The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1896-06-13
ANOTHER VETO MESSAGE
President Objects to General De-
fciency Bill.
Defends His Right of Independent
Action on Lesislation--Erench
Spoliation Claims At
tackled.

Spoliation Claims At :,
tackled.
Washington, d. C. June G.-1.he pres
fdent sent a veto message to the house
of representatives o the general def
cheney appropriation bill this afternoon.
He replied briefly to the criticism of
Ills exercise OF the veto power and says
he has hurried the preparation of the
message in order that congress may
take action In the matter without delay.
The ground for the veto is the pro-
vision relating TO the payment of the
French spoliation claims. In the mes
sage the president says 1t Is difficult to
understand why under the constitution
1T should be necessary to submit pro
posed legislation to executive scrutiny
and approval except to invoke the exer-
else Of executive Judgment. II invite
independent executive action.
The unpleasant incidents which ac-
company the use of the veto power
would tempt its avoidance IL such a
course did not involve an abandonment
of constitutional duty and assent to leg
islatlon for which the executive is not
willing to share the responsibility.
q regret that ! am constrained to
d~isapprove an important appropriation
bill 50 neal the close OF the present ses-
sion of congress. l have, however, by
Immediate action after the receipt of
the bill endeavored to delay as little as
possible a reconsideration of this pro-
posed legislation, though I am thus
obliged to content myself with a less
a~,., ~ -. -, -; - -. 80 $500, ~IInnkf1-,
han would otherwise be submitted.
"This bill IS in many OF Its features
far removed from a legitimate deficiency
bin and it contains a number of appro-
priations which seem to me to be ex-
ceedingly questionable. Without no.
ticing in detail many of these items, I
shall refer to two of them, which, in my
judgment justify my action in the prem
Uses.
1.-THE bill appropriates s1,O27, 3l4.0 90
for a partial payment upon claims which
originated in depreciation upon our COM
merce by French cruisers and vessels
during the closing years of the last cen
fury. They have become quite famil-
liar to those having congressional eX-
perience, as they have been pressed for
recognition and payment, with occa-
sional intervals of reoose, for nearly
100 years. These claims are based upon
the allegations that France, being at
war with England, seized and CON
demned many American vessels and
cargoes in violation of the rules of in
ternational law and treaty provisions,
n contrary to the duty she owed to
our country as a neutral owe and to
our citizens; that by reason of these
acts, claims arose in favor of such of
our citizens as We're IDENTIFIED, against
the French nation-Which claims our
government attempted to enforce. and
that in concluding a treaty with France
In the year 1900, these claims We're ADAM
doned or r~elinquished in consideration
of the REIMBURSEMENT of certain claims
which France charged against us.
Upon these statements it is insisted
by those interested that we, as a nation.
having reaped a benefit in our escape
from. these French demands against us,
through the abandonment of the claims
of u citizens against France, the gov
eminent became equitably bound as be-
tween itself and its citizens to pay the
claims thus ~relinquished.
II do not understand it to be asserted
that there exists any legal liability
against the government on account Of
Its relations to these claims. AT the
term of the United States court Just
finished, the chief Justice in an opinion
concerning them Inc the action of con
gress in appropriating for their pay
ment, said: ~
1--WE think that payments thus pre-
scribed to be made We're purposely
brought within the category of pay
ments by way of neutrality-suspicious. of
grace and not of right"
The president says these claims have
been in an atmosphere of controversy
ever since they were conceived and that
when it is alleged that the abandon
ment of these claims against France
was in consideration OF great benefits
to the government, it is as confidently
alleged that they were in point of fact
abandoned because their enforcement
was hopeless and that even If any bene-
fit really accrued to us by insistence.
p their settlement in the course CT
diplomatic negotiations such result
gave no preteNt for taxing the govern
ment with liability to the claimants.
1T Is, 1 believe somewhat the fashion
In interested quarters, to speak of the
failure by the government to pay these
claims as such neglect as amounts to
reputation by the government and a
denial of justice to citizens who have.
suffered. or course, the ariginal claim
ants have for years been beyond the
reach of relief. but as their descendants
In each generation become more numer-
GUS. the volume of advocacy, importu-
nifty and accusation cor~respondingly tn
creases. II injustice has been done in
the refusal of these claims. 1t began
early In the present century and may
be charged against men then In public
life more conyersant than we can be
with the facts involved, and whose hon-
esty and of right ought to be Sc
cure from suspicion.
II have determined to submit this in
complete presentation OF my objection
to this bill at once in order that the
congress may act thereon without en-
barrassment, or the interruption of
plans for an early adjournment"
The Senate