The Laurens advertiser. (Laurens, S.C.) 1885-1973, 1894-09-04
PRESIDENT CLEVELAND'S POSI-.
TON.

1t is Explained in u Mastery Letter
to MI. Catchings. of mississippi.
President Cleveland has written to
Representative Catchings, Of Missis-
sippi, u letter in which he sets forth
his views of the new tariff law and
gives his reasons for not approving the
bill. The letter is as follows
Executive Mansion, Washington, d.
c., August q, 1S94.-Hon. r. G. Catch
ings-My Dear Sir: Since the con-
%versation | had with you and Mr..
Clark, of Alabama, a few days ago, in
regard to my action on the tariff bill,
now before me, have given the subject
further and moro serious consideration.
The result is, l am more settled than
ever in the determination to allow the
bill to become q law without my sina-
ture.
When the formation Of the legisla-
ton, which it was hoped would embody
Democratic ideas of tariff reform, was
lately entered upon by the Congress,
nothing was further from my anticipa-
tion than q result which | could not
promptly and enthusiastically indorse.
1t is, therefore,. with q feeling of the
utmost disappointment that l submit
to q denial of this privilege.
| do no claim to be better than the
masses of my party, nor do 1 wish to
avoid any responsibility which, on ac-
count of the passage of this law, 1
ought to bear as u member of tho
Democratic organization. Neither
will / permit myself to be separated
from my party to such an extent as
might be implied by my veto of the
triff legislation, which, though dis
appointing, is still chargeable to De-
mocratic effort. But there are pas
- pr1 - {L;, lsl1 .l.-l - =.
direct line of honest tariff reform and
itcontains Inconsistencies and crudities
which ought not to appear in tariff
laws or laws of any kind. Besides
there were, as you and 1 we'll know,
incidents accompanying the passage
of the bill through the Congress,
which made every sincere tariff re-
former unhappy, while influences sur
rounded it in its latter stages, and in
terfered with its full construction,
which ought not to be recognized or
tolerated in Democratic tariff reform
councils.
And yet, Notwithstanding all it's
vicissitudes and all the bad treatment
1T received at the hands Of pretended
friends, it presents Il vast improve
ment to existing conditions. It will
certainly Tighten many a tariff burden
that now rests heavily upon the peo.
pie. 1t is not only a barrier against
the return of made protection, but it
furnishes a vantage ground from.
which must be waged further agrees
sive operations against protected mo-
nopoly and governmental favoritism
l take my place with the rank and
file of the Democratic party who be-
llove IN tariff reform, and who know
what 1T is; who refuse to accept the
result embodied in this bill as the close
or the war; who are not blind to the
fact that the livery of Democracy has
been stolen and worn in the service of
Republican protection, and who have
marked the deadly light of treason that
has blasted the councils of tho brave
in their hour of might.
The trusts and combinations-the
communion of ~pelf-whose machina-
lions have ~preventened us from reach
log the success we deserved, should
not be forgotten or forgiven. We
shall recover from our establishment
at their exhibition of power, and if
then the question is forced upon lis
whether they shall submit to the free
legislative will Of the peoples repre-
sentatives, or shall dictate the laws
which the people must obey, we will
accept and settle that issue as one in
volving the integrity and safety OF
American institutions.
o the principles of true Demo
cracy because they are founded in
patriotism and upon justice and fair
ness toward all interests. am proud
OF my party organization because it is
c~onservatively sturdy and persistent
IN tho enforcement of principle.
Therefore, [ do not despair of the
House of Representatives to supple
ment the bill already passed by furthe-
er legislation, and to have e~ngrafted
upon 1T such notifications as will moro
nearly meet Democratic hopes and
aspirations.
cannot be mistaken as to the neces-
sity of logical and sensible tariff re-
form. The extent to which this is
recognized in the legislation already
secured is one of its encouraging and
~redeeming features; but it is vexa-
tious to recall hat while free coal and
iron ore have been denied us, q recent
letter to the secretary of the treasury
dlscloses the fact hat both might have
been made FREQ by the annual sur
render OF only about 100000 OF un-
necessary revenue.
] am sure that there is q common
habit OF Understanding the impor-
tance of free raw materials in tariff
legislation, and regarding them as
only related to concessions to be made
to our manufactur crs. The truth is,
thcir influence is SO far reaching that
IL ~disregarded, a complete and benefi-
cent scheme of tariff reform cannot be
inaugurated.
When we give to our manufacturers
free raw materials we unshakle Ameri-
can enterprise and ingenuity, and
these will open the doors of a foreign
markets to the reception of our wares
and give opportunity for the continuous
and remunerative employment of
American labor. With materials
cheapened by their freedom from tariff
changes the cost of their product must
be correspondingly c~heapened. There
upon, justice and fairness to the con-
sumer would demand that the manu-
~facturers be obliged to submit to such
a REIMBURSEMENT and modification of the
tariff upon their finished good as would
secure to the people tho benefits of
the reduced cost Of their manufacture,
and shield the consumer against the
exactions OF inordinate profits. 1t
will thus be seen that free raw
material n a just and fearless regu-
lation and reduction of tho tariff to
meet the changed conditions, would
carry to every humble homo In the
land the blessings OF increased COM
fort n cheaper living.