The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1894-07-21
TRUE REFORM URGED.
President Cleveland Writes q VIgOr-
Gus Letter to Chairman Wilson
on the Tariff Conference.

soon after The mouse began the dis
cussiOn of the tariff conference com
mittee's report, Thursday. Chairman
Wilson, of the ways and mean CON-
arose, and, amid intense inter
est, announced that he had received a
letter from President Cleveland, which
the latter had permitted to be made
The letter was read amid pro-
found silence. 1t was q stirring tribute
to the Wilson bill, and a direct blow at
any surrender to the senate bill. 1t was
as follows:
EXECUTIVE MANsIoN,)
WASHINGTON, ID. c..
July 2, 1884,.
To Hon. William L.. Wilson.
MY DEAR SIR The certainty that a
conference will be ordered between the
two houses of congress, for the purpose
of adjusting differences on the subject
of tariff legislation, makes it also
certain that you will be again called
upon to do hard service in the cause of
tariff reform.
My public life has been SO closely
related to the subject; l have SO long
worked for its accomplishment, and i
have so often promised its realization
to my fellOw-countrymen as a result of
their trust and confidence in the demo-
cratic party, l hope nc excuse is neces-
sary for my earnest appeal to you that
in this crisis you strenuOusly insist upon
party honesty and good faith and a
sturdy adherence to democratic prin-
ciples. l believe these are absolutely
necessary conditions to the continuation
of democratic existence.
cannot rid myself of the feeling that
this conference will present the best, II
not the only hope of true democracy,
Indications point to its action as the
reliance of those who desire the genuine
fruitiOn of democratic effort, the fulfill
ment of democratic pledges and the
redemption of democratic promises to
the people.
To reconcile differences i'm the details
comprised within the fixed and well
defined lines of principle, will not be
the sole task of the conference, but, as
it seems to me, its members will also
have i'm charge the question whether
democratic principles themselves are IL
be saved or abandoned.
There is no excuse for installing oil
MISUNDERSTANDING the feeling and the
temper of the rank and file of the
democracy. They are downcaSt under
the assertion that their party falls in
ability to manage the government, and
they are apprehensive that efforts IL
bring about tariff reform may fail but
they r much more dOwncast and ap-
prehenslve in their fear that democratic
principles may be surrendered. In these
circumstances they cannot do otherwise
than TO look with confidence to you and
those who with you have patriOtically
and sincerely champiOned the cause OF
tariff reform within democratic lines
and guided by democratic principles
| This confidence is vastly augmented by
the action under your leadership of the
house of representatives upon the bill
now pending. Every true democrat ant
every sincere democrat knows that thi:
bill, in its present form, and rs 1t vii
he submitted to the conference, falls fal
| short Of the contamination for which
we have long labOred, for which w
have suffered defeat without discourage
ment, which, in its anticipation, gave
us q rallying cry in our day oil triumph
and which, i'm its promise of accom-
plishment, is so interviewer with demo
| cratic pledges and democratic success.
That our Abandonment of the cause, Oh
the principles upon which IL rests
means party periidy and party dishonor
One topic will be submitted To TN
conference which embOdies demOcrati,
principle SO directly that it cannot b.
COMPROMISED. We have, in u plat
forms, and in every way possible
declared in favor of the free importation
of raw materials. We have again an,
again promised that this should b.
accorded TO our people and our manu-
facturers as soon as the democrati,
party was invested with tho power t.
determine the tariff policy of tn,
country. The party has now tina