New-York tribune., 1886-06-07
A REMARKABLE DISCLOS URE.

The letters of President Cleveland and Sec
rotary Manning in regard to the latters resig-
nation do not delight Democratic members. ii
could scarcely be expected that they would feel
pleased by publicly expressed and emipently
coptemptuous censure. But while the Pres
ident treats Democratic Congl lessmen as per
sons unfit for their responsibilities and pain
fully oblivious of their pledges, there is a tone
of melancholy hopelessness III MS let'er. MI
Manning had said:
The reforms IN fiscal policy which you have main
tanned and which have been framed and commended
to the wisdom OF the legislative prsncu'
are reforms necessary to our SAFETY pihu-
lug In honor, obligatory In the uadluons oi
tho Democracy, set down with promises In our statute
book Our present tariff laws are needless oppression
Instead of an easy burden Our currency is chaos INTO
which We pour forced purchases OF one OF the pre-
cious metals a mechanical increment under coinage
law go illudged and untimely that IL hlnders 'he
opening OF mnts to the natural ana uhiim''eu
coinage OF metals and the free expansion OF our
gold and silver coin along with the growing needs OF
mighty people All our ncedful custom revenue hien
be co ected by strictly duties upon Few score
articles instead of by exravagant prohbitory duties
upon more than 1000 articles Under the opera
ton of currency and tariff laws now In cewhch
you aud tue XLXth Congress elected by the peo
p to reform, the burdened industries OF our
country are plunging heavily along miry road toward
Unforeseen danger
1t is important to note the scope OF these
words by the Secretary, for in his reply the
President unequivocally indorses them, and
at the same time betrays his lack OF hope, as
follows:
/ am not Surprised. though much impressed BIZ the
concern which you evince for the correction OF the
abuses and the Inauguration Of the reforms to which
have been so often topics Of our anxious
consultations have hoped that the day was at hand
when The party which belong Influenced largely
by and confidence in you and in the wisdom OF
your would be Quickened in the sense OF respo
sbinty and harmonious action upon the I'M
portant questions with which you have mad to deal
1t appears, then, that the collection of rev.
enue "by STA .ctly revenue duties upon few
score articles" is one of the reforms which the
Presiden and Secretary have so often" made
the tonic of "anxious consultation" This de-
fines the position of the Administration thou
sand times more clearly than any previous ut
terance by President, Secretary or party; IN
fact, it is the first ilat-foOted declaration OF
British tree trade theories that has been made
by the Democratic party for some years, as
it is the first declaration Of any principles on
the subject which has been made by Demo
cratic President or a Secretary OF the Treasury
since SCI, when Buchanan and National bank
ruptcy went ont together 1t is faI more rad
ical than any scheme of tariff the Democratic
partyhas ever adopted, for the horizontal rev.
enue tariff of 1916. reduced in rate bat not
changed in kind by the amendment Of 1857. did
not attempt to collect the needed revenue from
@duties On a few score articles" but imposed
duties on thousands.
President Cleveland and Mr.. Manning point
edy rebuke, not only the Democratic majority
in the House as whole, because il has done
nothing, but Mr. Morrison and the Committee
on Ways and Means in particular, because they
have not even proposed to go back to the hOrl-
zontaI revenue theory of 1916, and still less to
adopt the British theory, but have brought
in bill retaining nearly every discriminating
duty of the present tariff except those on wool
and lumber. 1t is true, they propose TO cut
down thousands of duties, but the Secretary
declares, with the Presidents Endorsement that
thousands of duties are needless burden, and
that their removal is binding in honor, OBJ
lgatory in the traditions of the Democracy"
and set down with promises in our statute
books the National platforms. Has Mr.. Cleve-
land determined to get between Mr.. Carlisle
and Mr.. Morrison and their supporters, and to
make himself the especial favOrite of the un
limited free traders by going further in that
din ection than any Congressman has dared to
go7
A President who publicly lashes his own
party because its representatives haze not been
Squckened in the sense of responsibility is
not comfortable person to have around when
members are trying to get elected again by
double dealing. 1t would be natural if Mr..
Morrison should reply that the President
seemed to want monopoly in his party of the
privilege of riding two horses at once.