Evening journal., 1894-07-21

Of this lettor at This peculiar time. 1t may
have been indiscreet, SC may operate as a
nrebrand TO spread the flames Of discord
already liindled among party friends. hon
estly differing as l am disposed to con
cede, upon questions Of public and party
| policy. 1t may widen the broach already
existing in this senate, and in that view it
may be regarded as unfortunate and i'll
advised. IL was q time for diplomacy.
| craftsmanship and Cancellation rather
than recrimination, denunciation and ar
rdignment. But, aside from the question
of its mure expediency, / am here to de-
| fend the presidents letter in 50 far as It
demands that the party shall not be led
astray into the violation Of Democratic
pledges and principles
Upon the question of free raw materials
the president is right and you know IL.
You cannot answer his arguments You
cannot successfully dispute his PROPOSE
tiOns. You cannot doubt his sincerity and
patriotism. You must yield in the end to
his Views You cannot stand up against
the sentiment Of the great Democratic
masses Of the country which will rally
around the president I'm his contest with
you upon this particular branch of the
subject.
A Democratic Theory Violated.
The time to yield is now, before there
are further humiliation, embarrassment
and discord.
| Mr.. President, having demonstrated
that the true Democratic theory Of revenue
reform requires that free raw materials
should be its distinguishing feature, let
us next inquire what is the condition
which now confronts us.
The senate bill which has been passed
violates this Democratic theory, and, while
| it reduces the duty on iron, coal, lead and
some other raw materials from those i'm
posed under the Mckinley law and in that
respect Is commendable, IL nevertheless
imposes some duties thereon and thereby
fails TO redeem our pledges. 1t Is not a
| question Of the amount of duties which
may be imposed question Of principle
is involved, and a single penny's duty vi
olates our promises and places us in a
! false position AS the president well says
there can be no compromise on a matter
of this character where a vital principle
| is at stake.
The house of representatives,, fresh from
the people, which represents more dis
tinctly and peculiarly than we do the tax
ing power Of the people, repudiates our
BILL and a Democratic president has EN-
phaslzed that reputation, and the condi-
ton which confronts us is one Of extreme
embarrassment Shall we retreat OF ad-
vance, Shall We surrender to the house
while we can do SO honorably, OF shall we
wait until we are driven TO IT.
The President Committed.
In the light Of the letter Of the president
the house cannot honorably retreat. II
has no other alternative except 70 insist
upon its bill wherein it provides for free
raw materials. The president cannot ap
prove the senate bill after what he has
said in this remarkable letter
He arraigns the senate and intimates
that the enactment Of the senate bill
means party periidy and party dishon
OF" These are strong words which the
president Of the United States would not
use toward measure which he ever ex
pected afterward to approve.
This letter, unusual and unprecedented
in its character and method Of promulga
ton though It may be, nevertheless clear
| ly foreshadows veto Of the senate bill
| even If the house should finally concur II
our amendments. What person would
| expect the president to approve tho senate
I bill after its vigorous and scathing denun
| citation contained in his letter, You would
think less of him for his glaring incon
sistency.
No this letter is significant. It is I
bold, vigorous, even IL imprudent, letter
It means war to the knife against the sen
ate bill. It iustifies much that has beeI
said against the senate bill during all tn
last three months It means that it cal
never receive executive approval. 1t mean
that the senate cannot be permitted 4
abandon or surrender the great underly
ing principles for which we struggled ant
lost i'm 1883 and fought and won in 1892.
Tho president is right There is no mid
die ground which we can occupy. No bill
which does not provide for free raw mate
rails can be permitted to become law.
He Respectfully Differs.
It is Unnecessary to enter into any al
Qument to define or designate what arti
Giles constitute raw material. Every Dem
ocrat knows what they are. Any articl
may bo considered raw material when
is in the lowest or crudest form in whic
IL enters into commerce. That definition
Is ample and sufficient and will redeem
our pledges if it is honestly applied Tn
party platform was for free, not freer, ray
materials, as is now ingeniously contend
ed.
II the president in his wisdom had soei
ft while the debate was progressing II
the senate 20 have aided my efforts to Sc
cure adhesion to this principle by express
ing his views in favor thereof in som
proper and Legitimate way l should hav
been gratified, and IL unQuestionabl
would have been Of practical benefit TO tn
cause. / rejoice that he has expresse
them even now, although ! am not r,
auired to defend the manner and form q
their presentation even If they require
defense, which do not assume.
Remember the time the excursion leave