Evening star., 1924-05-21
Vicious Legislation by Rider.

The fundamental vice of legislation
by rider on an appropriation bill is
the coercion which il involves, some
times of the Senate by the House or
vice versa, sometimes of the President
by Congress.
The appropriation acts supply the
money to maintain the government
in accordance with the requirements
of existing law. They must be passed
promptly and regularly every year to
keep the machinery of government
running.
If attempt is made to change the
law by smuggling into the appropria
tion bill a legislative rider, the house
making the attempt must convince,
persuade or coerce the other into as
sent or the attempt fails. And if both
houses agree TO the rider. the Presi
dent must then. if not convinced of
the merits of the new legislation. be
coerced into Withholding his veto.
In such case coercion of one house
by the other is possible through
threat of the body attempting the ir-
regular legislation to defeat an ap-
propria ton bill and bring TO stand
still part of the governmental ma
chinery unless the other house Yields
its convictions concerning the merits
of the proposed legislation and assents
To the enactment of the vicious rider.
Coercion of the President is made pos
sible by the fact that he cannot segre-
gate and veto separately a Legislative
rider which he finds unjust and Of
fensive, but must either sign under
priation bill with infinite diversified
resulting injury.
The normal procedure of wise Amer
lean lawmaking is for the proposed
new law to receive. first, thorough
consideration on its merits by the ap-
propriate committee, after full and
fair hearings of those whose rights or
interests will be affected by the
change; then to be thoughtfully con-
sidered and put into the best shape
possible by the House or Senate,
whichever takes the initiative: then
sent to the other for similar careful
consideration on it's merits in commit
tee and in the full body: then if it still
survives but in changed form through
amendments to be discussed in con.
ference committee and the issues be-
tween the two houses settled by mu-
tual concessions or reported as hope
less. resulting in the death of the bill;
ana. finally, if it passes the two houses
the bill goes To the President to be
signed or vetoed by him, in accord
ance with his convictions Of his duty.
BY this procedure each new legis-
lative proposition in order to become
law must be approved on its distinc-
tive merits by House. Senate and
President. or by twothirds Of House
and Senate in spite Of the Presidents
disa pproval. The House cannot cram
it down the threat cf the Senate, or
the Senate dow the throat Of the
House. or Congress (unless by two
thirds votel down the throat of the
President.
OF course. this wise principle of
American law-making is repudiate to
the public injury if legislative propo-
sition which is SO offensive in itself
that it would be killed either by
House. Senate or President if con.
Sidered separately on it's merits is per-
mtted to sneak from the open field of
regular legislation, where it must de-
fend itself against the assault of rea.
sonable criticism, and to skulk as a
rider behind some great appropria.
tions bill in it's necessary, regular and
almost perfunctory course through
Congress.
The application of these observa.
tions to the lump-sum payment rider
which alters radically vital financial
provision of the organic act Of 1922
is obvious.