The pioneer press. (Miller, Hand County, S.D.) 1893-190?, 1896-06-04

III" following message was sent with
the veto:
To the House of Representatives: / re-
turn herewith without lpp.oyil House Bill
Number 80. entitled "AH act makils APP
preparations for the construction. repair ami
preservation Of certain pubic works on
rivers and hurbors, AMI for other pIr-
poses" There are III items of appropriate
ton Contained in this bill, and every part
of the country is represented in the dis
tributiOn Of its IavOcS. 1t directly appro-
PIRATES or provides for the Immediate ok
p"nditure OF nearly ~Sl4,0so.OOo for river ard
harbor work. This sum is in addition 20
appropriations contained in another bill for
similar purposes amounting 10 a little more
than $500. bH. which have already been
favorably consile:ed at the present session
OF congress-.
The result is that the contemplated i'm
mediate expenditures Tor the objects men
toned amount "a about ST., etD,R D. \
NOR" startling feature OF this bill j. its
authorization Of contracts for river aud
harbor work amounting 10 more than s62,-
OGD,UD Though the payments on these
contracts are in most cases 80 distributed
thai they are 10 be met by future appropri-
atoms, moro than 5000, 900 on their aC-
count are included in the direct apprOpria-
tons above mentioned. OF the remainder,
nearly $50, M. 900 will fail due d'Iring the
fiscal year ending June 80, 1898, and " mounts
SpllhN nat less III TIE ears liilllfliIithS SUI
ceeding. A few contracts OF "A like char
actcr. authorized under previous statutes.
are still outstanding. and to meet payments
on these more than 81. 600. 900 must be APP
prOpriated in the immediate future.
If, therefore. this bill becomes a law, the
obligations which will be imposed on the
government. together with the appropria-
tons made for immediate eXprnditIre On
account OF rivers and harborS, will amount
to about
lightly Million Dollars.
Nor Is this al. Tin" bin directs numerous
surveys. and eSaminItions which COntem-
plate new work, and further contracts, and
which portpnd largely Increased expendi-
ture and obligations. There i no ground 10
hope that in the face OF persistent and
growing demands, the aggregate appropria-
tons for the smaller schemes not covered
by contracts will be reduced or even re-
main stationary. For the fiscal year ending
June 80. lSbb. such appropriations, together
with the in>tallmentS on contracts which
will fail due in that year, can hardly he
less than $50, OoD, 900; aud it may reasonably
be apprphPndrd that the prevalent tendency
toward increased expenditures OF this sort
and the conCealment which posi- ohed pay
ment affords for extravaganza. w!!l increase
the burden chargeable 30 this account in
succeeding years.
In view 81 the obligation imposed lpon
me by the constitution. 1t seems 10 me
quite HIpif llJt l bllN ulN''iiiEGe u hHlV %
our people when | inter1osp my diSap-
prevail Of the legislation proposed. Many of
the objects for which 1t apprOpriates public
money are not related To tn" public wei
fare. and many Of them are p~alpably for
the benefit Of limited localities or in aid
Of Individual interests. ON the face or the
bill. it appears that not a few OF these
alleged Improvements have been SO inn
pruvidently planned and prosecuted thar
after An unwiSe expenditure or millions or
dollars. new experiments for their accom-
piiShment have been entered upon.
While those entrusted with the manage
ment OF public funds in tn" Interest Of all
the people. can hardly justify questionable
expenditures for public work by p~eldging
the opinions Of engineers or others as TO
the practicability Of such work. 1t APP
pears that some Of the projects, for which
appropriations are proposed III this biiI'
have been entered upon without the APP
proyal. or against the objections OF the
examining engineers.
| learn from official sources that there
are appropriations contained in the Dll 10
pay for work which private parties have
actually agreed with the government 10 do
in consideration OF their occupancy Of pub
lie property. Whether it WAS Of doubtful
propriety inay have escaped observation, or
NAV have been tolerated IN previous eN-
ecutive approvalS Of similar bills. l am
convinced that the bill now under con
SidcratiOn Dp, n IN" way 10
IsSidious md Increasing Abuses,
and /: itself - PXtraYagant ~ 10 b." eS-
pcrlally unSuiirl 10 these times Of de-
pressed business and resulting disappoint-
mpnt ia government revenues. This con
sheraton j. emphasized by the prospect
that the public treasury Will be confronted
with other appropriations made At In"
present session Of congress. amounting TO
are than 5000. OOo. 900. Individual econ
omy and careful expenditures are sterling
virtues. which add 10 thrift and comfort,
Economy and the e]xaction of clear justi-
ticltiOn for the appropriation Of public
moneys bv the servants OF the people are
not only virtues. but solemn obligations.
To the extent that the appropriations
contained in this bill are inStiGatcd by
private interests and prone to local or in
dividual projects, their aiiowah"" cannot
fai, TO stimulate vicious paternalism and
encourage a sentiment among our people,
already to- prevalent that their attachment
10 our government may properly rest upoi,
the hope and expectation OF direct anu eS-
pcrial fayor>. and that the extent to which
they are realized may furnish an estimat"
of ia" value OF til" governmental care !
believe no greater danger "onfrOnts Us aS
a nation than the unhappy decadrnce
among our people Of a genuine ana trust
worthy love and affection for our govern
men a. the embodiment Of the highest ana
best aspirations Of humanity. AMI not aS
the giytr Of gifts ana because its mission
is the enforcement OF exact justice and
equality and not the allowance Of unfair
favOritiSm.
hope may be permitted Ia suggest,
at j time when the issue Of government
bonds 70 maintain the credit and financial
standing ~ the country IL II subject Of
criticism. that the contracts provided for
in thi, bill would create obligations Of the
United amounting to ST.. 100000 no less
biniiug thaa Is bonds for that sum.
-t,roypr tlpyela nd