The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-06-04
IT IS 5 AGAINST So
The Senate 0vtrrides CIsveland's Rivu
and HarbOr Veto.
PETTlGREW'S HOT ATTACK
He Says the President Dlsregards
His sacred Oath OF Office-Those
Who sustain the Veto Give
Their Reasons for Doing SO.

Washington. June 2-vest. who, IN
the absence OF Fry. Is in charge Of the
river and harbor bill, sought to have
the presidents veto taken up. Petite
grew. In charge OF the Indian appro-
priation conference report objected.
Vest urged that the destruction OF i'm
provements to international waterways
was OF more moment than any other
subject save that OF the national hon.
or. The veto was ordered taken up by
a vote Of u to 10
Vest said that the veto contained
statements which ought not to go
unchallenged. lie analyzed the veto
regarding the statements OF extrava-
gance. The president said that the
bill made direct appropriation q tli.-
O0O,OOO while In fact Il aggregated
only sl2,60s 900. He said considering
the vast interests involved. the meas
ure was reasonable. Vest said tho
platform on which Cleveland WAS lrse
nominated. was a strong plank Tor wa
ter improvements and his early mes-
sage endorsed these improvems
sherman said he would vote 10 pass
the bill over the veto, because The I'M
provement of the waterways of the
country was one Of the most important
branches of national development and
one In uslch other great nations were
showing even greater advance than the
United States. Moreover. the Iegisla-
tive branch was given the exclusive
right TO appropriate money"
III Is time to curtail this daily ex-
ercise Of veto power declared sher-
man. 1t is a most extreme power and
dangerous one unless eXereigtd only
In the most extreme cases involving
constitutional questions, but this wise
restriction Is set aside ard We Eave a
veto every week or so. every day or
So"
Smith said this discussion of the veto
power was not new. AS result OF
personal Inquiry at the engineer de-
partment he was able 10 state that this
bill contained. appropriations OF sio.-
500.0 900 for projects which had not been
approved by the government engineers,
and 1850. 900 for projects which the
engineers had reported as unworthy.
''Of course the secretary OF the treas-
ury win have TO stop paying when he
has no more money 10 pay With" ex-
claimed Villas. but Is II the desire OF this
congress to drive the treasury into bank
ruptcyY' The senator from Ohio (5her-
mani. said Villas. appealed for more reve-
nue.. as though realizing revenue was
some legislative trick Instead OF that.
more revenue meant more taxation suck-
ed with the tremendous force OF the law
from the product OF labor and burning
deeper the stripes into the shoulders OF La
bor Because OF this reckiessness OF ex-
pcnditure he would vote 10 sustain the
veto.
|
| appropriations. regretted that the at
tacks should be directed against the bill
which most benefited the agricultural
| classes.
| Pettigrew, In expressing the belief that
| the time had come for the constitutional
amendment limiting the veto power,
made a violent attack on the president.
THE present occupant of the white
house" continued Pettigrew. rs not con-
/ tent with the violation OF the constitu-
ton by the exercise OF the veto power
alone. but with utter disregard OF his
sacred oath OF Office, as well as OF tho
constitution. he overrides the laws, In
nuences congressman with patronage. en-
riches his favorites at the public ex-
pense. In fact, permits no restraint on his
imperial will. He has refused to enforce
tho laws of congress SO often that tho
list OF violations Is next only to the ve-
toes. lie has sold bonds at private sals
TO his favorites and former associates,
upon the terms and at a price many mil
lion dollars below the market price OF
the bonds on the day OF such private sale.
In view OF these facts IL was time for
congress 10 give some attention 20 these
usurpations. II this government Il 10
survive we can no longer look with in
difference upon the shameful autocracy
OF Grover Cleveland"
Bate supported the veto and opposed
the bill. The Issuance OF bonds Is be-
hind this measure. he said. or else a
tariff bill which would overtop even the
Mckinley bill Stewart opposed the
veto because he thought river and har-
bor improvements were meritOrious.
Hawley supported the bill and pointed
out its general features OF merhi.
Hill upheld the veto power. declar-
Ing that the fine distinctions ard Hmi-
tations which had been stated wera in
the brains OK senators. bu. not In the
constitution. Senators had quoted
Jackson. But Hill reminded them that
old Hickory himself inaugurated the
vetoing OF river and harbOr bills, and
In 1852 interposed the firas veto OF such
a measure. In conclusion Hill offered
a resolution proposing an amendment
I
| president may veto a specification OF
an appropriation bill without vetolng
I the entire.
Butler spoke OF the presidential use
OF patronage to influence legislation
and elections. This, with the veto
I power. made the president an autocrar
more dangerous than king OF England
could ever be.
This closed the speechmaking and
the vote was taken. resulting in The
passage OF the bill over the presidents
veto, yeas 56; nays 8. as follows:
Yeas: Republlcans-Aldrich. Allison.
Burrows. Cannon. Carter. Chandlsr,
Clark. Cullom. Davis. Dubois. Elkins.
Gallluger. Gear. Hale. Hansbrough,
Hawley, LCdg McBride. Mitchell tore-
gOn). Nelson. Perkins. Pestigrew.
Platt, Pritchard. Quay. sherman.
SAoup Squire. Tsller. Warren. Wet
more. Wilson and woicdtt-s3. Deno-
erat-Racon Berry. Briee. Faulkner.
: George. Gibson. German. Jones tAr-
kansasl. Lindsay. Nils, Mitchell (wis-
consin), Morgan, P-sco. Pugh. Till
man. Turpic. Vest. WalthaN and White
--l9, Pcpuhsts-Butler, Jones NE
vada). Peffer and StevIrt-t. Total. 5s.
These voting In the negative were:
| Bate Chiffon. HAL smith NilaS-S All