The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-09-07
TIE PRESIDENTS LETTER.

either veto or sign the tariff bill within
the allotted ten days, it became law
without his signature on Tuesday, the
2Sth of August
The following is an expression of
his sentiments, as revealed through
letter written to Representative Catch
ings, Of Mississippi:
EXECUTIVE MANSION, WASHINGTON.
Aug. az, 1894.
Hon. I. c. CArcHINGs
NV DEAR SIR:-Since the conver.
sation 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
further and most serious consideration.
The result is l am more settled than
ever In the determination to allow the
bill to become law without my sigma
ture.
When the reformation of legisla.
tion, which it was hoped would EN-.
body Democratic ideas of tariff re-
form, was lately entered upon by con.
gress, nothing was further from my
anticipation than a result which l
could not promptly and enthusiastic
cally endorse.
1t is, therefore, with feeling of
the utmost disappointment that | sub
NIT to denial Of this privilege.
do not claim to be better than
any of my party, nor do wish to
avoid any responsibility which, on ac-
count of the passage Of this law, |
ought to bear as member of the
Democratic organization. Neither
will 1 permit myself to be separated
from my party to such an extent as
might be implied by my veto of tariff
legislation which, though disappoint-
ing, is still chargeable to Democratic
efforts. 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 we'll know, incidents ac-
companying the passage of the bill
through the Congress which made
every sincere tariff reformer unhappy,
while influences surrounded it in its
latter stages and interfered with its
final construction which ought not to
be recognized or tolerated in Demo
cratic tariff reform councils.
"And yet, Notwithstanding all its
vicissitudes and all the bad treatment
it received at the hands of pretended
friends, it presents a vast improve
ment to existing conditions. 1t will
certainly tighten many tariff burdens
that now rest heavily upon the people.
1t is not only barrier against the re-
turn of mad protection, but it furnishes
advantage ground from which must be
waged further aggressive operations
against protected monopoly and Gov.
ernmental favoritism.
az 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 blinded
to the fact that the livery of Demo
cratic tariff reform has been stolen
and worn in the service of Republican
protection and who have marked the
places where the deadly blight of
treason has blasted the councils of the
brave in their hour Of night.
"The trusts and combinations
the communism of self-whose ma
chinations have prevented us from
reaching the success we deserved
should not be forgotten or forgiven.
We shall recover from our astonlsh-
ment 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 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.
81 love the principles of true
Democracy because they are founded
in patriotism and in justice and fair
ness toward all interests. am proud
of my party organization because it is
conservatively sturdy and persistent
in the enforcement of its principles.
Therefore, I do not despair of the
effort made by the house of Repre-
sentatives TO supplement the bill al
ready passed by further legislation,
but to have engrafted upon it such
notifications as will meet Democratic
principles and aspirations.
ct cannot be mistaken as to the
necessity of free raw materials as the
foundation of logical and sensible
tariff reform. The extent to which
this is recognized in the legislation al
ready secured is one of its encourag-
ing and redeeming features. But II is
yexatious to recall that while free