Page:The Presidents of the United States, 1789-1914, v. III.djvu/309

 GROVER CLEVELAND 257 tion of congress to the large excess of the revenues of the country beyond the needs of government, and urged such a reduction as would release to the people the increasing and unnecessary surplus of national income, by such an amendment of the rev enue laws as would cheapen the price of the neces saries of life and give freer entrance to such im ported materials as could be manufactured by American labor into marketable commodities. He recommended the erection of coast defences on land, and the construction of modern ships of war for the navy; argued for the civilization of the In dians by the dissolution of tribal relations, the set tlement of their reservations in severalty, and the correction of abuses in the disposition of the public lands. He urged the adoption of liberal general pension laws to meet all possible cases, and pro tested against legislation for a favored few, as an injustice to the many who were equally deserving. He approved a bill to regulate the questions aris ing between the railroads and the people, and ap pointed an interstate commerce commission under its provisions. A number of bills providing for the erection of public buildings in various parts of the country were vetoed, on the ground that they were not required by the public business; and while he approved 186 private pension bills, he vetoed 42 for various reasons ; some being covered by general laws, others were to his mind unworthy and f raudu-