New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1896-04-22
SENATOR JONES ON THE VETO POWER.
HE THINKS ITS EXERCISE SHOULD BE RE-
srRICTED-MR CLEVELAND A CON- !
sPICUOUs OFFENDER

srRICTED-MR. CLEVELAND A CON- I
sPIcUoUs OFFENDER
Washington April p (speciaD.-Senator Jones' OF
Arkansas is one Of those Democrats VINO approve y.
Chauncey f. Blacks proposal to restrict the use OF
the veto power Of the next Democratic president "
. Democratic President can possibly De choseh' w
the incorporation Of a plank In the Natonai pia'-
form denouncing Its exercise for any such purpose
az the defeat Of a free-slver-coinage law
"a good many people" says Mr. JONES' oe
ueve that of late years the veto power
vs.taa IN IN. President has been abused. and
that Mr. Cleveland is the most conspicuous OF
all the offenders fully share IN that op'o'.
think the time has come when the question Oh ""a'
was intended by the veto power-what enos were "
be served by the exercise OF it-shoulo DE iu'y us
cussed and some expression formulated py the
Democratic party resolution covering the point
will he introduced at Chicago and vote caheo
for" ..
What are your own views about the mater
.T hold that the veto should not be used-was not
intended to be used-except In cases inVoi'hs Gun
stitutional questions or for the purpose OF chech-
ing hasty and impusive legislation: any other ooh
struction Of the power-any construction au'"o'-
ixing q general use of the power-s, In my )udg-
ment, a menace to majority rule. IL our "o'e'"
ment is anything. II is Government oy 'he "'aJoi
ity In all things pertaining to the peoples EVERYDAY
welfare. Congress has its powers. ana the fres'-
dent has his powers but 10 tame the e'"'N ''~>
the President may veto. and thus demand TWO
thirds vote on any measure which. had he been a
member of Congress, he would not have suppor'eo'
10 an affront to majority rule-an aHroht 10 ~o"-
sress It makes Of the President an everyday
LEGISLATOR and gives him more power than the nan
Of Congress I feel entirely certain that such was
not the intention Of the fathers. The Presidehuai
office is a great office but still designed TO be only
an executive office. II was never intenaeu 10 n y.
used TO enCroach upon the legislative once. &c &c
the DEPARTMENTS of the Government remain as
tinct the Executive shnnying on ms sue t ,d de
legislative its side and the judiciary on ts sioe
that the original INTENTION anu 10 ',o sers
that we have departed from II we are the losers.
at suggested SenaSs 6na5 sneh 10 the Presi
6enfiaI candidate; that man would be wiling 10
go into the White House with such l'mi'a'oh
placed him." - -, .,.. .r,,,
WHY should he be ofrended7 The convention VIII
not be asked TO place a limitation on him, put oniy
10 remind him OF the limitation when ialr anu H
candidate can object that. The question al issue
IA majority rule. and that Is the cornerstone vi
Democratic faith. No candidate should seek III, me
Is expressed by the majority he is not in SYM m:
nathy He cannot afford take office except as ms
partys representative and with the h thne
the candidate should wecomeIeven insist on
IL 40 explicit expression OF the partys views on
all matters with which ne VIII nave 20 c ca nossbv
platform means, and by knowing full wen wheIe
form What his election calls fo otherwise he viii
be liable 10 have to face public indictment, the
counts Of which will stick. .. cor.
There are men who go about sneer'ng at Son,
rress They are afraid Of Congress. Their faith
siWays is in the Executive. Such men ought 70 go
abroad This is not the kind Of a Government Ior
emmett. The people are the source Of all power In
this country. They are supreme