Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1892-11-23
Cleveland Opposed to an Extra Session.

GOOD REASONS FOR OPPOSING IT.
The Washington correspondent of
the New York Herald under date of
Nov. 18th says =
''President-elect Cleveland is opposed
TO the calling of a special session of the
Fifty-third Congress, and is in favor of
the appointment Immediately after his
of q tariff commission to
sit next summer, take testimony and
prepare a measure of tariff reform to
be reported to Congress q year hence.
That these are the views now enter
tanned by Mr.. Cleveland is we'll known
to his intimate friends. In fact, his
policy in this respect was settled upon
only after consultation with number
of gentlemen who were prominent in
the late campaign and who are in u
position to advise the President-elect
as to the future. That this decision OF
Mr.. Cleveland has been made and that
there is small reason to hope he will
change his mind is ascertained beyond
a shadow of doubt.
Before the friends of prompt and
emphatic tariff reform as the first duty
of triumphant democracy give too
much expression to their disappoint
ment they should pause to reflect that
Mr.. Cleveland has within the last six
days said, with all the earnestness of
which he is capable, that the demo
cratic party must not falter in its work
now that the people have intrusted it
with power, and that there must be
effective measures of relief from the
burden of taxation imposed upon the
country by the Reed Mckinley Con-
gress.
But Mr. Cleveland does not believe
it would be to the best interests of the
country or of the democratic party to
call Congress together next summer
for the purpose of taking up this ques-
ton. He has been greatly impressed
by the argument that such sudden re-
duction of tariff rates with such short
notice would work hardship to the
| business interests of the country, inter
fere with the fulfilment of contracts
already made, unsettle values and de-
stroy legitimate profits, whereas the
same result could be reached by slower
and more cautious methods without
| working hardship to any interest.
| get this information from source that
leaves no room for doubt.
1t is well known here that in reach
| ing this decision Mr.. Cleveland has had
| the counsel of such men as Mr.. Whit
ney, Senator German, Don Dickinson
and others on whose judgment he has
been accustomed to rely. They have
advised him to set his face against the
special session plan and at the same
| time to adopt in lieu thereof the pro
| ,,ocaI communication RI no onrn
posed of able Legislators, and well
known tariff experts and to be ap
pointed Immediately after the inaugu
ration of the new President in March
The Senate will then be in special SEES
sion to confirm the other appointments
of the President, and it is believed this
tariff commission would get to work
| by the 1st of May, 1898, and be ready
with a carefully devised, well con
sidered tariff reform measure by the
time Congress convened in regular ses
sion a year from next month, was
organized and ready to take up its
consideration.
! Mr.. Cleveland has been convinced
that adoption of this plan would give
the business community confidence II
the wisdom and conservatism of the
/ democratic party and vastly increase
the probability that genuine tariff re
| form may be instituted without menace
to democratic success in 1896. Mr.
| Cleveland has said within three day.
to more than ono of his counsellor.
that it is his highest ambition first tC
give the people relief from the tariff
burdens put upon them by the repub
lican party and, second, TO secure the
election of q democrat as his successor
four years hence.
The President-elect has been made tC
believe that the meeting of Congress
next summer for the purpose of con
sidering the tariff question woulC
alarm manufacturers, wholesale men
! importers and retailers, and array q
| large part of the business community
against the democratic party; whereas
tariff commission, acting with delibe-
ration, giving ample notice of any
changes which it might recommend for
the adoption of Congress, would be
able to compass more real reform and
do a greater service to the country
than Congress, acting independently
| and precipitately, would dare under
take to accomplish.
STILL ANOTHER EVIL.
Another reason which has had it's
| weight in Mr.. Cleveland's mind is one
somewhat more selfish in its nature
Mr.. Cleveland was President once
before, and eight years ago next spring
learned what it was to have a horde of
good democrats, all eager and many
worthy of reward, trooping down upon
him. Mr.. Cleveland learned what a
formidable task it is to take good and
patient care of these democrats and at
the same time to organize and set in
motion a new administration. If to the
usual number of office seekers who
swarm into Washington at such a
season there was added 800 democratic
Senators and Representatives and all
their constituents who would rush
here to make the best of the situation,
the life of the President-elect would
scarcely be worth living.
l know, however, that Mr.. Cleveland
has decided against a special session
and there is small probability he will
change his mind about it. The ap-
pointment of a tariff commission, with
legal authority would probably require
the consent of the Senate and the
President. This might not be done by
the republican majority in the present
Senate or by Mr.. Harrison. There
would be nothing to prevent, however,
the appointment of a House committee
to report to the new Congress, whether
its recommendation were binding or
not. This committee could be made
up entirely of members who have been
reelected, and who would be able to
defend their recommendations OH the
floor of the House"
Messrs. Richard Croker and Edward
Murphy, jr., deny the statement that