The Hawaiian gazette., 1894-08-07
FUN IN CONGRESS-.
Vest Scores Cleveland on the Tariff
Question.

]
Ne ADEQUATE description can be
given of the scenes and incidents in
the Ssnate todsy, says the Washing
ton Star of July 20 The discussion
provoked by Mr.. Clevelaud's letter
on the tariff was marked by bitter
ness and intensity Of feeling seldom
shown in any debate in the Senate.
1t has made clear, and more con-
( spicuously so toward the close Of the
day. that family row had been pre-
cipitsted upon the party, and the
democratic Senators, while feeling
the smart of Mr.. Clevelsnd's critic
ism, which penetrated their sensitive
natures, was angered to the highest
pitch, particularly as they appreciat-
ed the swkwardness of their own
position. No democrat present but
had his nerves strung 10 the highest
pitch, and the feeling of bitterness
was so intense that it seemed to per
wade the whole atmosphere.
The following extract from the
Senate report, as published in the
same paper, will give sn idea of the
! situation.
THE PRESIDENT ARRAIGNEp.
Mr.. Vest Democrat from Missouri
then proceeded to read the letter of
acceptance of President Cleveland in
1892, pronouncing in favor of free
raw material. Yet now he denoun.
ced free rsw material as pertidy and
dishonor In scathing tones he ar
ranged the President He had been
his friend. he said in thuuderous
tones; he had defended him on the
| floor of the Senate when his friends
could have been counted on the
fingers of one hand. When did the
President get the right to dictate to
Congress; to denounce one branch of
Congress to the otheri
Did he embody in his single being
all the democracy, all the tariff re-
form sentiment, in this country?
MIR. Cleveland was big man. But
the democratic party was greater
than any one man. Il had survived
Jefferson, Madison, jackson; it
would survive Grover Cleveland.
Under what clause of the Consti-
tuition did MIR. Cleveland get the
right after a bill has been sent to
full and free" conference between
the two houses to make an appeal to
his party friends to stand by his in
dividual viewsi
Mrs. Madison had said in her
memoirs that the Capitol had been
placed at one end of the avenue and
the White House at the other to pre-
vent the President from exercising
an undue influence on the Legislative
branches of the government.
ATTEMPT TO GEORGE CONGRESS-.
II the President could send here to
tell his friends to stsud firm, he had
the right to send his cabinet minis
tiers here to coerce members OF Con-
gress; he had right to do as he had
done during the fight over the repeal
OF the Sherman law, punish recalci-
trsnt members of his own party. 1t
was mockery to talk of full and
free conference when one of the con
ferees came to the committee room
with the orders of the President in
his pocket. He spoke with bitterness
of the Presidents denunciation of
the Senate bill, which had been pass
ed after four months of such toll and
responsibility as he never should as
sumo again. Yet, he said, those who
were instrumental in harmonizing
the differences aud bringing about
its passage tariff reformers before
Mr.. Cleveland began his phenomenal
career-had been arraigned as trail
tors, who sought to dishonor their
party.
Personally the bill did not suit
him. He was a radical tariff reform
er, but il he could not get all he
would take what he could get.
Il give it as my opinion" he
declared, in conclusion, "that we will
pass this bill or no bill"
Several senators expressed them
selves in equally strong language,
and at the close of the session the
declaration made by Mr.. Smith that
he would not vote for the bill if
changed from the Senate form, and
the similar declaration by Mr.. Vest,
will, if adhered to, probably settle
the fate OF tariff legislation of this
Congress. The Hou.e will certainly
not yield to the Senate if its leader
and the President can prevent. If
Mr.. Smith lives up to his threat it is
not apparent there can be any
legislation of the tariff at this
session.
S5t TO Surrender.