The new dominion. [volume] (Morgantown, W. Va.) 1876-1904, 1894-09-08

sissippi who consented to its publ
cation in view of its public character
and Importance
Erecutive Mansion, Washington,
d. c., dug. 81, 1S94.-Hon. r. G.
Cdtchtngs-My Dear Sir: Since the
conversation had with you and Mr..
Clark, of Alabama, few days ago
in regard to my action upon the tar
if bill now before me / have given
the subject further and most serious
consideration The result is, / am
more settled than ever in the deter
mination to allow the bill to t.acome
a law without my signature. When the
formulation of legislation which it
was hoped would embody democratic
ideas of tariff reform was lately en-
tered upon by the Congress nothing
was further from my anticipation
than result which / could not
promptly and enthusiastically in
dorse. 1t is, therefore, with feel
ing of the utmost disappointment
that | submit to denial of this priv
ilege.
do not claim to be better than
the masses of my party, nor do l
wish to avoid any responsibility
which on account of the passage of
this law l ought to bear as mem
Der of the democratic organization.
Neither will permit myself to be
separated from my party to such an
extent as might be implied by my
veto of tariff legislation, which
though disappointing, is still charg
cable to democratic effort. But there
are provisions in this bill which are
not in line with honest tariff reform,
and it contains Inconsistencies and
crudities which ought not to appear
in tariff laws or laws of any kind.
Besides there were, as you and | well
know, incidents accompanying the
passage of the bill through the Con
gress which made every sincere tar
iff-reformer unhappy, while infu
ences surrounded it in its latter sta
ges and interfered with its final con-
struction which ought not to be rec
ognized or tolerated in democratic
tariff-reform counsels.
And yet, Notwithstanding all its
vicissitudes and all the bad treat
ment it received at the hands of pre-
tended friends, it presents vast i'm
provement to existing conditions. 1t
will certainly tighten many tariff
burdens that now rest heavily upon
the people 1t is not only barrier
against the return of mad protection
but it furnishes a vantage ground
from which must be waged further
aggressive operations against pro
tected monopoly and governmental
favoritism.
l take my place with the rank and
file of the democratic party, who be-
lieve in tariff reform and who know
what it is; who refuse to accept the
results embodied in this bill as the
close of the war; who are not blind
ed to the fact that the livery of dem
ocratic tariff reform has been stolen
and worn in the service of republi-
Sau piOeCSolou, anu VIM nave mdIh
ed the places where the deadly
| blight of treason has blasted the
counsels of the brave in their hour
of might.
The trusts and combinations-th
communism of pelf-whose machina-
tions have prevented us from reach
ing the success we deserved, should
not be forgotten nor forgiven. We
shall recover from our establishment
at their exhibition of power, and if
then the question is forced upon us
whether they shall submit to the
free legislative will of the peoples
representatives or shall dictate the
laws which the people must obey, we
will accept and settle that issue as
one involving the integrity and safe
ty of American institutions.
love the principles of true dem
ocracy because they are founded
on patriotism and upon justice and
fairness toward all interests. / am
proud of my party organization be
cause tbs conservatively sturdy and
persistent in the enforcement of its
principles. Therefore, / do not des-
pair of the efforts made by the House
Of Representatives to supplement the
bill already passed by further legis
lation and to have engrafted upon it
such notifications as will more
nearly meet democratic hopes and
aspirations.
/ cannot be mistaken as to the ne
cessity of free raw materials as the
foundation of logical and sensible
tariff reform. The extent to which
this is recognized in the legislation
already secured is one of its encour-
aging and redeeming features, butt
Is vexatious to recall that while free
coal and iron ore have been denied
US, recent letter of the Secretary
of the Treasury discloses the fact
that both might have been made
free by the annual surrender of only
about 100000 of unnecessary rev
enue.
am sure that there is s common
habit of Understanding the impor-
lance of free raw materials in tariff
legislation, and of regarding them
as only related to concessions to be
made to our manufacturers. The
truth is, their influence is so far
reaching that if disregarded com
plete and beneticent scheme of tariff
reform cannot be successfully inaug-
urated.
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