of relief. But as their de-
scendants in each generation be-
come numerous, the volume OF i'm
portunity and accusation cores
pondingly increases. II injustice
had been done In the refusal Of the
claims, it began early in the
present century and may be
charged against the men then In
public life, more conversant than
we can be with the facts involved
and whose honesty and sense OF
right ought to be secure from I'M
putation by the house OF repre-
sentatives. The committee re-
ported the facts connected with the
Claims, but apparently without
recommendation. No action was
taken on the reports. In 1903 a
resolution declaring that indemni.
ty ought to be paid was negatived
by a vote of the same body. A
favorable committee report was
made in 1907, but it seems no leg
islative action resulted. In 1918
an adverse report was made. The
senate followed by passage OF a
resolution declaring the relief
asked by the memorialists and pc
titioners ought not to be granted.
In 1922 and again in 1928
adverse committee reports on the
subject were made, the house
concluding with similar resolu-
tions.
"The presumption against these
claims arising from snch I'M
favorable reports and from the
failure of congress to provide pay
ment at a time so near the events
upon which they are based, can
not be destroyed by the interested
cry of Injustice and neglect OF