The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1896-06-06
LETTER FROM WASHINGTON.
Veto of the River and Harbor Bill
Free Silver and Democratic
Prospects.

WASHINGTON, ID. C., June 2, 1896.
The President returned the river and harbor bill
to the House of Representatives with his veto mes
sage on Friday This action had been generally
anticipated and caused surprise. The veto
message is based principally upon the ground
that Senator German stood upon in the Senate
when he urged an amendment limiting the annual
expenditure under the continuing contraets to SlO
1000 Mr. German first pointed out to the Senate
that the continuing contracts authorized in the
then pending bill amounted to a little over s6i,-
OOOOOO which was more than five times as great rs
the actual appropriations carried by the bill and
greatly in excess of any previous similar authority
contained in any preceding bill. He urged that
the present necessities Of the Treasury demanded
that the annual expenditure should be limited to
the extent provided in his amendment In his veto
message the President refers to these continuing
contracts as startling feature of this bill" and
the fact that, according to his calculation, nearly
twenty million dollars of this additional amount
will fall due in the next fiscal year he deems a
serious to the Treasury in its present cond-
ton and the chief ground for the interposition of
the executive veto.
Mr. German, in his speech, urging upon the
Senate the necessity the part of the Treasury for
the adoption of his restrictive amendment stated
that he urged the amendment because he was an
advocate of the policy of proper river and harbor
improvements and wanted TO record his vote in be-
half of the pending bill and see it become a law.
This conveyed an intimation that with his amend
ment rejected, he might not in the present condi-
ton of the Treasury vote for the BILL and it might
not become a law over the anticipated veto of the
President This has caused some speculation
among the friends of the BILL but the Senator has
given no intimation of what he will do. The posi-
ton of Mr.. German is regarded rs of little eonse-
quence, however, as far the fate of the bill is
concerned as the friends of the measure are conf
dent of sufficient votes in both branches of Con-
gress to pass the bill over the veto, with some to
spare.
A prominent Senator, few days ago, remarking
upon the consistency and fidelity with which Sena-
tor German had labored at the present session TO
relieve the Administration from the embarrassment
resulting from deficient revenue, said that there
were few ifany, instances in American politics in
which public man, who had conscientiously per-
formed his duty in the face of popular clamor and
oiiciI incompetency and received only SANDER
and misrepresentation as his immediate reward,
had had his vindieaton to follow so fast, full and
complete as Mr. German. 1t is fact now so patent
that no one is found bold enough to eontrovert it,
that but for the SO of additional revenue put
upon the tariff bill in the Senate, Tor which Mr..
German was so Unexpectedly centured at the time,
the annual deficiency in the revenues would now
be SlOOOOOOOO instead of S;0OOO,OOO. 1t is quite
gratifying rs an evidence of the patriotism of DEM
ocatc Senator'S that the principal defenders of the
Administration in Congress Mt the present time,
upon whom it chiefly relies for aid and cooperation
in its embarrassment are the men whom the Presi-
dent once inconsiderately accused of "periidy and
dishonor."
That reconciliation of silver will be written into
the Chicago platform as one of the vital principles
of the Democratic party seems now TO be n foregone
conclusion. Conservative estimates now figure the
majority of the silver in the convention at $50,
while it may and likely will be considerably in ex-
cess of that figure. Secretary of Agriculture Nor
ton, one of the most uncompromising Of the gold
men, has just returned from an extended tour
through the West and he reports the strong tide of
popular opinion in behalf of the white metal as
something remarkable He says that no one at this
distance can properly estimate its great force, and
that those who believe that the silver sentiment is
confined to the mining States are greatly mistaken.
The Secretary, who, prior to his recent western
trip, was one OF the most confident of those who
poohpoohed the idea of the ascendency of the silver
sentiment, now not only frankly predicts the nomi
nation off silver man for President at Chicago but
goes further and predicts his election in November
1t is remarkable how the opinion appears to gain
ground among many men who have heretofore
been credited with good Judgment in politics, that
silver plank in the Chicago platform will be
winniI g issue in the coming campaign. Many
conservative bimetallists who have heretofore ex-
pressed apprehension at the results that might
follow reconciliation by the United States alone
now say that this apprehension of disaster has been
exaggerated, and they express the belief that a
bold assertion of this policy by the United States
would be quickly followed up by the Other great
nations and the opinion of the leading silver men
that this the only of attaining international
action appears to find more general acceptance
The bond bill of Mr.. Butler was voted on in the
Senate this afternoon and heretofore predicted,
passed by small majority; but there is prospect
of it becoming law either at the present any
future session of this Congress,
Unless some complication arises over the Cuban
question, ths-will be the last week of the present
session. NERTAs.