New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1888-09-07
CLEVELAND'S PREDICAMENT
WILL SCOTT BE MADE A SCAPEGOAT. AZ
TER ALL?
THE BLUNDER INTO WHICH THE ADMINISTER,
TON HAS FALLEN OVER ITS CHINESE
MISREPRESENTATION or
POLITICAL PLOT.


PoLICY-MIsCARRIAGE OF
POLITICAL PLOT.
IBY TELEGRAPH To THE TRIBUyE
Washington, Sept 6.-The President is. to quote
a figure which now has the sanction OF daily usage
in Congress- in a hole" deep and narrow we'll.
from which there seems to be means Of exit. un-
less Congressman Scott shall lend the use of his
back, after the manner of the goat in the fable.
The Chinese Restriction bill has now been under
debate in the Senate for three days and its patcr
nifty has been openly and boastfuly claimed
everywhere for the Administration. Its
general principles meet the approval OF
everybody, so far as their own in
hcrent merits concerned. but the measure ~
admittedly untimey to the last degree. Nobody.
in fact, wants the bill TO become law at this
time except the Pacific Coast delegations. whose
business In Congress is to by any and every
means. the exclusion of the Chinese. and least OF
all does the Administration wish its enact
mcnt. There is longer room for doubc
that the introduction Of the bill by
MIR Scott part of neat political schem'. which
only required the opposition of the Republican
Senate to make it perfect success. This op-
position either in the form OF an open adverse
vote, or by sending it to the Foreign Relations
Committee 10 await definite and official informa-
tion, which might never come. Of the rejection OF
the treaty. was confidently counted upon and
the President to remain before the country
during this campaign as an ultra opponent OF
Chinese immigration, willing to 90 to the furthest
extremes TO meet the views OF the Pacific Coast
people, being prevented from carrying views into
effect only by the pro-Chinese predictions Of the
Republican majority OF the Senate. Had the Re
pubcans entered the pit dug for them, no word
Of disavowal behalf of the President would
have been uttered at least not until after election
day.
But the scheme was not well considered. and
has been neatly and cIectually turned against its
inventors. In the Senate the measure was taken
in charge at once by the Pacific Coast Republican
Senator's and pressed with all vigor for Immediate
action. Conservative Republican Senators called
attention pointcdly TO the extraordinary character
of the action. considered in connection with
the still pending treaty, but assumed, as they
had right to do for the first days debate
that the branch of Congress in which the mes
sage originated had information which had not
then reached the Senate of the rejection of the
treaty. and suffered the measure to take the course
which would have been proper had such informa-
tion really been at hand.
Yesterday, to make the Republican position still
clearer, no information having been received from
the White House, Senator Sherman offered
resolution pOntedly calling upon the President
for any information he might have on the subject
and then, wishing neither TO act preclpltately
nor TO defeat measure which ought ~ ,dss II
the treaty really rejected the Senate awaited
a reply. The resolution was taken by an ollicer
of the Senate to the Executive Mansion immediately
upon its passage yesterday afternoon
AND STILL NO WORD FROM THE WHITE HOUSE
All day to-day the debate has proceeded in
momentary expectation of the arrival of the Pres
dents reply. Mr.. Pruden made his appearance
about hali-past ., and Republican Senators gath
cred with much curiosity about the PreSi-
dents desk TO the expected reply
before it was formally laid before the Senate,
but the package proved TO contain nothing but
nominations A suggestion was facetiously made
in debate that a boy be sent up to the White
House tor the information, and on all sides il
was felt that the reason for the delay the fact
that the President was in most embarrassing
position.
Two or three courses are open to him. He may
ion hands with his partisans in the House now
that the scheme has miscarried and make a show
Of hearty acquiescence, in which case he VIII DIS
credit and annul the only piece OF successful
diplomacy in which his ADMINISTRATION has en-
"a ged, and will exhibit himself before the world as
Wiling to administer slap in the lace to a nation
which abandoned It's policy OI tnouSinoS ul Scdrn
at our solicitation or he may transmit the only
information he has the subject, namely. that
his representative in China knows nothlng of the
rr1ortsd rejection. and mcanly throw the respon-
sibilny for the measure upon ME- Scotu as scaPe-
GOAT. In neither case does his party win a
Tartlcle OF credit with the people whose laVor
ihcg sought. Even the invention OF the measure
was not original with It's present proponents, ior
m last Saturday when the London report oI Tue
treaty's rejection was published. almost the entire
acic Co,s delegation 'Xrress'd IN pun q ed INT r
views their purpose to introduce ana push to
massage such measure as soon as flcal lnIorma-
lion should be received confirming the pres reports
There Is tonight 4 growing SUSPICION
That the plot was deeper and broader one than
vet Appeals the surface OF things; one moro
elaborately and sdfully drawn than the Morey
letter forgery scheme. though not so bold i'll
design Ii is said by gentlemen who are iamlllaf
with diplomatic affairs in China that II Minister
Denby wishes to know whether the treaty mas mas
heen rejected or not he can ascertain within halt
an hour by riding TO the Foreign once OF that
Government and making the inquiry
Senator Sherman has stated in the Senate to-day
IN Snbstance, that the Chinese Legation in Wash
incton places no credcnce IN the report OF tho
rejection senator Morgan has stated In debate
that the Chinese Minister came here charged with
the tasl, Of making the treaty. and instructed
even in detail with regard to It's provisions
Secretary Bayard, who is probably not tully IN
The confidence OF the Administration ana VINO tooK
great pride in the treaty, Is said to he especially
uneasy at the turn affairs have taken IN Con-
grcsS
for a suspicion that the situation was created nv
somebody TO make an occasion for the Introduction
of this bill Tht bill came 10 a vote again to-
day. but again the Dody la'keu quo.uin az"
unanimous consent was given that hnal vote
shall he taken at o'clock tomorrow
If il shall be allowed to pass, the action. as
far as the Republican Senators arc concerned,
viii be based upon the theory that the President
would not have suffered debate 10 continue for
three davs upon an erroneous assumption that the
movement had his active approval and. that. in
anv event he. having the initiatory power in mat
trrs of diplomacy and the veto power in matters
of LEGISLATION has also thrust uron him the entire
responsibility for the final act which shall make
The measure a law
HOW MR.. SCOTT OVERLOOK THE BILL.
\ FOUR HOURS SPEECH on GENERAL MATTERS