Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-07-27
CLEVELAND FAYORS FIGHT
He Would Strip the Tariff Bill Of Its
Obnoxious Features.
BE is FOR An AGGRESSIVE CONTEST
he Stands BY the Utterinces Of the Message
Sent to Congress BY Him Last Deem
beF-Conferencs With Wilson.

New YoRK, July ia special to the
World says that President Cleveland il
strongly in favor OF an aggressive fight on
the part OF the house 10 secure the ulti.
mate passage of the tariff bill stripped oil
the obnoxious amendments incorporated
by the senate.
The president realizes fully the inn
portance Of the passage Of the bill at an
early date, and is by no means blind to
the party advantage TO be gained by dis.
posing OF the measure before the con
gressional campaigns begin in earnest.
He is, however, firmly convinced that
while there remains fighting chance oil
victory the house will do lees than its
DUTY II. moved by any consideration. it
eurrenders the great principles involved
in the fundamental differences between
the Wilson and the German bills.
The president has observed with the
deepest interest, not unmixed with anx-
iety, the progress Of the tariff bill in con
gress. He Was not altogether satisfied
with the Wilson bill as it passed the
house, but when the policy OF the senate
stood revealed he saw at once that thu
hope OF even fair measure of tariff re-
form lay in stubborn fight on the part
OF the house to secure the final adoption
OF the principal provisions of the bill as
1t was sent to the senate. In this fight
the president would be glad 10 lend a
hand il he could see his way clear to do
30 without encountering criticism.
But the presidents hands are not tied
fast. There are some things he can do
to help on the cause of tariff reduction,
and these things he is doing. Since the
tariff bill passed the senate he has had
conferences with several prominent
members, and has impressed them all
with his desire to see the house prevail
in the coming struggle. The most i'm
portant OF these conferences was one
which recently took place between the
president and Chairman Wilson, of the
ways and means committee.
The presidents close friends declare
that his views on the subject of the tariff
are as pronounced as they were when he
penned his message to congress last
December. On the points which con.
stitute the main difference between the
house and senate bills, Mr.. Cleveland
then had this TO say:
"Manifestly, ii we are to aid the peo-
pie directly through tariff reform one of
Its most obvious features should be re-
duction in the present tariff charges
upon the necessaries of life. The bene-
fits OF such reduction would be palpa.
BILE and substantial, seen and felt by
thousands who would be better fed and
better clothed and better sheltered.
These gifts should be the willing bene.
factions of government whose highest
junction is the promotion of the welfare
of the people.
mot less closely allied to our peoples
prosperity and we'll being is the removal
OF restrictions upon the importation of
the raw materials necessary to our manu-.
features. The world should be open to
our national ingenuity and enterprise.
This cannot be while federal legislation,
through the imposition of high tariff
forbids to American manufacturers as
cheap materials as those used by their
competitors. It is quite obvious that the
enhancement OF the price of our manu-.
featured products resulting from this
policy not only confines the market for
these products within our borders, to the
direct disadvantage of our manufacturers.
but also increases their costs to our citi-
Zens
The interests of labor are certainly.
though indirectly, involved in this fea.
ture OF our tariff system. The sharp
com petition and active struggle among
our manufacturers 10 supply the limited
demand for their goods soon fill The mar
row market to which they are confined.
Then follows suspension OF work ip
mills and factories, discharge of en-
ployees and distress in the homes of our
workingmen.
Even If the often dsproved assertion
could be made good that lower rate OF
wages would result from free raw ma
terials and low tariff duties, the intelli.
gence of our workingmen leads them
quickly to discover that their steady EN-.
ployment, permitted by free raw mate
rails, is the most important factor in
their relation to tariff legislation.
"A measure has been prepared by the
appropriate congressional committee em.
bodying tariff reform on the lines herein
suggested, which will be promptly sub
mitted for Legislative action. 1t is the
result of much patriotic and unselfsh
work, and, l believe, it deals with its
subject consistently and as thoroughly
as existing conditions will permit"
These were the presidents views eight
months ago, and he has seen no reason
to change them.