The Dalles daily chronicle. [volume] (The Dalles, Or.) 1890-1948, 1894-07-21
DOES THE PRESIDENT DIcT4rE1

Mr.. Wilson, chairman of the ways and
means committee, sent to the clerk s
desk and had read private letter from
President Cleveland to himself, the lat
fer's consent having been obtained to
giving it publicity. As the letter is a
remarkable document, and will here
after be extensively commented upon,
We print it in full.
THE FAMOUS LETTER.
''The certainty that conference will
be ordered between the houses of con-
gress for the purpose of adjusting the
differences on the subject of tariff legis-
lation, makes it also certain that you
will be called upon again to do hard
service in the cause of tariff reform.
Ny public lie has been so closely re-
lated to the SUBJECT, have so longed
for it's accomplishment, and I have SO
often promised it's accomplishment to
my fellow countrymen as result of
their trust and confidence in the demo-
cratic party, that hope no excuse is
necessary for my earnest appeal to you
that, in this crisis, you strenuously in
sist upon party honesty and good faith
and sturdy adherence to democratic
principles. I believe these are abso-
luteIy necessary conditions to the en-
tinuation of democratic existence.
t'I cannot rid myself of the feeling
that this conference will present the
best if not the only hope of true democ-
racy. Indications point to its action as
H. of h0 4 ~ Aho
uine fruItion of democratic effort, the
fulfillment of democratic pledges and
the redemption of democratic promises
to the people. To reconcile differences
in the details, comprised within the
fixed and well-defined lines of principle,
will not be the sole task of the confer
ence, but, as it seems to me, its mem
bers have in charge thequestion whether
democratic principles themselves are to
be saved or abandoned.
''There is no excuse for mistaking or
misapprehending the feelings of the
temper of the rank and file of democ-
rRcy- They are downcast under the as
sertion that their party has failed in it's
ability to manage the government, and
they are apprehensive that efforts to
bring about tariff reform nay fail, but
they are much more downcast and ap-
prehensive in their fears that demo-
cratic principles may be surrendered.
Under these necessary circumstances.
they do wisely to look with confidence
to you and those who with you have
patriotically and sincerely championed
the cause of tariff reform within demo-
cratic lines and guided by those princi-
PIES This confidence is vastly aug
mented by the action, under your
leadership, of the house of representa-
tives upon the bill now pending.
Every true democrat and every sim
cere tariff reformer knows that this bill,
in its present form and as it will be sub
mitted to the conference, falls far short
of the contamination for which we have
lOnglabored; for which we have suffered
defeat without encouragement; which,
IN it's anticipation, gives us rallying
cry in our day of triumph and which, in
its promise of accomplishment, is so in
terwoven with democratic pledges and
democratic successes that our abandon
ment of the cause and of the principles
Upon which it rests means party perfidy
and party dishonor.
''One topic will be submitted to the
conference which embodies democratic
principles SO that it cannot be COM
promised. We have in our platform
and in every way possible declared in
favor of the free importation of raw
materials. We have again and again
promised that this should be accorded to
our people and our manufacturers if the
democratic party was invested with the
power 20 determine the tariff policy of
the country. The party has now thai
power. We are as certain as we have
ever been of the benefit that would ac-
crue to the country from the inaugura-
tiOn of this policy, and nothing has
occurred to release us from our obliga-
tion to secure this advantage to our
people.
''It must be admitted no tariff measure
can accord with democratic principles
and promises or bear the genuine demo-
cratic badge that does not provide for
free raw materials. In these circum-
stances it may well excite our wonder
that democrats are willing to depart
from this most democratic of all tariff
principles and that the inconsistent
absurdity of such proposed depart re
should he emphasized by the suggestion
that the wool of the farmer be put on
the free list, and the protection of tariff
taxation be pla' ed around the iron ore
and coal of the corporations and capi-
talists. How Can we face the people
after indulging in such outrageous dis