Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1894-07-25
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND'S LETTER TO
HON. VIM. I. WILSON.
Tariff Reform Principles Upheld.

Tariff Reform Principles Upheld.
The following is the letter sent by
President Cleveland to Chairman Will
son, of the ways and means committee
of the House of Representatives., de-
ciaring against any surrender on the
tariff to the Senate conservatives"
and read in the House last Thursday
at the request of the recipient:
E!recutioe MdnsiOn, Washington, July
2, 1891 Personal. Ito Hon. William
L. Wilson.-My Dear Sir: The certainty
that conference will be ordered be-
tween 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 on to do hard service in the cause
of tariff reform.
My public life has been so closely re-
lated to the subject, have so longed for
its omplishment, and have so often
promised its realization to my fellow
country men as Il result of their trust
and confidence in the democratic party
that | hope no excuse is necessary for
my earnest appeal to you that in this
crisis you strenuously insist upon par
ty honesty and good faith and sturdy
adherence to democratic principles.
believe these are absolutely necessary
conditions to the continuation of demo-
cratic existence.
| cannot rid myself of the feeling that
this conference will present the best, if
not the only hope of true democracy.
Indications point to its action as the
81,
inc fruition of democratic effort, the
fulfiiment of democratic pledges and
the redemption of democratic promises
to the people To reconcile differences
in tie details comprised within the
fixed and we'll defined lines of princi-
pie will rot be the sole task of the con-
ference; but, as it seems to me, its mem
bers will also have in charge the ques-
ton whether democratic principles
themselves are to be saved or abandon
ed.
There is no excuse for mistaking or
misapprehending the feeling and the
temper of the rank and file of the de
mocracy. They are downcast under
the assertion that their party fails in
ability to manage the government, and
they are apprehensive that efforts TO
bring about tariff reform may fail; but
they are much more dOwncast and APP
prehensive in their fear that democrat
ic principle may be surrendered.
In these circumstances they cannot
do otherwise than to look with con
fidence to you and those who with you
have periodically and sincerely cham
piOned the cause of tariff reform with
in democratic lines and guided by dem
ocratic principles. This confidence is
vastly augmented by the action under
your leadership of the House of Repre-
sentatives upon the bill now pending.
Every true democrat and every sin
cere tariff reformer knows that this bill
in it's present form and as it will be sub
mitted to the conference falls far short
of the contamination for which we
have long labored. for which we have
suffered defeat without discourage
mcnt: which in its anticipation gave us
a rallying cry in our day of triumph,
and which in its promise of accomplish
ment is SO interviewer with democratic
pledges and democratic success that our
abandonment of the cause or the prin-
ciples upon which it rests means party
perfidy and party dishonor.
One topic will be submitted to the
conference which embodies democratic
principle so directly that it cannot be
compromised. We have in our plat
forms and in every way possible decar-
ed in favor of the free importation of
raw materials. We have again and
again promised that this should be &C
corded to our people and our manufac
turers as soon as the democratic party
was invested with the power to deter
mine the tariff policy of the country.
| The party now has that power. We
are as certain to day as we have ever
been of the great benefit that would
accrue to the country from the inau-
guration of this policy, and nothing
has occurred to release US from cur OBJ
| legation to secure this advantage to our
people. 1t must be admitted that no
tariff measure can accord with demo
cratic principles and promises or bear
genuine democratic badge that does
not provide for free raw material
In these circumstances it may well
excite our wonder that democrats are
willing to depart from this the most
democratic of all tariff principles, and
that the inconsistent ;ibsurdity of such
a proposed departure should be en-
phasized by the suggestion that the
wool of the farmer be put on the free
list and the protection of tariff taxation
be placed around the iron ore and coal
of corporations and capitalists. How
can We face the people after INDUCING
in such outrageous determinations and
violations of principle?
1t is quite apparent that this question
of free raw material does not admit of
adjustment on any middle ground
since their subsection to any rate of
tariff taxation, great or small, is alike
HannarafI M
democratic good faith.
hope that you will not consider it
instrusive if say something in relation
to another subject which can hardly
fail to be troublesome to the confer
ence | refer to the adjustment of tariff
taxation Oh sugar.
Under our party platform, and in &C
cordance with our declared party pur
poses, sugar is a legitimate and logical
article of revenue taxation. Unfortu
nately, however, incidents have accom-
panied certain stages of the legislation
which will be submitted to the confer
ence that have aroused in connection
with this subject a natural democratic
animosity to the methods and manipu-
lations OF trusts and combinations. |
confess to sharing in this feeling; and
yet it seems to me we ought, if possible.
to sufficiently free ourselves from pref u-
dice to enable us coolly to weigh the
considerations which in formulating
tariff legislation, ought to guide our
treatment of sugar as taxable article.
While no tenderness should be enter
tanned for Trusts, and while | am de-
cidediy opposed to granting them I'M
der the guiSe of tariff taxation, any OPP
portunity to further their peculiar
v l.