Woodrow Wilson to Samuel Rea

I, of course, realize the importance of the principle involved in the rider attached to the Sundry Civil Bill and agree that the wisdom of attaching riders is more than open to question, but you will notice upon an examination of the Bill that the rider applies to only a single special additional appropriation of$300,000 intended for the employment of additional counsel to do work already undertaken by the Department of Justice. It does not limit in any respect the expenditure of the general funds of the Department or restrict its discretion as to the character or object of the suits which it is to bring.
In these circumstances, I have not felt justified in embarrassing Congress, as it would be embarrassed if I asked them to open the bill and expose it to all the changes which would be sure to ensue were it not presented again in its original form.