Salt Lake Telegram | 1924-05-17 | Page 6 | The Bonus Veto

I The Bontu Veto i . a CHARACTER "traits which are generally admired Jn the man sometimes prove a JlailrousanJlcap'krrr"poufu-i." In-Vitolnf the, soldiers' bonus bill President Coolidje . Courts the disfavor of thousands of voters. Mainly, he does not sacrifice his better JuJ?-. JuJ?-. ment for political expediency. , Regardless of what we think of the honus bill, we cannot Tail to admire the s-rt of courage 1hat prompts a man to use h'- best judgment In a national Issue. He, at least, is true to his ideals arid .his principles, for he "refuses to make i sacrifice of them to promote pro-mote political success. But while the action of President Coolidge . will cost him support In some quarters, it will win him friends in others. Despite the sup-J port given it In congress, It is by no means i tt measure which . is reflective of general American desire. It has its opponenfs both in and out of the ranks of the veterans and these are bound to, indorse the action of the president. . In any but a national election year it Is doubtful if the bonus bill would have mustered! i (he official support II did at, this session, for then political expediency would not have been so pressing. The president makes a clear and concise statement of his position on the bonus bill, without wavering. He does not try to salve the feelings of the friends of the bill while refusing 'to sign it. Rather he .Teaks bluntly and plainly. : He says: "Our country cannot afford it. The veterans vet-erans as a whole do not want it. All our American principles are opposed to It. There i; no moral justification for it." He argued that the bill would commit the nation to a new annual expenditure of ItH,-(xio.ooo ItH,-(xio.ooo for a period of twenty years hd that at the end of that time it would be -necessary to Sell to the public two and one-half one-half biliion dollars in bonds, an operation , which miht prove disconcerting to the country at that time. Even the most consistent supporters sup-porters of the bonus bill must admit that the president acts frankly and honestly arid that his veto is not without a 'good degree of reason rea-son and logic as well as being reflective of an effort to safeguard the future.