The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1892-12-13
MR.. CRISP md DIR. CLEVELAND.
They Understand Each other on the Tariff
What the Former Would Have Said.

What the Former Would Have Said.
WASHINGTON. Dec 12-The Reform
Club incident was construed by many
members to be the opening of the Speak
er's campaign for the Fifty-third Con-
gress For the first time there was an
expressed desire for a list Of the members
Of the Reform Club. and Mr. Cochran and
others, who Rave succeeded I'm examining
such a list, assert that at all times the
Mugwumps and Republicans are able TO
control the policies Of the Reform Club,
and that therefore it is rot much OF a
Democratic club after all.
There is a general impression in Con-
Pressional circles that Mr. Cleveland and
Speaker Crisp have thorough under
standing rs TO the tariff reform course to
be pursued in the Fifty-thrd Congress,
and that the Presldent-elect was in entire
ignorance Of the intended slight TO be
placed upon Speaker Crisp and in his
position as a guest pOwerless 10 prevent
IT, even had he suspected it after looking
over the programme of the evening.
Members were to-day comparing the
speech Of Mr. Cleveland and the one in
tended to be delivered by Mr. Crisp. and
find therein remarkable accord on the
methods 10 be pursued in the reform of
been delivered Saturday night would have
shown that while in the present Congress
with "A Republican Senate he favored the
tentative plan Of separate bills, his Opin-
ion. Of course, to be pursued after next
March when the Democrats control not
only both branches Of the House, but the
Presidency as well is that the tariff
should be revised by general bill. on this
subject he says: The Democrats Of the
4 Till
at the existing law by separate bills an
nulling its oppressive features. This
method possessed two advantages over
any other suggested. 1t afforded a hope
that some of the bills might pass, thus
giving TO the people relief and it rem
dered il certain that in the approaching
election our adversaries would be forced
into the field defending their own general
law.
IF I might speak for my political as
sociates on the subject Of taxation l
would say we believe in a tariff for re-
venue, we believe that unnecessary taxa
ton is unjust taxation; we believe that all
taxation should be for public purposes and
the necessaries of life should be bur
dened the least; we believe that on lux
uries higher duties may be imposed, and
we believe that all raw material should be
free.
Speaking to my political associates I
would say Keeping these principles in
view, we should now at the earliest prac-
ticable moment enter upon the cOnsidera-
ton Of a general tariff law to take the
place of that now on the statute books
The people have so decreed, and we are
but agents TO execute their will. Great
interests are involved; complicated ques-
tons will present themselves"
1t is doubtless a matter Of great graft
hcation TO Speaker Crisp that among
those who most emphatically condemn
the inhospitality Of the Reform Club are
many members who were not even his
supporters in the famous speakership
contest.
Representative Grain, Of Texas, who was
Mr.. NIils manager during the speaker
ship fight, said to-day, speaking of the
Reform Club incident: at was an out
rage to Mr.. Crisp personally, but espe-
cially to the Speaker Of the House and
TO the House itself.
"Mr. Crisp was not invited 10 that
dinner in any but his official capacity.
He would not have been invited II ne
had not been Speaker of the House. He
was there as Speaker Of the House. The
insult was to his Office and 10 the House.
have all along been an anti-Crisp man.
| am now for Crisp, and will be from
this time forward"