The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1896-06-05
RIVER AND
HARBOR VETO.
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND GIVES
HIS REASONS.
1t Would Create Obligations to the
Amount OF 500, 100000.


Tho following message was sent to tne
House by President Cleveland Saturday,
Hetoing tho river and harbor bill:
'1O tie House IF Representatives
Il r"turn herewith without approval,
House bill No. 1917 entitled An act making
appropriations for construction. repair and
preservation of certain public works on
rivers and harbors and for other purposes
There arc four hundred and seventeen
items OF appropriation contained In this bill
and every part Of the country Is represented
in tho distribution Of its favors
1t directly appropriatss or proyides for
the Immediate expenditure OF nearly 5l4-
oVo. QUO for river and harbor work. This SUN
Is III addition to appropriations contained in
hhotn"r Dill Tor similar purposes amounting
10 little more than three million OF dollars
which have already been favorably consider
eel at the preset session of Congress-. The re-
sun IS tnat the contemplated immediate eN.
pendtuSo for the objects mentioned amounts
To about SlT.OO0,O0O. \ more startling feat-
ure OF this bill is its authorization Of contracts
900, 900.
In most cases 80 distributed that they are to
be met hy future appropriations, more than
:3Oo0.COo on their account are included in
direct appropriations above mentioned. or
during the fiscal year ending J uue 3Oth 1898
aud amounts somewhat less in tho years i'm
mediately succeeding. A few contracts Of a
Ike character, authorized under previous
statutes, are still outstanding aud to meet
payments on these more than ~ 900 600
must DO appropriated in the Immediate fu-
turr.
III, therefore, this bill becomes a law, the
obligations which are imposed on tho gov
ernment. together with appropriations for
Immediate expenditure on account OF rivers
and harbors, will amount to above eighty
millions of dollars. Nor is this all. The bill
directs numerous surveys aud examinations
which contemplate new work and further
contracts and which pOrtond largely increased
expenditures nnu obligations.
There Is no ground to hope that In the
face OF persistent and growing demands the
aggregate OF appropriations for tho smaller
schemes not covered by contracts will be re-
duced or even remain stationary. For the
fiscal year ending June 30 1898. such appro-
priationS together with tho installments on
contracts which will fall due in that year can
hardly b" less than $50 600 900; and it may
reasonably hc arprchended that the prevalent
tendency toward increased expenditures OF
this sort and the concealment which post
! pon"d payments afford for eXtravayance will
| increase the burdens chargeabie to this ac-
count in succeeding years. With the obllga-
| ton imposed by the constitution on me 1t
seems clear that only discharge a duty to
! my people when interpose my disapproval
| OF the legislation proposed. Many OF the OBJ
| jects Tor which it appropriates public money
| are not related to the public welfare and
many of them are palpabiy for the benefit Of
| limited localities or in aid Of individual
| interests.
ION the face Of the bill it appears that not
| a few OF these alleged improvements have
been so improvidently planned and prose-
| cuted that after an unwise expenditure or
millions OF dollars new experiments for their
accomplishment have been entered upon.
While those entrusted with the manage
| ment OF public funds in the interest of all the
people can hardly justityquestionabe be expen-
dituras for public work by pleading the
opinions Of engineers or others as to the
prncticability Of such work, it appears that
some or the projects for which appropria-
tions are proposed in this bill have been
entered upon without the approval or against
the objection OF the examining engineers.
II learn from official sources that there are
appropriations contained in the bill to pay
for work which private parties have actually
| agreed with tho government to do, in con-
sideration OF their occupancy OF public prop
| erty.
Whatever items OF doubtful propriety
| may have escaped observation or may have
been tolerated III previous executive approy-
ais OF similar bills, am convinced that the
bill now under consideration opens the way
To inSidious and increasing abuses. and is In
Itself 80 cXtravagant rs to be especially un-
! suited to these times OF depressed business
and resulting disappointment In government
| revenues. This is Emphasized by the PROS
pect that the public Treasury will be con-
fronted with other appropriations made at
the present session Of Congress, amounting
10 more than S5O0.0OO. COO. Individual
economy and careful expenditure are sterl-
! ing virtues which lead to thrift and comfort
Economy and tho exaction Of Justification
for expenditure Of pu blic money by the SER
wants OF tn. people aro not only virtues but
solemn obligations. To tho extent that the
! appropriations - ntained in this bill are In
| stigatcd by private interests and promote
| local or individual projects, their allowance
cannot fail TO stimulate vicious paternaiism
ana encourage sentiment among our
| people, already too prevalent. that their at
tachncnt to our government may properly
rest upon the hope and ex xpectation OF direct
and especial favors and that the extent to
! which they are realized may furnish an cs-
Innate o. tae value OF govern mental care
II believe no greater danger confronts us
as nation than tho unhappy decadence
! among our people OF genuine and trust
worthy Iovc and affection for our govern
t nent rs the embodiment OF the highess and
BEST aspirations oi humanity. and not rs tho
sl'er oi gitS. and because its mission is the
enforcement ii exact justice and equality
and not the allowanc. Of unfair favoritism.
Il nope may be permitted 10 suggest at q
tin" when the issue Of government bonds to
maintain IN" credit and financial standing OF
III" country Is Il subject Of criticism that the
contracts provided for in this bill would
/ Great" obligations Of tho United States
amounting to go, 900. ono no less binding
thar i:S bonds for that sam
lSiGn"d. GROVER CLEVELAND.
Executive Mansion, May 20, 1896"
The Sugar Bounty Law Is Valid.