New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-04-03
l. EpOPTED RARG AIN.

To float a wrong with swindle would nc
worthy of the Dark Lantern committee Inc
River and Harbor bill reported, TO the amaze
mont Of MANY. embraced multitude OF appro-
nriations which were papaby intended to help
individual members Of the House, and being OF
the nrecise kind to which the President oo-
iected last year, they were such as wouiu nave
insured veto if his party had expected him 10
be of the same mind this year. 1ct they "ero
repo1ted. after close consultation win the
marty leaders. Now the Washington CORE
snondent of "The Herald says: There Is
no doubt that the President will sign the bill"
and tho Washington dispatch to 1.-The Evening
POST, conveys additional information thus
mTbe committee con River and Harbor appro-
nriations) has undoubtedly had in view the TACT
that this is Presidential year, and that an tx
ecutive who is candidate for denomination
MIGHT nerhaps look somew hat differently upon
bill which touches so many people and reiaoes
TO so many interests as River and Harpor Dill
than an Executive who is not a candidate lor
immediate denomination"
This is a remarkable confession az to the
opinion of the President which Is entertained
by the Presidents supporters. They ought 10
know. too. Ifhe has contrivcd to conceal from
them the possession of any patriotic sense oil
dntv which would prevent his signing in order
n oct renominated a measure which he would
at another time veto as hostile to public inter
ests. other people can hardly cherish higher
estimate of him than his nearest friends 1hey
understand him best. They know most OF the
nriyatc consultations and conferences which TO-
suited in the preparation Of the River and liar
bor and Of the Mills Tariff bill. They only know
inst how fay the consent of the President to the
massage of bad River and IIarbor bill has been
the means of changing tho opinion of Demo
cratic members about bad Tariff bill 30 the
correspondent of "The Cincinnati CONNER
cial-Gazetten telegraphs:
There is no doubt in the minds Of those who have
carefully examined all tho items in the River and
Harbor Appropriation bill that one OF the principal
objects held view and indicated by Its makeup was
TO bid for the votes needed 10 pass the MINIS lariH
bill Tho delegations and members who have prom
lsed to vote for the Tariff bill have had their district
interests well taken Of and II any OF thon iail
to como to time their items will DO Knocked out
In other days. among statesmen who made
less professions of zeal for reform than are made
by the President and his associates, this bargain
would be held infamous. If any such dishon-
est sacrifice of public interests, for the sake Of
carving partisan Tariff bill and securing his
own denomination, had been proposed to any
Republican President, it would have been met
with indignant rebule, and his friends would
have had no chance to boast that he would sign
an obnoxious River and Harbor bill because he
was candidate though he had vetoed less
obnoxious bill the previous year. Mr.. Cleve-
lands most ardent supporters, it appears, give
the public worse idea of his character than any
political opponents have placed before the
world.
Is it the correct one? Perhaps the country
will have q chance to determine If Democratic
members who were elected as protectionists
proye false to their pledges and their constitu-
ents, if they are sure to receive their reward in
The shape of swindling River and Harbor jobs
for their districts and if the President then
fails to veto a bill comprising appropriations OF
that character, he and they will fix their own
places in the public estimation At present all
The circumstances point to the existence of a
deliberate bargain, by which it is expected to
secure the Presidents denomination, TO pass the
most shameless River and Harbor bill ever of
fercd, and to get through the House tariff bill
in accord with the Presidents policy.