The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1896-06-05

s0PHOLDS CLEVELAND
Senator Smith Eloquently
Advocates Sustaining
the Presidents Veto.
FULL TEXT OF HIS SPEECH
Forcible Denunciation of the Pres
ent Congress Extravaganza
and Hypocrisy.
FULL TEXT OF HIS SPEECH

WASHINGTON. June g., 1SS6.-The
Democratic party of New Jersey may
well be proud of Senator James Smith,
Jr::, for his loyalty to President Cleve-
land.seHe was one of the Immortal
five" who had the courage to vote to sus-
tain the veto of the River and Harbor
bill by the President. Not only did he
vote to sustain the Presidents veto, but
he made an able and eloquent speech de-
tending the position of Mr.. Cleveland.
The speech was an able argument against
extravaganza on the part of the Govern
ment in the appropriations for river and
harbor work at this time and thes full
text of it was
mr.. President, after listening to the
speeches of the Senator from Missouri
(Mr. vest), and the Senator from Ohio
CMr. Sherman, two of the most able,
astute. and adroit Senators in this body,
favoring the bill as they do, I hesitate to
offer views that differ from theirs. In
doing so, however, 1 feel than l am but
carrying out what I believe to be right
and proper.
ct desire to say at the outset, for the
benefit of the Senator from Ohio and the
Senator from Missouri, that the question
of Executive veto is not new in this
chamber. 1t is not of recent origin. 1t
dates back to the days of Andrew Jack
son, when he vetoed a similar bill, fol-
lowed by President Tyler, President Polk
and President Pierce, and coming dow
to the protest of General Grant. which,
j think, it would not be amiss for me to
IL 49, 7c-r 49,. ~
gress had passed a bill which did not
amount to one-ffth of the present meas
ure he said:
There is very great necessity fcc' econ
omy of ~expediture at this time, growing
out of the loss of revenue likely to arise
from a deficiency of appropriations to in
sure a thorough collection of the same.
The reduction of the revenue districts,
diminution of special agents and total
abolition of supervisors may result in
great falling off of the revenue.
1T may be a question to consider
whether any expenditure can be author
lied under the river and harbor a%ppropri-
alton further than. to protect works al
ready done and paid for. Under no cir
cumstances will 1 allow its expenditure
upon works not clearly national
with Jackson, Tyler, Polk, Pierce,
Grant. and coming down to President
Arthur. these bills have met Executive
disapproval. I dc not believe we need
any stronger rgume than the fact
that these men believed 1T necessary to
veto such bills to show that there is
something wrong, and has peen practi-
cally from their inception.
II desire to say. as far as concerns the
present veto, that a difference has arisen
those of the Snator from Missouri. The
estimates of one, no doubt, have been
computed and compiled by the engineers
of the Government, while the senator
from Missouri, who is as efficient as
they are, has arrived at figures which
differ with them.
But both are entitled to consideration.
50 far as the continuing contract system
is concerned, no one, so far as / know,
undertakes to find fault with that sys-
tenn, provided any is to be followed. l
great highways of navigation in the way
of river and harbor appropriations, but
at a time like this in the history of the
country, such as has never beer known
fore this body with a bill carrying &c.,
$4,000 for objects concerning the wor-
thiness of which the judgment of the en-
gineer corps has not been asked, and
when s., 500 600 is appropriated for OBJ
jectS which the engineers have reported
TO be unworthy, making a totai Of s12,-
100000 which this bill carries which does
not meet the approval of the engineers.
or as TO which their judgment or opinion
has not been asked, l say, MIR. President,
with these facts before us, and with the
present condition of the revenue of this
government, we are not justified in max
ing appropriations of this character with
out providing some means for their pay
ment."
The Senator from New Jersey was in
f1n - = 4Ifr -@fn ~ 1fc cnn0aI f-r
Senators White and Vest. The latter
said Senator Smith was laboring under
q miSapgrehensioR Tsgarding the report
their Recommendations. Continuing, Mr..
II desiE to say, Mr.. President, that
the stateinent I have made was made
after my personal call at the Department
of Engineers of this Government, and
the information was furnished to me in
hat way. So / made no mistake in MAX
propriated in this bill without any war
rant of fact or inquiry from the engi-
neers. and 81, 900 was appropriated
for objects which the engineers have re-
ported to be unworthy. This is $12, O00,-
900. I would not under ordinary circum-
stances oppose any measure which was
likely to benefit agricultural interests OF
This country. ! recognize the fact thai
the farmer and the manufacturer mus
go hand in hand, and what, is for the
benefit of one is for the benefit of The
Lie
Whilst the appropriations contained
Din this bill are extremely large, under or
binary conditions they would not receive
any objections at my hands, nor Should
my voice be raised OF my vote be cas-
against them, but with the revenues Of
this Government $50. 600, 900 less this yea
than the Expenditures, for Senators tx
vote for the passage of this bill, know
ing the facts which surrounds US, with.
out providing n means for the pay
ment of the expenditures, does not seen
to me to be wise, proper or prudent legis
1ation.
II desire to say, in conclusion, Nh
President, that with the necessity tina
follows the passage of such laws, will
the expenditure of these moneys, which
necessfdates the issuing of bonds il
order to raise funds wherewith to PAY
them. it does not seem to me consisten
for Senators who criticise the action o.
the Executive in issuing bonds to maxi
their issuance necessary by voting for
appropriation bills of this character
EEH