The citizen., 1921-08-11

on will he known as the budget com
mittee. The amendment will give the
President OF the United States the
power to veto any appropriation bill,
either In whole OF In part. $50 that he
may exercise his discretion In elimi-
mating any Item which to him seems
extravagant. wasteful and unwise."
The quoted words are those Of Repre-
sentative Madden.
The Constitution Of the United
States gives the President the power to
veto any bill as a whole. but II does
not give him the power TO veto parts
Of bills. OF course II Is easily seen
that TO give the executive power to
veto parts Of all kinds Of legislation
might result In an abuse of power, and
IN infinite confusion. but appropria-
tion bills are one thing and other kinds
OF bills are another thing.
Through the whole legislative history
Of the United States the appropriation
bills at different times have been made
the medium Of carriage Of legislation
which the dominant party desired to
see enacted into law and which II
thought would receive the Presidents
signature because II he did not sign
the bill as whole the department OF
government for which the appropria-
tions were to be made would have to
cease functioning, or at least would
have to run on credit until another ap-
propriation bill could he passed.
Seniority Rule 10 Broken.
A rule which only rarely is broken
was violated when Rep. Martin
,B. Madden was chosen by his
party I'm the house of representatives
10 be the head Of the budget COM
mittee Not long ago Representative
Good of Iowa. who was the chairman
OF the enlarged house appropriations
committee, now called the budget com
mittee, resigned from congress The
second ranking member Of the COM
mittee Uwas Representative Charles II.
Davis of Minnesota. The third rank
ing member was Madden Of Illinois.
Instead Of following the usual rule Of
seniority In promotion. Mr.. Madden
was chosen for the craftsmanship.
Just before the selection of Mr..
Madden there was strong drive In
behalf Of Representative Theodore II.
Burton of Ohio, one time chairman OF
the house committee on rivers and
harbors. one time United States sen
ator. and one time prominent candi-
date for the Republican nomination for
the presidency. Mr.. Burton is known
as one of the scholars In politics."
In this respect being placed alongside
Henry Cabot Lodge Of Massachusetts
and John Sharp Williams of Missis-
sippi. There were 2S5 votes cast In
the election of the chairman. 143 be-
ing necessary for a choice. The ILL
nOis man received ten more than the
necessary number.
May Delay Tariff Action.
The house has passed the Fordney-
Penrose tariff bill, for SO probably
will the present customs legislation
be known to economic history. The
senate possibly may take up the tariff
bill and put it through before tackling
taxation but the chances seem to be
that 1t will mark time on tariff and
wait until the house has passed the tax
bill so that upper house consideration
may given to that measure first.
Nothing rotates like the tariff. 1t
is a "go-round," but whether or not
1t is a "merry-go-round" depends upon
the viewpoint.
When one writes Of the varying
viewpoints ON tariff measures he gets
u sharp realization Of extremes. Mr..
FOrdney, who Is chairman of the
house committee on ways and means,
and the house father Of the present
tariff bill. occupies a field far re-
moved from that In which Mr.. Under
wood, formerly of the house. but now
Of the senate, has taken his place.
Yet Mr.. Underwood of Alabama. COM
ing from a manufacturing district, Is
not as markedly low tariff man as
are many of f1s Democratic colleagues.
Perhaps the greatest difference In the
viewpoint of two men on tariff legis-
lation is that which lies between the
position taken by Mr.. Fordney and
that taken some years ago by Mr.. VIII
son, who fathered the Democratic bill
Of the Cleveland administration.
A Republican representative, a
believer In high tariff legislation, has
Just told me that even his Repub-
ncan colleagues are willing to admit.
because they must admit. that tariff
legislation this year Is to some extent
legislation In the dark. II Is the eco
nomic situation ID Europe which
makes things SO uncertain. Not all
the wisdom In the house and In the
senate Is sufficient TO brighten the eye
of knowledge so that II can look into
the future and see what is going to
happen. When Europe begins TO get
on Its feet industrially II may be that
there must be revision of some OF the
schedules of the tariff bill which Will
pass congress at this session.
II is the uncertainty In the case
which accounts for the comparative
lack OF interest which the represent
atiyes OF American industries showed
in the preliminarles of tariff legisla-
tion this year.
CO thasa "a admission that tho nraa