New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-10-13
Urges Extension OF Veto
Power and National
Economy Plan.
WASTEFUL CONGRESS
NEEDS CURB, HE SAYS
Declares Law Against Presi-
dents Reelection Would En-
courage FearleSsness.

Inc ADOPTION OF DuuSV' '''FN
similar to that in the proposed new
New York State constitution was urged
by ex-President william Howard TAR
In an address last night before the STU
dents and officers Of Columbia CnlYer-
sity in the Horace Mann auditorium
The former President also came out TOT
six OF seven year term. when ne
said. would make tho President more
fearless, as he would not have to con-
slider a reelection.
Or. Nicholas Murray Butler, presi-
dent Of Columbia University, nitro
duced Mr.. Taft. Tho lecture, whicn
was on "Thc Presidency: It's Duties
Powers and Limitations" was the mrs.
In q series of six under the auspices OF
the Columbia Institute Of Arts and Sci
ences on the George Blumenthal Foun-
dation.
An extension OF the veto power OF
the President was also considered py
Mr.. Taft in tho course of his lecture
and he said that rather than any dan .
ger lurking in such an extension posi-,
tive good would result. He referred
particularly to the adoption OF a sys-
TEN whereby the President could veto
a part Of the bill to do away with OBJ
jectionable riders.
In part he said:
II am strongly inclined TO the view
that the term of the President should
he six or seven years, and that ne
should be ineligible thereafter such
a change would give 10 the Executive
greater courage and independence IN
the discharge Of his duties, and the
efficiency of administration in the last
twelve months Of a term would be
maintained.
81 think. too. Il would have been bet
ter for the trainers Of the Constitution
20 bring the Executive a little closer in
touch with Congress in the initiation OF
legislation and its discussion, notably
in the matter of budgets and the eco
nomical administration OF govern
mental affairs. 4,
"The waste OF money in river and
harbor bills, in public buildings, in the
establishment Of army posts and OF
navy yarGs at places selected, not be-
cause they are most useful to the army
and navy in the economic aomlnlstra-
ton of military and naval defences, but
because they are in favored districts
have had much to do with the increase
by leaps AID bounds of your actual
governmental expenditure. Every othei
government but ours has what Is called
q budget system.
81 don't mean to say that the heads
Of bureaus and even the heads or de-
partments in the Executive branch may
not be prone to extravaganza, but the
result OF my experience is that the
Chief Executive, because he is the one
whose method Of choice and the range
of whose duties nave direct relation 10
the people as a whole and the govern
ment as whole, IL most likely TO feel
the necessity for economy IN total eX-
penditures. 1t is as true OF the Gov
ernor Of state as it is OF the Presl-
dent Of The United States
"If New York succeeds in adopting a
system by which the Governor SUB
mits estimates and a budget OF ex
penditures and proposed revenue, ana
the Legislature of the State OF Ne"
York is forbidden to increase the estl-
mates by him submitted, the alarming
expenditure and extravaganza OF gov
ernment expenses will be halted"
Mr.. Taft compared the powers of the
President with those OF monarchs of
Europe, and showed that the President
has less power than the emperors OF
In
finitely less than the King of England.
He would not compare the English and
American forms of government further
than TO saw that the American is the
more rigid of the two because u sep
arates the mowers more distinctly.
He continued: "Our President has
no initiative in respect to Legislation
given him by law, except that OF a
~
After pointing out that the veto
power was used often by Presidents
when Congress differs with them po-
litically, Mr.. Taft remarked:
president Grant, President Harri-
son and had to face politically hostile
Congresses, which naturally led to an
expressed difference Of opinion be-
tween the Executive and Congress as
10 the wisdom Of proposed legislation
He then declared that in exercising
the veto power the President often
represents the entire country more
truly than does the majority OF the
two houses.
The evils resulting from lack OF
power to veto part OF bill were
then taken up.
"The Federal Executive Veto" Mr.
Taft said. "does not include the power
to veto part Of a bill. The lack oil
such power in the President has
enabled Congress at times to bring &c
bear pressure on him TO permit
legislation to go through that other
wise ne would veto.
at has been suggested that such ar
abuse of power by Congress, for tina
il certainly is, could be avoided by
giving to the President the power t.
appropriation bill. This power i
exercised by Governors in states, nota
blv the Governor OF New York State