Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1893-09-21
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| WASHINGTON, Sept. %. Especial l-Pfes-
ident Cleveland has not had much assist
ance from his cabinet members during his
struggle to secure 70 passage Of the repeal
bill through the senate Secretary Carlisle.
oddly enough. Is the only member Of the
cabinet, with the exception Of Secretary
Herbert, who has ever served In congress.
and unfortunately Mr.. Carlisle has for some
years trained with the men who are now
opposed to repeal Indeei the secretary's
| own speeches In favor Of silver are frc
quently quoted against him on the fioos.
Mr.. Carlisle has many friends among sen
ators on both sides Of the chamber and has
been able to move many an obstruction In
the road. Secretary Gresham has not ex-
srsed himself In this case. His time and
energies have been fully consumed by the
state department affairs He has at the
present time many important questions TO
deal with and has no opportunity To do any
work ON the finances.
Postmaster General BisSell. Secretary
Smith, Secretary Morton and Attorney
General Olney are new men in WashinE-
ton. They have little acquaintance among
senators, and have not as yet been able to
form those intimate friendships which
would place much influence in their hands
Besides. they, too, find their own depart
ments quite as much as they can take good
care Of. Secretary Herbert has had long
experience in congress aud has an excel
lent standing among the leading public men
Of the day. But he has little time and per-
haps still less inclination TO mix himself
up In this financial combat.
Lamont, the Great Diplomat.
Secretary Lamont knows every public
man in Washington. He is besides diplo-
matte. astute and energetic, and in his quiet
way has been able to render the president
some service in this emergency. a sinEu-
lar feature of the situation is that, while
Secretary Lamont Is supposed to be nearer
the president than any other member of the
cabinet and to possess very fully his chiefs
confidence. he is still on intimate terms
with Senator German. who, as is now prct-
ty well known, Is the leader OF the Demo
cratic party in congress and not wholly In
accord with the president. Nearly every
day Senator German calls upon Secretary
Lamont at the latter's hotel. There arc few
men In the world who have the peculiar
QudIititS Vi anu ChtltNNsr which
would enable them to carry ON this dual
sort of relationship, but Mr.. Lamont is "A
remarkable man. Heis a diplomat II there
ever was one, and he is able to bear conf
Dental relations with leaders of opposing
forces without any display Of bad faith with
either.
The president has been hard pressed In
this fight for a repeal, but he has not had
he ttAn Of In
fiuential cabinet. The situation presents
so many difficulties that even as strong
man rs Mr. Cleveland must at times feel
whom to lean.
Why the President Ia Worried.
The Importance Of this struggle to the
president as well rs to the country cannot
easily be overestimated. IL is so far the
signal feature Of his second administrar
tion. Not only has he set his heart upon
accomplishing this object, but he has EN-
ploycd methods which naturally subject
him to fierce criticism and denunciation.
1t is charged that he has used the power Of
his Office in manner In which no presl-
dent has dared to use it since the days Of
Andrew jackson, with the possible excep-
tion of that brief period in which Andrew
johnson sought to hold the country up by
the tail.
Mr. Cleveland Is severely criticised for
attempting to be not only the executive
head OF the government. but the Legislative
as well. A dozen times n day one may hear
in the capitol the expression that, while Mr..
Cleveland is n big Ern, no IL not big
enough, and this country never yet pro
duced a man big enough, to take upon his
IL L..
the White House, the executive depart
ments the house of representatives and the
senate all at the same time. Still, nothing
succeeds like success. and the best answer
that Mr.. Cleveland could possibly make TO
these criticisms would be by having his
own way and passing the repeal bill with
out change or amendment. Defeat under
these circumstances, after the employment
of these vigorous and almost unexampled
methods. would be doubly humiliating.
Demands Of Business Men.
People who have attended the hearings
on the taifl' held by the ways and means
committee have been much impressed by
the constant reiteration Of the desire on the
part of manufacturers and business men for
information as to when the new tariff law
is to go into effect. In the nature of things
what the changes in the schedules arc to De
until after the Democratic end of the com
mittcc shall have agreed upon them: but II
they could soon know at what date these
changes, whatever they are, will go into ef-
feet, that would be ali enormous advantage
to them. This demand for some basis of
operations and plans comes as well from
those people who want the tariffs reduced
hos xpl m tra nj lot al skF
increased The suggestion has been made
that congress pass "A joint resolution fixing
date for the new law to 20 into operation.
While it is apparent that congress could
bot absolutely bind itself in this manner,
and would even after passing such joint
resolution be free to change the date. 1t
would in honor adhere to the date II il
could, and by 70 doing immcasurably help
the business interests Of the country. Chair
man Wilson tells your correspondent that
he and the members Of his committee fully
appreciate the situation and will very soon
consider what. II anything, they can do in
this direction.
Tired Of Tariff Tinkering.
There is one thing that even the most
tareless observer Is now able to perceive
among the public men Of Washington. 1t
Is riipiuny growing iUpttiehcc oi pont-
ical system which makes the tariff laws,
which are so intimately bound up with bust
ness operations and the prosperity Of the
people. a mere political football. Men who
think high tariff is bad and men who think
low tariff IN bad agree that something
should be done to stop the frequent change
of rates, with consequent disturbance Of
values and business conditions. One finds
some of the ablest and shrewdest public
men at the capital willing to predict that
before many years have passed pnblicopin
ion will compel the adoption Of n constitu-
tioual amendment which will forbid tariff
changes oftener than once In 10 years or
after each federal census.
Presidential Appointments.
M IL.