Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1896-06-04
PUSHING IT ALONG.
The Senate Also Passes the
River and Harbor Bill
Over Presidents Veto, By a Vote Of
Sc Yeas and S Nays.
President Signs Two Measures Be.
comes Law Without II.

river and harbor bill Vest discussed
the Presidents message in detail, and
pointed out the various inaccuracies
in it. Among these was the statement
that the bin appropriated directly
about $14.000,OO0 and covered continu
ing contracts to the amount Of $62 900,
600 The former sum exceeded the ac
tual figures by 81 300, 900. and the latter
sum by 81. 343,o0
The President. Vest said, rhetoric
ally charged Congress with extrava-
gance: but If the President had turned
to the river and harbor bills enacted
in the last six years he would have dis
covered. considering the size of the
| country and demands of internal COM
merce, that the bill was comparatively
economic. Then il had to be remem-
bered that the appropriation was not
for one year but for two years. so in
stead OF an appropriation or about sl4,
900 900, as the President said the amount
| to be spent in the next fiscal year
would not be more than 100000
| As to the Presidents intimation that
| the payment of So 900, 900 covered by
| the bill was binding as a bonded debt
OF the government. Vest mildly sug
gosted to the President there was no
| interest on it. 1t did not propose, to
| use another express of the President
| TO mortgage posterity."
Sherman gave reasons why he should
| vote for the passage of the bill not
| withstanding the Presidents objec-
| tions. He did not think such appro-
| priation bill ought ever TO be vetoed
under any circumstances. 1t was not
| a mandatory provision. but merely a
premissive one. If the secretary of the
| treasury said there was no Money in
| the treasury not otherwise appro-
! priated'' he was not bound to expend
| it. So that the President had complete
control of the whole matter He could
| not conceive a case where such a bill
| should be vetoed Vetoes he said, came
| to one House or the other now almost
| every day. Congress ought to curb, or
| check, If possible the exercise of the
veto power
| Smith. Dem. of New Jersey said that
| similar bills had been vetoed by Presi-
dents Jackson. Tyler, Polk and Pierce :;
in 1876, President Grant sent protest
| to Congress against river and harbor
bill which did not appropriate one-fifth
/ " tAiS a4ipuhN dPPAVPt iaNNH ~ ehS
| pending bill.
| Villas, Dem. of Wisconsin. said he
could not support this measure. which
| will impose such great additional bur
| dens on the people at a time when a
| period of distress left them less capa-
BILE than other times to sustain them.
Berry Dem, of Arkansas, argued in
| favor of the passage of the bill. 1t was
| of the most vital consequence. he said
to the people of the Mississippi; valley.
Pettigrew. Rep, of South Dakota.
| favored overriding the veto. He
characterized the veto power as relic
| of the past which had no place in a
| free government. He denounced the
| President in severe terms, charging
| him with the utter disregard of his
sacred oath of office. as well as of the
| constitution, with overriding the laws.
| influencing congressman by the use
| of patronage, enriching his favorites
| at the public expense and in fact. per-
hitting no restraint but his imperial
| will
Bate. Dem, of Tennessee, spoke in
support of the veto. He asserted that
| the issuance of bonds was behind the
| bill, or else tariff bill that would
| overtop the Mckinley bill.
Hawley, Rep. of Connecticut. OPP
posed the veto and expressed regret
| that the President had seen fit to speak
of the unhappy decadence of peoples
respect for the government. He was
sorry to find that the President was
dominated by such a spirit of pessim
ism. There was no decadence of the
respect of people for the law and gov
eminent.
Hill. Dem. of New York, upheld the
veto power against the criticism upon
it and reminded the Democratic side of
fthe House that President Jackson in
nugurated the vetoing of the river and
harbor bills The last veto of a river
and harbor bill, Hill said, was by
President Arthur, in 1882 The veto
now under consideration was based on
the grounds of expediency, laying
stress on the enormous amounts to be
expended now and in the immediate
future.
Hill regretted that the constitution
did not give the President the power
to veto particular items in the bill He
introduced joint resolution propos-
ing an amendment to the constitution
giving the President the power to veto
items in the appropriation bills. 1t was
read and laid on the table.
Butler thought Hills proposed
amendment quite consistent with that
senator's action, yesterday, against the
bond bill. Butler also proposed con-
stitutional amendment in regard to the
veto power-giving the majority in
each House the power to pass bill
over the Presidents veto.
At the close of Buffers remarks. the
vote was taken and the river and har-
Dor bill was passed over the Presidents
veto by the necessary two thirds ma
jority: Yeas. S. nays. 5; as follows:
Yeas-Aldrich, Allison. Bacon, Berry,
Brice. Burrows. Butler, Cannon, Car
ter. Chandler. Clark. Cullom. Davis,
Dubois, Elkins, Faulkner, Gallinger,
Gear. George. Gibson, German Hale
Hansbrough, Hawley, Jones Of Arkan-
sas. Jones Of Nevada, Lindsay, Lodge,
Mcbride, Mills. Mitchell of Oregon
Mitchell of Wisconsin, Morgan. Nell