New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-07-23


CAUSED BIG oNE-cHArRMAN WILSON'S
DRAMATIC APPEARANCE UPON THE
sCENE-READING OF THE LETTER
AND ITS RECEPTION BY REP
REsENTATIvEs AND
SENATORS
Washington, July 22-President Cleveland en-
joys acutcy the sensations caused by looking at
himself in the attitude OF a modern David sprung
suddenly forward to defend his hopeless and I'M
happy people from menacing Goliath All VIII
admit that he possesses keen appreciation OF
the popular side Of a controversy In efforts 70
bring about results which to his mind are de-
manded by the people. he loves dearly to pose
as the sturdy, unbending. majestic representative
of popular opinion against whom the storms cam
not prevail. He loves to appear also, In sensa-
tional attitudes and 10 do unexpected and sur
prisng things He loves especially to handle the
scourge and TO lay 1t smartly on the backs OF
those who are standing in his opinion, between
the people and their will OF course, like most
men who have come into great power on high
waves Of popularity. he does not make distinc-
tions between his will and the public will When
he saws the American people demand or desire or
insist this that or t'other ne means ne demands
and he insists and he desires Sometimes he has
the right end OF H. as In the fight for the repea
OF the Silver Purchasing act; sometimes he mas
the wrong end Of It, as in the preposterous
scheme 10 put the ex-Queen or Hawaii back upon
her throne to the end that she may have the run
~ beheading the American colony In honolulu.
BY processes not altogether clear to the onlooker'
and by steps in which he has not seen himself 10
be entirely sure. ne has gradually come TO the
conclusion that the Wilson bill as it left the
House is a more popular measure than the SEN
ate bill. now before the Conference Committee.
During the long six months Of discussion after
the Wilson bill went into the Senate, Mr.. Cleve-
land was silent This was suitable. and It at
tiacted no particular attention. Presidents are
not supposed 10 undertake 10 give a particular
shape 10 the action OF the Legislature. The Ex-
ecutive function with regard 70 legislation, IS
clearly stated in the Constitution. The President
Is directed when Congress meets to give II IN
formation Of the state Of the Union and 10 make
such recommendations as seem 10 MIN nttins'
This ne must when Congress meets ana may
do at any time. He possesses the right OF veto
Also and there his relations 10 legislation END
The authority Of Congress is independent OF MS
authority and coequal with IT, and nothing IS
more Characteristic OF our governmental system
Or vital to its perpetui,y than the independence
" the three branches Of the Government. each
from the undue influence Of the others
THE DEMOCRATIC EMBARRAssMENrs.
But as direct. straightforward procedure. dis
regard of technicaities and dislike Of form for
FORMS sake are characteristic Of the American
people so Mr. Cleveland delights 10 make them
characteristic Of himself He wants 10 stand out
as the typical American. bold, ready FOR any
emergency. willing to assume any responsibility
knowing precisely what he wants ana utterly IN
tolerant OF chicane All who have watched 'he
progress Of the Tariff bill have realized that the
Democratic task of getting together has been fuH
~ trouble and embarrassment Here was an ex-
treme Southern wing demanding absolute Tree
trade; another Southern wing demanding Tree
trade on everything except sugar. rice iron' coal
and cotton goods; Western WING denahulhs
free trade on everything but sugar snd iruit ana
load ore. Northern wing Demanding that the
free trade idea BE- abandoned altogether ana tha'
all industry be protected il not 10 the extent
Illustrated by the Mckinley bill. at all events
arroctualv: a Northern wing demanding the
abandonment Of the income tax idea, ard indi-
viduals here and there demanding specihc indi-
,i,,ual concessions 10 local interests. There was
hare Democratic majority in the Senate ana
,rban tho COMPROMISE bill passed the Democratc
Senators gave huge sigh Of relief and frankly
admitted that they would not undertake 70 of'is
that bill or any bill 10 a vote in the senate asa'"
for all the gold in California
Among sagacious observers the opinion was
rnanimous that the House would have to accept
tho Senate bill The reasons FOR this oplho"
were abundant. There was Democratic MAJOR
ity in the House Of ninety; the House rules al.
,orded a machine whereby anything wnch han
q dozen Of the leading spirits there might agree
upon could be forced to its passage; all DEBATE
could be shut off all controversy suDHueu' II
was supposed of course. there would De pc
riod more or less prolonged Of powWow III 'he
conference n show Of determined resistance
and IN the end a surrender 70 the senate Hiore
or less graceful. II observed that the
Sneaker and Mr. Wilson talked fight with what
seemed to be unnecessary feeling in view OF the
o,,idoni fact that they would have 10 come
down" nnallv Mr. Crisp. for instance. declared
ia several persons that the House would remain
I'm session until November before II would con-
sent To taxed coal and taxed iron ana 10
differential duty on sugar In MS reina'N'
unon the motion to send the bill into conference
Nr Wilson was saucy 10 the Senators-uhduy
saucv in the Judgment of those VINO knew 'hae
the Senators had Mr.. Wilson. in language less
pretty than apt. where the halr was snort ou'
these ebullitions Of feeling attracted little notice
and less concern Nobody knew that at that
moment the gentleman from West Virginia mad
in his inside coat pocket letter from the Presi-
dent ~ the United States declaring war on the
Democratic Senators, alleging that they were
perfdious to their trust. traitors to their party
slaves Of corporate power and greed, and in gen.
eral a set Of grdceess and INSCRIPTIONS men
who must be taken by the napes of their several
necks and shaken and punched and kicked ana
hammered into submission 70 his masterrul VIII.
The conferences among the Democratic confer
rees went on without exciting a great deal OF
interest All kinds of stories were circulated as
10 what was going on. but nobody supposed 1t
made much difference whether they were true or
false The general opinion was that there would
be A week or two Of wrangle, and then report
10 each House that ii had been impossible TO