Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1920-06-05

Washington, June 1.-The bill to establish a national budget system was vetoed tonight by President Will son. The measure was held by the president to be unconstitutional be cause it took from the chief executive ! the power to remove the comptroller general and the assistant comptroller geenral officers who would be ap- pointed by him with the advice and consent of the senate.
 The president said he returned the measure without his approval with the greatest regret" because he was "in entire sympathy with it's ob- jects." He added that he returned it at the "earlest possible moment with the hope that the congress may find time before adjournment to remedy this defect '
 President Wilson in his veto mes sage said:
 "I do this with the greatest regret I am in entire sympathy with the ob- jects of this bill and would gladly approve it but for the fact that l re- gard one of the provisions contained in section 303 as unconstitutional This is the provision to the effect that the comptroller general and tho assistant comptroller general, who are to be appointed by the president with the advice and consent of tho senate, may be removed at any time by concurrent resolution of con gress after notice and hearing, wher in their judgment, the comptrollel general or assistant comptroller gen eral is incapacitated or inefficient ol has been guilty of neglect of duty, ol of malfeasance of office or of any felony or conduct involving moral tur pitude and for no other cause except either by impeachment or concurrent resolution of congress. It has, I be lieve been the accepted construction of the constitution that the power tt appoint officers of this kind carries with it, as an incident, the power te remove.
 "I am convinced that the congress is without constitutional powers tt limit the appointing power and its incident power of removal derived from the constitution.
 "The section referred to not only forbids the executive to remove these officers but undertakes to empower the congress by a concurrent resolu tion to remove an officer appointed b! the president with the advice ant comment of the senate. I can find ir the constitution no warrant for tho exercise of this power by the con gress. There is certainly no express , ed authority conferred and l am un F able to see that authority for th' , exercise of this power is implied il any expressed grant of power. Or :, the contrary, I think it's exercise il clearly negatived by section two O.
 article II.
 "That section, after providing tha certain enumerated officers and al . officers whose appointment are no 7 otherwise provided for shall be ap pointed by the president with thu
 advice and consent of the senate, pro
 vides that congress by law vest sucl |, appointment of such inferior officer as they think proper in the presi dent alone, in the course of law, or il , the head of the departments "It would have been within the con - stitutional power of the congress, il creating the offices, to have veste' the power of appointment in the pres l ident alone, in the president with tn Q advice and consent of the senate, 0
 even in the head of a department l Regarding as I do the power of re
 moval from office as an essential in Q cident to the appointing power, l ca n not escape the conclusion that tn = vesting of this power of removal i
 the congress is unconstitutional an y therefore I am unable to approve tn
 bill.
 "I am returning the biii at the ear
 Hest possible moment with the hop
 that the congress may find time he
 fore adjournment to remedy this de
 feet"