The progressive farmer. [volume] (Winston, N.C.) 1886-1904, 1894-07-24
cLEvRLAND'e TARIFF LETTER.
He Writes to Chairman Wilson aud Gets
off Some Cush About Democratic
Principles and Promises~-The
Same old n~ecA0f;on
Same old Deceptiou.

4AAA~APACSa 40 4 4O4liSSS- i ne
Same old Deception.
WASHINGTON, July 19-The follow.
ing Is President Cleveland's letter to
representative Wilson, upon the tariff
situation, which Mr.. Wilson read as
part OF his remarks in the House this
afternoon:
EXECUTIVE MANSION.
Washington. D. c.. July 2, ga.
Hon. VIM. L. WilsOn-My Dear SIR:
The certainty that a conference will
be ordered between the two Houses of
Congress, for the purpose of adjusting
differences on the subject of tariff legis
latIon, makes it also certain that sou
will be again called on to do hard ser
vice In the cause of tariff reform
My public life has been so closely re
lated to the subject, l have Ionged for
it's accomplishment, and Ihave so often
promised its realization to my fellow
countrymen as a result of their trust
and confidence in the Democratic party,
that L hope no excuse is necessary for
my earnest appeal to you that in this
Crisis you strenuously insist upon party
honesty and good faith and a sturdy
adherence to Democratic principles. |
believe these absolutely necessary con
dltlons to the continuation Of the Dem
ocratic existence.
1cannot rid myself of the feeling that
this conference will present the best,
II not the only, hope Of true DemOc-
racy. The indications point to it's &C
ton as the reliance of those who desire
the genuine fruits of Democratic efforts,
the fulflment of Democratic pledges
and the redemption of Democratic
promises to the people. To reconcile
differences in the details comprised
within the fixed and we'll defined lines
of principle will not be the sole task of
the conference, but, as it seems to me,
it's members will also have in charge
the question whether Democratic prin
clples themselves are to be saved or
! abandoned.
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 ap
prehensive in their fear that Demo
cratic principle may be surrendered.
In these circumstances they cannot
1 do otherwise than to look with conf
4: denceto you and to those who with you
have periodically and sincerely cham
. piOned the of tariff reform with
in Democratic principles. This conf
; dence is vastly augmented by the action
: under your leadership of the House of
Representatives upon the bill now
pending.
. Every true Democrat and every sin
D cere tariff refOrmer knows that this
bill In its present form and as it will be
submitted to the conference, falls far
short of the contamination for which
we have long labored, for which we
have suffered defeat without discour-
1 agement, which 10 it's 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
principles upon which it rests, means
b party perfdy and party dishonor.
e 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 de
S clared in favor of the free importation
of raw materials. We have again and
again promised that this should be &C
corded to our peoplepand our manufac
turers as o o as the Democratic party
r was invested with the power to deter
g mine the tariff policy of the country
g The party now has that power. We
n are as certain to-day as we have ever
been of the great benefit that woulC
accrue to the country from the inaUgu
ration of this policy. and nothing has
occurred to release us from obliga
ton to secure this advantage to GU
people. 1t must be admitted that Nc
- &nMSf ~NnnnTInO n n00NW6 nnrN00H0%S T
- principles and promises or bear a genu
q Inc Democratic badge, that does no
provide for free raw material. In the
circumstances it may well excite oul
wonder that Democrats are willing tt
depart from this, the most Democratic
l. of all tariff principles, and that the in
consistent %absurdity of such a proposed
a departure should be emphasized By
the suggestion that the wool of the
( farmer be put on the free list and the
protection of tariff legislation be placed
I. around the iron ore and coal of corpo
rations and capitalists. How can WI
h face the people after indulging in sucl
outrageous determinations and viola
, tions of principle?
1t is quite apparent that this ques
ton of free raw material does not ad
p NIT of adjustment on any middle
!; ground, since their subsection to any
rate of tariff taxation, great or small, il
It alike violative of Democratic principle
and Democratic good faith.
1 hope that you will not consider i
It intrusive if I say something in relation
to another subject which can hardly
fail to be troublesome to the conference
1 refer to the adjustment of tariff OF
d sugar.
d Under our party platform and in &C
a cordance with our declared party pur
d poses, sugar is a legitimate and logica