Democratic Northwest and Henry County news. [volume] (Napoleon, O. [Ohio]) 1894-1905, 1894-08-30
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND
Gives His Reasons for Not Signing the
Tariff Bill.

W ADhAAoAOANf nus AS ANS-
dent to-day sent the following letter
to Representative Catchings, of Miss
issippi, who consented to its publica-
ton in view Of its public character
and Importance:
sex. MANSION, WAsHINGToN,l
August 27th, 1894. }
"Hon. T. Catchings:
MY DEAR SIR-Since the converse
ton had with you and Mr.. Clark,
of Alabama, a few days ago, in regard
to my action on the tariff bill now
before me, have given the subject
further and more serious considera-
ton. The result is, l am more settled
than ever in the determination to al
low the bill to become a law without
my signature. When the formulation
of legislation, which it was hoped
would embody Democratic ideas of
tariff reform, was lately entered up
on by Congress, nothing was further
from my anticipation than a result
which | could not promptly and en-
Enthusiastically endorse. 1t is, there
fore, with feeling of the utmost dis
appointment that submit to deni-
al of this privilege.
l do not claim to be better than the
masses of my party, nor do wish to
avoid my responsibility, which on ac-
count of the passage of this law, l
ought to bear as a member of the
Democratic organization; neither will
l permit myself to be separated from
my party to such an extent as might
be implied by my veto of tariff legis-
lation, which, though disappointing,
is still chargeable to Democratic eff
fort. But there are provisionsin this
bill which are not in line with honest
tariff reform, and it contains incon-
sistencies and crudities which ought
not to appear in tariff laws, or laws
of any kind. Besides, there were, as
you and l well know, incidents ac-
companying the passage of the bill
through Congress, which made every
sincere reformer uhappy, while infiu-
ences surrounded it in it's latter stagI
es and interfered with its construc-
ton, which ought not to be recog'
nized or tolerated in Democratic re.
form councils. q
"And yet, notwithstanding all its
vicissitudes and all the bad treatment
it received at the hands of pretended
friends, it presents a vast improve
ment to existing conditions that viii
certainly tighten many tariff burdens
that now rest heavily upon the peo
pie. 1t is not only a barrier agains1
the return of mad protection, but il
furnishes a vantage ground from
which must be waged further ag
gressive operations against protected
monopoly and government favorit
ism. | take my place with the ranl
and file of the Democratic party wht
believe in tariff reform and who know
what it is; who refuse to accept the
results embodied in this bill as tn,
close of the war; who are not blinded
to the fact that the livery of Demo
cratic tariff reform has been stoleI
and worn in the service of Republi
can protection, and who have markeG
the places where the deadly blight o1
the season has blasted the councils O.
the brave in their hour of might.
''The trusts and combinations-tht
communism of pelf-whose machin
ations have prevented us from reach
| ing the success we deserve, should
not be forgotten nor forgiven. W.
shall recover from our astonishmen1
at their exhibition of power, and i
the question is forced upon us wheth
er they shall submit to the free leg
islative will of the peoples represent
atives, or shall dictate laws which thu
people must obey, we will accept an(
settle that issue as one affecting in
tegrity and safety of American insti
tutions. love the principles of true
Democracy because they are founded
in patriotism and upon justice anG
fairness toward all interests. [ all
proud OF my party organization be
cause it is conservatively sturdy anC
persistent in the enforcement of it,
principles.
Therefore | do not despair of thu
efforts made the house of representa-
tives to supplement the bill already
passed by further legislation and tt
have engrafted upon it such modifi
cations as will more nearly NEE
Democratic hopes and aspirations.
can't be mistaken as to the necessit,
of free raw materials as the founda
tlon of logical and sensible tariff re
form. The extent to which this il
recognized in the legislation already
secured is one of it's encouraging an(
redeeming features; but it is vexa
tious to recall that, while the fre,
coal and free iron ore have been de
MED, a letter of the secretary of tn,
treasury discloses the fact that botl
might have been made free by tn,
surrender of only about seven hund
red thousand dollars of unnecessar,
revenue.
81 am sure that there is a common
habit of Understanding the import
ance of free raw materials in tariff
legislation, and as regarding them a
only related to concessions to b.
made to our manufacturers. TIL,
truth is, their influence is so far
reaching, that if disregarded, com
plete and beneficent scheme of tarit
reform cannot be successfully inaug
urated. When we give to our manu-
facturers free raw materials. we un
shackle American enterprise and in
genuity and these will open the door
of foreign markets to the reception O
our wares and give opportunity TO
the continuous and remunerative EN-
ployment of American labor. Will
materials cheapened by their free
dom from tariff charges, the cost o
their product must be correspond
ingly cheapened. The principle o
fairness and justice to the consume
would demand that manufacturers b
| Oh1ipnd tn cI1hmit to cl1ch a raa n i'm ct