The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1896-06-03
Cleveland For Economy.
Vetoes the River and Harbor
appropriation Bill.

W ASuINGTON, May ~ -ihe I0iioW-
ing message was sent TO the house
President Cleveland this afternoon We
:oing the river and harbor bill:
To the House of Representatives:
I return herewith approva! house
till No 977. entitled '.sn act making
app, opriations for construction. repair
and preservation of certain public works
on rivers aud harbors aad for other pur-
poses.
There are 4l71 items Of appropriation
contained in this bill and every part of
the country is represented III toe distri-
butioo Of its favors It directly appro-
PIRATES or provides for the immediate
expenditure of yearly $4,000, 900 for
river and harbor work. This sum is
in addition to appropriations contained
ip another bill for similar purposes
amounting to little more than S3.O00,-
600 which have already been favorably
considered at the prescut session Of
congress The result is that the cou-
templated immediate expenditures for
the objects mentioned amount to about
$4,000 600.
A more startling feature Of this bill {,
is ITS authorization Of contracts for river
and barbor work. amounting to more
than s62,Oo0;0Q0. though. the pay
menss on these contracts are in most
cases so distributed. that they are not
to be me: by future appropriations.
More than S3,00).o0o on their account
are included in direc. appropriations
above mentioned OF the remainder,
nearly $50 .0O0.000 will fall due dur
ing the fiscal year ending June 80.
1898, and amounts somewhat less iu
the years Immediately succeeding. A
few contracts Of like character, au
thorized under previous statutes. are
still outstanding, and to meet payments
CO these more than $4,000 900 must
be appropriated iu the immediate fu-
ture.
If. therefore, this bill becomes law,
the obligations which will oe imposed
on the government, together with the
appropriations made for immediate ex
peuditure 90 account Of rivers and hsr-
bors, will amount above $50. 00O.
Nor is this all. The bill directs numer-
Gus surveys and examinations mbich
contemplate new work and further con-
tracts, and which portend largely IL
creased expenditures and obligations
There is 10 grouod to hope that 10 the
face of persistent and growing de-.
uapds, the aggregate Of appropriations
for the smaller schemes not covered by
contracts will be reduced or even re-
main stationary.
For the fiscal year ending June 30,
1898. such appropriations, together
with the installmepts on con-
tracts which will fall due in that year,
can hardly be less than thirty millions
Of dollars; and it may reasonably be
apprebcnded that the prevalent tendency
toward increased expenditures Of this
SORT aud the concealmeDt which post.
poued payments afford for extravagance,
will increase toe burdens chargeable to
tbi. account in succeeding years.
In view Of the obligation imposed
upoo me by the Constitution. it seems
to me quite clear that I only discharge
a duty to our people when I ioterpose
my disapproval Of the Legislation pro-
poseG
Many of the objects for which it ap-
propriates public money are not related
to the public welfare, and many Of
them are palpably for the benefit Of
limited localities or in aid of Individual
interests. On the face of the bill. it
appears that not few of these alleged
ion improvements have been so improvi.
deptly planned and prosecuted that
after an unwise expenditure Of millions
of dollars, new experiments for their
accomplishment have been entered
upon.
While those entrusted with the man.
agemeut Of public funds in the interest
Of all the peple can hardly justify ques.
tiouable expenditures for public work
by pleading the opinions of engineers
or others as to the practicabiity Of
such work, it appears that some of the
projects for which appropriations are
proposed 10 this bill have been entered
upon without the approval Or against
objections made by them after examin-
ing the grounds.
learn from official sources that there
are appropriations contained 10 the bill
to pay for work which private parties
have actually agreed with the govern
meot to do in consideration of their oc.
cupsucy of public property.
Whatever items of doubtful propriefy
may have escape observation or may
have been tolerated in previous execu-
tive approvals Of similar bills. l am con-
u Il