Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1896-06-04
YETOES Tue HARBOR BILL.
RECKLESS LEGISLATION
DISAPPROVED BY THE
PRESIDENT.
Ringing Message to Congress.

preparation bill. In his message the
president says that the bill contem-
plates the Immediate expenditure of
about $1,000 900 and continues:
"A more startling feature of this
bill is its authorization of contracts
for river and harbor work amounting
to more than siXty-two millions of
dollars. Though the payments on
these contracts are in most cases so
distributed that they are to be met
by future appropriations, more than
three millions of dollars on their ac-
count are included in the direct ap-
preparations. Of the remainder near
ly twenty million dollars will fall due
during the fiscal year ending June 30,
1898, and the same amounts il years
Immediately succeeding. A few con
tracts of Il like character, authorizing
under previous statutes, are still out
standing, and to meet payments on
these more than four millions of dol
lars must be appropriated in the i'm
mediate future. If, therefore. this
bill becomes q law the obligations
which will be imposed on the govern
ment together with the appropria
tiOns made for immediate eXpendi-
tureso On account of rivers and harbors,
will amount to above eighty millions
of dollars. Nor is this all. The bill
directs numerous surveys and eX-
aminations which contemplate new
work and further contracts and
which pretend largely increased eX-
penditures and Obligations.
NO HOPE FOR REDUCTION.
There is no ground to hope that
in the face Of the persistent growing
demands, the aggregate of appro-
priatiOns for the smaller schemes not
covered by contracts will be reduced
or even remain stationary For the
fiscal year ending June 30, such ap-
preparations, together with the in
stalIments on contracts which will fall |
due in that year, can hardly less than
$50, 600, 900; and it may reasonably |
be apprehended that the prevalent |
tendency toward increased eXpendi-
lures of this sort and the conceal |
ment which postponed payments |
afford for eXtravagance, will increase |
the burdens chargeable TO this &C
count in succeeding years
In view of the obligation imposed |
upon me by the constitution, it seems |
to me clear that | only discharge
a duty to our people when interpose |
my disapprova! of the legislation pro-
posed. Many of the objects for
which it appropriates public money
are not related to the public welfare
and many of them are pal pably for
the benefit of limited localities or in
the aid of individual interests.
UNwIsE JUDGMENT is SHOWN.
"On the face of the bill it appears
that not a few of these alleged i'm
provements have been so improvi-
IDENTIFY planned and prosecuted that
after an unwise expenditure of mil
lions of dollars, new experiments for
their accomplishments have been en-
tered upon.
while those entrusted with the
of public fund in the
interest of all the people can hardly
justify questionable expenditures for
public work by pleading the opinions
of engineers or others as to prac-
ticability of such work, it appears
that some of the projects for which |
appropriations are proposed in this |
bill have been entered upon without
the approval or against the objections |
of the examining engineers.
TO ENRICH PRIVATE PURSES.
II learn from official sources that |
there are appropriations contained in
the bill to pay for work which private
parties have actually agreed with this
government to do, in consideration of
their occupancy of public property.
"Whatever items of doubtful pro
priety many have escaped observa-
tion or may have been tolerated in
previous executive approvals of SINH
lar bills, l AIN convinced that the bill |
now under consideration opens the |
way to insidious and increasing abus-
es and is in itself SO eXtravagant as to
be especially unsuited to these items |
of depressed business and resulting
in the revenue.
This consideration is emphasized by |
the prospect that the public treasury
will be confronted with other appro-
priations made at the present session
of congress amounting to more than
five hundred millions of dollars.
"lndividual economy and careful |
are sterling virtues
which lead to thrift and comfort.
Economy and the eXaction of clear
justification for the appropriation of
public moneys by the servants of the |
people are not only virtues but sol
emn obligations.
HELPS VICIOUS PATERNALISM.
ITO the extent that the appropria-
tions contained in this bill are insti- |
gated by private interests and pro-
local or individual projects, their al |
lowance cannot fail to stimulate a
vicious paternalism and encourage a
sentiment among our people, already |
too prevalent, that their attachment |
to our government may properly rest |
upon the hope and expectation of
direct and especial favors and that |
the extent to which they are realized |
many furnish an estimate of the value |
of governmental care.
Il believe no geater danger con-
fronts us as a nation than the unhappy |
decadence among our people of gen
uine and trustworthy love and affect |
ion for our government as the EN-
bodiment of the highest and best as
plratlons of humanity, and not as the |
glver OF gifts, and because its mission |
is the enforcement of exact Justice
and equality and not the allowance
unfair favoritism.
Il hope may be permitted to sug-
gest at time when the issue of gov
ernment bondst to maintain the credit
and financial standing of the county