The Washington herald., 1909-03-23

The President promptly vetoed this
measure To understand why he did 50
reference must be made 70 the so-called
distribution act" alluded TO above. At
this time the government was selling it's
public lands. and when the Treasury was
full 20 overhOwing this act was passed,
providing for the distribution TO the
states Of all the money received from the
sale Of these lands. The measure had IN
1t a proviso. however, to the effect that
whenever fl became necessary TO revise
the tariff upward iu order 20 secure more
revenue this distribution should be sus-
pended so long as that higher tariff re-
mained in force. It was intended To pro-
tect the Treasury and ObvIate higher tar
ST taxes. The little tariff biu' repealed
this provlso. making distribution TO con-
tlEue whether the tariff was raised or not
and whether the Treasury could spare the
funds or not. This led President Tyler to
veto The measure, his position being that
so long as the Treasury needed the money
for current expenses it was not expedient
70 turn IL over 20 the States
With this bill vetoed, Congress set 20
work 10 frame another. A majority. pos
sibly, was in a mood 10 pass the bin over
Tyler's veto. but found that the necessary
two thirds in both branches could NOT he
obtained. In the preparation Of the sec
ond act the repeal OF the distribution pro-
visO was again tied 10 il. Congress evi-
dently thinking that the President would
not dare assume the Onus OF vetoing a
second bill, even # I'm approving IL he
would have 20 provide for the repeal Of
the inhibition against distributing the pro-
ceeds OF land sales 70 the States But in
"A -s-fr-
for Tyler promptly vetoed the measure
He took the ground that il was not prop
er 10 distribute the proceeds Of land sales
tc the states so long as they were needed
20 meet the current expenditures of the
government and that the distribution act
itself had provided for just that cOntln-
gency. Therefore. he held, Congress could
not intimidate him into signing a repeal
OF that provision by attaching such re-
peal as rider to a tariff measure.
The anger aroused in Congress by the
Secret Service messages of President
Roosevelt was only a mild form OF irri-
tation beside the wrath OF the Twenty
seventh Congress at this second veto from
President Tyler. Extreme measures were
resorted TO. John Quincy Adams. who
had not got along any too well with Con-
gress when he was President, was now a
member OF that body. and was made
chairman Of the committee that was 20
apply the Congressional slipper to the re-
fractory President The committee went
so far as to propose a constitutional
amendment permitting Congress to over
-ide a veto by a majority vote. It also
held that Tyler should be impeached Ty-
Ter sent in a protest, which was treated
votes could not be secured TO override the
veto. and the second tariff bill passed by
the Twenty Congress was .retirea
TO the limbo OF laws that might have
been
The period that followed was one Of the
storIniest ever witnessed in the Congress-
OF the United States. SO closely drawn
were the lines Of battle that almost a
hair turned the balance. It was f-st
planned 70 divest the vetoed measure OF
the Objectionable rider repeating the pro-
visO against distribution of the proceeds
OF land sales. but there were Wings who
preferred no tariff at eli rather than one
which prevented the distribution of the
land funds 10 the States. and there were
Democrats who would rather see things
remain in their upset condition than have
Congress pass a tariff law which Tyler
could sign. However. there were patri-
otto members OF both parties who labored
strenuously 20 pass a proper tariff meas
ure, and after repeated defeats they were
finally able TO score the ultimate victory.
The expedient by which the vetoed tar
If bin was finally got before the House
again was to divest 1t Of the "distribu-
ton clause and then offer it as a substi-
tute for some unimportant measure OF
another nature that was pending Such
narrow margin between the two forces
in Congress has seldom been seen. There
was the widest confusion. The vote on
engrossing the bill was announced to be
yeas 100. nays 10l. On the verification OF
this vote il was found 70 be a tie. Speak