The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-08-29
THE CATCHINGs LETTER.


Mr.. Cleveland is the first President who
ever attempted to establish an extra-consti-
tutional mode of communicating with Con-
gress or the people. The Constitution says
the President shall, from time to time, rec
ommend to Congress such measures as he
shall judge necessary and expedient. 1t also
provides that if he does not approve a bill
that has been passed by Congress and pre-
sented to him for signature, 'he shall re-
turn 1t. with his objections. to that house
in which it shall have originated" The
Constitution does not provide any other
mode of communication between the Presi-
dent and Congress, and 1T evidently con-
templates that If he does not approve a bill
he shall veto it.
Mr.. Cleveland has made two notable de-
p~artures from constitutional methods. The
first was his letter to Chairman Wilson.
which was in effect a special message to
Congress, and the other is his letter to Rep
resentative Catchings. which is intended to
have, so far as the President is concerned,
the moral effect of a veto message. Under
the provision of the Constitution above
quoted the proper thing for him to do if he
did not approve the bill was to return it
with a statement of his objections thereto.
Instead of that, Ne holds the bill until it
becomes a law by limitation, and then
sends a statement of his objections to a
member of Congress. No other President
has ever found it necessary to resort to
such indirect methods Of communicating
with Congress or the country, nor has any
other President ever placed himself on rec
ord as bitterly opposed to a bill which he
was chiefly instrumental in making a law.
Mr.. Cleveland has set a bad precedent in
another respect. His letter to Chairman
Wilson was an attempt to control the &C
ton Of Congress, and his letter to Mr..
Catchings is a distinctly partisan one. In
the first the President sets an example of
presidential lobbying. and in the other of
presidential partisanship. What other Pres
ident ever used in a semi-official paper dis
cussing the merits of a measure submitted
to him for signature such expressions as
the following? II do not claim to be better
than the masses of my party" Il take my
place with the rank and file of the Demo-
cratic party II love the principles of true
Democracy IL am proud of my party or
ganization." Is Mr.. Cleveland President of
the United States and Of the whole Amer
lean people, or is he simply the head of the
Democratic party? A Republican President
once said: He serves his party best who
serves his country best" The present in
cumbent of the office seems to have re-
versed the sentiment, for his letter to Mr..
Catchings shows very clearly that he places
service to his party above service to the
country.
The following extracts from the letter
show the President fioundering about in a
mass of conflicting opinions like a derelict
at sea:
There are provisions in this bill which
are not In line with honest Democratic re-
form"
if burdens that now rest heavily on the
people"
ut contains inconsistencies and crudities
which ought not to appear in tariff laws
or laws of any kind"
IL am proud OF my party Organization, be-
cause ii is conservatively steady and per-
sistent in the enforcement OF its princi-
pies"
There were, as you and / we'll know. in
cidents accompanying the passage OF the
bill through Congress which made every
sincere reformer unhappy"
1T presents a vast Improvement to ex-
listing conditions"
Influences surrounded it in its latter
stages which ought not to be recognized or
tolerated in Democratic reform circles
The livery of Democratic tariff reform
has been stolen and worn in the service of
Republican protection"
81 am more settled than ever i'm the de-
termination TO allow the bill 10 become a
law without my signature
These are the conflicting expressions of
| one who is trying to convince himself that
he is consistent when he knows the rec
ord is dead against him. They are not the
u~tterances of an honest man, but of one
who is trying to make people believe that
he Is honest and patriotic, when in fact he
is tricky and demagogical.