The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1888-08-25

two years ago, and which he already has
the power to do. He asks simply that
certain tariff laws, that have been sus'
pended as regards Canada, be now en'
forced us they are against other coun-
tries. The President really does not
want this done because he is Free
Trader, but it is game OF bluff, and il
the Senate takes him at his word he will
be sadly disappointed man.
He has read the handwriting on the
wall. The treaty, he found, was unpop-
ular among the masses. The cowardly
surrender to England had lost
him thousands OF Irish votes,
and the rejection Of the treaty by a
patriotic Senate had gained thousands
OF Irish votes for the Republican party
1t did more, it gave the President the
opportunity he was praying fOr-to seek
to redeem himself with the Irish and
bid for the recovery OF the lost votes.
Senator Henderson expresses the sit
uation when he says the message OF the
President was wholly unnecessary,
'The Retaliatory act gives him author
ity to do everything he should do. His
action in issuing this message is con
iession and I'm avoidance. The Presi'
dent confesses to the business Of the
position occupied by the Republicans in
the Senate in the rejection Of tue fisher
les treaty, and he seeks to avoid the
issues which confront him, and he asks
Congress to strengthen his hands. 1t is
possible that the President is acting in
good faith, but regard it MS campaign
move. The message is u campaign
speech from beginning to end, and is
high bid for the Irish vote and the vote
of all foreign-born citizens in New York
and other Eastern States, where the
greatest interest is taken in the fisheries
and other international questions. / dc
not believe that Congress will confer
upon the President any additional
authority for the enforcement of the
act. In my Judgment the Regulatory
act OF March, 1887, is vastly broader than
the authority asked for now. While il
may not specify the acts named in the
message it goes beyond that and makes
his power unlimited"
Gen. Browne, of Indiana, says: ~
think it is mistake to consider the
message altogether bluff. While re.
gard it as campaign move pure and
simple, arranged weeks ugo by the Cab.
met, l think the President would be
very glad to get into u muss with Can
ada. He evidently thinks it would
solidify him with the fighting elements
and make his reelection sure. But he
will find himself in delusion. In the
first place there is no excuse for trouble.
We have already had too much talk
about this question. Prompt, decisive,
diplomatic action would have kept us
all right with Canada. \ There has been
no difficulty whatever. under other adj
ministrations. But lack OF courage
and diplomacy, with superabundanCc
OF vascilations has brought us into u
pickle with our Northern neighbors."
So much for the Presidents personal
motives in the matter. 1.-THE message is
taken simply as a State document, and
considered carefully as such, Invested Of
all selfish and partizan motives back OF
it, it impresses one as a patriotic paper,
all the more gratifying after every
Democratic Senator and the Secretary OF
State had sought to justify treaty
which would have been complete sur.
render OF American citizenship, Ameri-
can manhood and American interests.
The change in the Presidents attitude
toward British interests has another
significance. 1t is a change OF the tariff
policy OF the administration rs against
the Free Trade influences that have
heretofore dominated it, and is in the
nature OF n hedging OH the issue, which,
while it may have some influence on the
campaign in certain directions, may not
DO altogether tasteful to those Free
Trade Democrats who have the courage
OF their convictions, Upon this point
an exchange says:
"What Canada has sought to obtain
BY her policy has been what the free
traders have been anxious to give her,
namely, the free admission OF her pro-
ducts into our market. The removal OF
the duties from Canadian fish, coal and
lumber has been feature OF all the
Democratic tariff bills brought into the
House since 1884, although those clauses
have never been able to run the gauntlet
OF debate. The Bayard treaty, recently
rejected, turned upon the same pivot !;
the substantial advantages to be secured
by il were all postponed to the perfect
day OF free trade"
The Register Cooked before it leaped.'
It says in its headlines: "War2 Is that
What the Senate is After2-Dirty Parti-
zan Work-Politicians Trifle with the
Liyesof the People" and more Of such
silly twaddle. Does not the Register
know that the President has simply
swung around to the Republican posi-
ton, as expressed in every speech made
in the Senate against the treaty, and
that he has asked for an increase of Ex-
ecutive retaliatory power heretofore
granted by the almost unanimous vote
of both Democrats and Republicans?
The matter was not partizan question