New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1894-08-28
THE BILL OF SALE Ratified.

THE BILL OF SALE Ratified.
The Tariff bill has become law. and the roll
Of dshonor Is complete Three distinct decisions
divide the shame In the Senate caucus forty
three Democrats blindy bound themselves TO
support any Bill Of Sale that could be negot
otod The House caucus bound Democratic
REPRESENTATIVES to pass the infamous bill with
out change. The President had not the man
hood 70 send the measure back to Congress Tor
correction OF the three he loses most. Nobody
expected courage or manhood from House OF
Senate and vet they did not shrink from doing
the indecent thing lie had not the fortitude
TO do ANYTHING. Mr. Cleveland shows himself
the fitting leader Of his party. lis incompc-
tencc and cowardice made 1t unable TO do what
il promised. or even what it wished and tried
to do. He has not character enough to veto
or 10 sign bill the perfdy and dshonor of
which he has publicly declared. 1t will stand
this tariff of 1894. not only as monument OF
Democratic corruption and dishonesty, but also
Of the smalncss and inflated vanity Of Mr..
Cleveland. He might have signed, on the
ground that the bill was to him better than no
bill, and most of his partisans would have APP
proved. lie might have vetoed, and every man
who cares for honesty in government would
inflated as no other President ever has been'
he lacks manhood even for real resistance.
In trying 10 state why. in his letter to Mr..
Catchings the President undertook a task much
too hard for him. His sole excuse for refusing
n veto Is that he VIII not separate from his
party. Ten times in one letter this President,
supported by many as non-pariSan. brings III
my party" Democratic organization, ideas,
ilc in In IN
not sign a bill passed by Democrats which he
pronounces shame 10 them. Nothing 1t was
possible for him 10 say can alter the fact
that he permits this Odious and corrupt measure
TO become a law. He alone had absolute power
to defeat corruption. and refused. If 1t * non
est, decent and upright for him. it was as much
so for every man in either house 10 vote for II
rs the only tariff which could be- passed. Brand
ing them with perfidy and dlshonor, he gives
them the right 10 laugh at his Pharisaic pre-
fence OF superior deccncy. Nor does anything
he can say alter the fact that, in refusing 10
sign the bill he stamps IL as an Indecent ana
corr1Ipt thing which Congress could not honestly
mass II the trusts and combinations as he
SAYS can never be forgotten nor forgiven.
and have raised IAN issue involving the incg-
rity and safety Of American institutions, what
place has he on the wrong Side in that ISSUE:
When Senator Palmer sent word 10 the PrcSi-
dent according 10 report, that he must either
sign or veto and not De q coward. y" gave al
vice which the President will have bitter reason
TO remember OF all courses he has selected the
least manly. and the one most calculated 10
dispel the notion that he is anything but a small
partisan ovcrvain and fond Of cant. but con
sciously too empty TO stand alone.
The one excuse which business men have
urged for refusing veto the President takes
away by declaring that the bill cannot settle
anything, but Is vantage ground from which
must be waged further aggressive operations
against Protection. He will find that corrlp-
ton and dishonor form poor vantage ground.
Since the fight must go on, 1t Will be decided
by Americans who believe In honest govern
ment and by practical men who see that de-
cent protective tariff can be framed only by
Protectionists.
The latest and browning fruit Of Democratic
craftsmanship is a bill which, as Mr. Mills de-
cnred. not thousand men in the United States
desired 10 have passed. II Democrats must pass
any bill, Republicans could not have hoped that
they would pass any worse than this, foul as
it Is with corruption and shame Only indecent
sclfishness made Democrats willing TO accept
It, in the belief that their ignorant friends would
think any bill better than no bill. But no sin
cere believer in either party no honest man
who cares for American selfgovernment, want
ed his principles; or his country so dshonored.
And the President knew how vile and bad the
measure was. shouted out It's shame to the
whole country when he imagined that some
frivolous change would give him n shallow
seeming of personal success, and in the end was
too sulky to sign and too thoroughly whipped
to veto. Or will history conclude that his early
advocacy OF duty on sugar, and the jealous
cooperation Of his Secretary with the men who
bought the Senate, furnish the true explanation,
and that the Whiskey and Sugar trusts own
him as much they own the Senate? II mat
tcrs little. He will not be large figure In poll
tics hereafter.