The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1894-08-29
THE BILL AND THE PRESIDENT.


The tariff bill is now a law of the
United States. The Mckinley enact
ment is no more. In a short time the
effects of the new legisla ton will begin
to be fe't. IT will before very long be
in order to judge to some extent as to
the good or evil of the change. Up to
date all criticisms of the results of
tariff reform have been premature.
When the Wilson law has been in opera
ton long enough to affect trade and in
dustry there will be some reason in
pointing out what may be considered
injurious effects if any can be found
The Presidents views in relation to
the new tariff law viii be shared by the
great majority of the Democratic party
and by not a few who are unconnected
with that party. That the measure is
not what they desired is clear That it
was passed in it's present form was due
to influences operating upon some
Democratic Senators as strongly as up-
on the great body of the Republican
Senator's, is equally plain. And that
even in its imperfect state it is a vast
Improvement upon the law it has re-
placed, is apparent to every tariff re-
former.
The President had one of three things
to do in relation to this bill. He could
veto it. or sign it, or allow it to be-
come law without his signature.
Either is his constitutional prerogative.
The supreme law of the land provides
for either course. No man has the right
to say what the President should do in
this matter. His right as to either
course is equal with that as to the
others. He gives reasons for his de-
cision in the letter to Congressman
Catchings, and only his enemies will say
they are not conclusive.
The President would not veto the
tariff bill, because it contains so many
provisions which will lessen the burdens
Of taxation upon the shoulders of the
masses. The good things in it, as far
as they go, are to be commended. The
objection is they do not go far enough.
But the President did not wish to pre-
vent the accomplishment of a measure
of reform because that measure was
smaller than was desirable.
He would not sign the bill, because
his signature would be the stamp of his
approval, when he did not approve of
the course pursued in relation to it by
those Senators who held the balance
of power, and used it in favor Of those
who wanted to hold back the party in
its pursuit of tariff reform. He could
not consequently set his hand to a
measure which he had pronounced in
complete and short of the public de-
mand.
Therefore he allowed the bill to be.
come a law by the action of the two
Houses of Congress. 1t is just as much
a law without his signature as with it,
under the constitution of our country.
It is a big stride in the right direction.
1t will pave the way to further reforms.
There need not for some years be a new
tariff law in the complete sense of the
term. Supplementary acts can be
passed on special articles which will
not disturb the general interests of the
country.
One thing may be considered sure.
The drift of tariff changes will be
henceforth in the Democratic direction.
The absurd effort of some Republicans
to arouse agitation to revive the high
tariff provisions Of McKinleyism, will
be a fiat failure. Tariff reform has set
in and will go on till the duties on i'm
ports are reduced to a reasonable basis
and for revenue purposes.
Great relief will come to the masses
of the consumers and the good that will
be the result viii sound the doom of
Republican protection and the triumph
of the tariff principles which, in the
Language of the lamented Garfield, '1ead
to ultimate free trade