The Democrat. (Scotland Neck, Halifax Co., N.C.) 1884-1896, 1894-09-06
"EXECUTIvE MAAsION,
WASHINGTON, d. c.,
August 81, 1S94.)

August 27, 1894
Hon. l.. c. CATCHINGs
M Dear Sir Since the conversa-
ton | had with YOU and Mr.. Clark, of
Alabama, few days ago, in regard to
my action on the tariff bill now before
me, / have given the subject further
and more serious consideration. The
result is | am more settled than ever in
the determination to allow the bill to
become a law without my signature.
When the formation of legislation
which it was hoped would embody
Democratic ideas of Tariff Reform was
lately entered upon by Congress, moth
ing was further from my anticipation
than result which l could not prompt
ly and enthusiastically endorse.
1t is, therefore, with feeling OF the
utmost disappointment that submit
to denial of this privilege.
do not claim to be better than the
masses of my party, nor do I wish to
avoid any responsibility which, on ac-
count of the passage of this law, ! ought
to bear as a member of the Democratic
organization Neither will / permit
myself to be separated from my party
to such an extent as might be implied
by my veto of legislation, which,
though Disappointing, is still chargea-
BILE to Democratic effort But there
are provisions in this bill which
are not in line with honest tariff re-
form, and it contains Inconsistencies
and crudities which ought not to appear
in tariff laws or laws of any kind. Be
sides, there were, as you and / we'll
know, incidents accompanying the pas
sage of the bill through Congress,
which made every sincere tariff reform
er unhappy, while Influences surround
ed 1t in its latter stages and interfered
with its final construction, which
ought not be recogL lied or tolerated In
Democratic tariff reform counsels.
And yet Notwithstanding all its vicis-
STUDIES and all the hard treatment
it received at the hands of pre-
tended friends, it presents vast i'm
provement to existing conditions. 1t
will certainly Tighten many tariff bur
dens that now rest heavily upon the
people. It is not only barrier
against the return OF mad protection,
but 1t furnishes a vantage ground from
which must be waged furthur aggres-
sive operations against protected mon
opoly and governmental favoritism.
take my place with the rank and
lie of the Democratic party who be
lieve in tariff reform and who know
what it is, who refuse to accept the
results embodied in this bill, as the
close of the war. who are not blinded
to the fact that livery of Democratic
tariff reform has been stolen and worn
in the service of Republican protec-
lection, and who have marked the
places where the deadly light of trea-
son has blasted the counsels of the
brave in their hour of might.
The trusts and ombinations-the
communion of pelf-who see machi-
nations have prevented us from reach
ing the success we deserved. This
should not be forgotten nor forgiven.
We shall recover from our astonish-
ment at their exhibition of power,
and if then the question is forced upon
us whether they shall submit to the
free legislative will of the peoples rep
resentatiyes, or shall dictate the laws
which the people must obey, we will
accept and settle that issue as one in
volving the integrity and safety of
American institutions.
love the principles of true Democ-
racy because they are founded in pa
triotism and upon justice and fairness