The Yellowstone journal. [volume] (Miles City, Mont.) 1893-1901, 1894-08-29

today sent the following to Representa- !
tive Catchings Of Mississippi:
EXECUTIVE MANSION. WASHINGTON. /
Aug. q 1894 Hon. I. C. Catchings: !
My Dear Sir-Since the conversation |
had with you and Mr. Clark. Of Alabama. |
few days ago. in regard to my action
upon the tariff bill now before me. ]
have given the subject full and most
serious consideration. The result is that
] am more settled than ever in the de
termination to allow the bill TO become
law without my signature.
When the form ulation Of legislation
which, it was hoped. would embody
democratic ideas Of tariff reform. was
lately entered upon by congress nothing
was further from my anticipation than
result which | could not promptly and
enthusiastically endorse. 1t is. there
fore. with a feeling Of the utmost disap-
pointment that ! submit TO a denial of
this privilege. | do not claim to be bet
ter than the masses Of my party. nor do
on account Of the passage Of this law,
ought 10 bear as a member Of the de mo.
cratic organization; neither will | per
init myself to be separated frem my
party to such an extent as might be i'm
Piled 10y my veto Of tariff legislation
which, though disappointing, is still
chargeable 10 democratic effort
But there are provisions in this bill
which are not in line with the tariff re-
form. and IT contains Inconsistencies and
cru1ities which out not to appear in a
tariff law or laws OF any kind. Besides
there were. as you and well know, in
cidents accompanying the passage Of the
bill through congress which made every
sincere reformer unhappy. while in.
fiuences surrounded it in Its later stages
add nterfered with it's final construc-
tiou which ought not to be recognized
or tolerated in democratic tariff reform
councils.
And yet, notwithstanding all it's vices.
and all the bad treatment it received at
the hands Of pretended friends il pre-
sents vast improvement TO existing
conditions. 1t will certainly tighten
I many tariff burdens that now rest heav-
| lily npon the people. Ii is not only
barrier against the return Of protection.
but it furnishes a vantage ground from
which must be waged further aggres-
sive operations against protected monop-
oily and government fayoritism.
take my place with the rank and file
OF the democratic party who believe in
tariff reform, and who know what il is,
who refuse to accept the results en-
bodied in this bill as the close Of the war;
who ara not blinded to the fact that the
livery Of the democratic tariff reform
has been stolen and worn in the service
Of republican protection and who have
marked places where the deadly blight
of treason has blasted the councils Of
the brave in their hour Of might. The
trusts and combinations-the commun-
ion Of pelf-whose Vaccinations have
prevented US from reaching the success
we deserve. should not be forgotten or
forgiven. We shall recover from our
astonishment at their exhibition of pow
er, and il, then, the question is forced
upon us, whether they shall submit to
the free Legislative will OF the peoples
representative, or shall dictate laws
which the people must obey. We will ac-
cept and settle that issue as one involv-
ing the integrity and safety of the
| American institutions.
love the principles OF true demo
cracy because they are founded on pa
triotism and upon justice any fairness
toward all interests. am proud Of my
party organization, because it is conser-
vatively sturdy and persistent in the en-
forcement of its principlns. Therefore,
do not despair of the efforts made by
the house of representatives to supple
ment the bill already passed by further
legislation and to have engrafted upon
it such notifications as will more nearly
meet democratic hopes and inspirations.
| l cannot be mistaken as to the neces-
sity of free raw materials as the founda-
tion OF logical, sensible tariff reform.
The extent to which is recognized in the
Legislation already secured is one of its
encouraging and redeeming features;
but IL is vexation to recall that while
free coal and iron ore have been denied.
a letter of the secretary Of the treasury
discloses the fact that both might have
4 been made free by the annual surrender