The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1894-08-28
CLEVELAND TO
THE PEOPLE.
The President Defines His Posi-
ton on the Tariff Question
in a Letter to Congress-
man Catehings.

and Mr. Clark of Alabama, a few days
ago, in regard to my action upon the
Tariff bill now before me, L nave given
the Subject further and most serious con-
sideration. The result is / am more
settled than ever in the determlnatloh
to allow the bill to become a law without
my signature.
When the formulation of legislation,
which it was hoped would embody Dem
ocratic ideas of tariff reform, was lately
entered upon by the Congress, nothing
was further from my anticipation IMAM
a result which l could not
and enthusiastically endorse 1T Is, there
fore, with a feeling of Utmost dlsap-
pointment that I submit to a denial OF
this privilege. I do not claim to be pet
ter than the masses of my party, nor 40
I wish to avoid any responsibility WHICH,
on account of the passage OF this law
l ought to bear as a MEMBER OF the
Democratic organization. Neither VIII l
permit myself to be separated from my
party to such an extent as might be I'M
piled by my veto of tariff Legislation.
which, though disappointing, is still
chargeable to Democratic effort. But
there are provisions in this bill winch
are not in line witt honest tariff reform
and it contains inconsistencies and CRU
dities which ought not to appear IN
tariff laws, or laws of any kind.
Besides, there were, as you and l Well
know. incidents accompanying the pas
a of the bill through the Congress
which made every sincere tariff reform
er unhappy, while influences surrounded
it in its latter stages and interfered with
it's final construction which ought not
to be recognized or tolerated in Demo-
cratic tariff reform counsels. And yet,
Notwithstanding all its vicissitudes ana
all the bad treatment it received at the
hands of pretended friends, it presents
a vast improvement to existing condl-
tons. 1t will certainly tighten many
tariff burdens that now rest heavily
upon the people. 1t is not only a bafrler
against the return of mad protection,
but it furnishes a vantage ground from
which must be waged further aggressive
operations against protected monopolJ
and governmental favoritism.
1 take my place with the rank and lille
of the Democratic party, who believe In
tariff reform and who know what II
is. who refuse to accept the results en-
bodied in this bill as the close of the
war. who are not blinded to the fact
that the livery of Democratic tariff re-
form has been stolen and worn in the
service of Republican protection,
who have marked the places where the
deadly blight of treason has blasted the
counsels of the brave in their hour OF
might.
The trusts and combinations-the CON-
munism of pelf-whose Vaccinations
nave prevented us from reaching the
success we deserved, should not be for
gotten nor forgiven. We shall recover
from our establishment at their exhibit
ton of power, and if then the question
is forced upon US whether they shal
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 safety
of American institutions.
/ love the principles of true Democ-
racy. because they are founded on pa
triotism and on justice and fairness to-
ward all interests. I am proud of my
marty organization because it is con-
servatively sturdy and persistent in the
enforcement of it's principles. There
fore. / do not despair of the efforts made
by the House of Representatives to sup
plement the bill already passed by fur
ther legislation, and to LAY engrafted
upon it such notifications as will more
nearly meet Democratic hopes and as
%pirations.
/ cannot be mistaken, as to the neces-
sitv of free raw materials as the founda-
ton of logical and sensible tariff REFORM.
The extent to which this is recognized
in, the legislation already secured is one
of it's encouraging and redeeming feat
ures, but it is vexatious to recall that
while free coal and iron ore have been
denied us, a recent letter of the Secre-
tary of the Treasury fdiscloses the fact
that both might have been made free
by the annual surrender of only about
S7O0. 600 of unnecessaryqrevenue.
I am sure that there is a common
habit of Understanding the Importance
sof free raw materials in tariff legislation
and regarding them as only related to
concessions to be made our manufacture
ers. The truth is their influence Is so
far-reaching that If d~isregarded a COM
plete and benehcent scheme of tariff
reform cannot be successfully inaugural
ed. When we give to our manufacturers
free raw materials we unshackle Amer.
lean enterprise and ingenuity and these
will open the doors of foreign markets
to the reception of our wares and give
opportunity for the continuous and re-
munerative employment of American Ia
Dor.
With materials ~cheapened by their free
dom from tariff charges the cost of their
product must be correspondingly Cheap
ened. Thereupon justice and fairness to
the consumer would demandothat the
manufacturers be Obliged to- submit to
such a readjustment and modification OF
the tariff upon their finished goods as
would secure to the. people the benefit of
the reduced cost Of their Manufacture
and shield the consumer against thelex-
action of i~nordinate profits.
1t will thu be seen that free raw ma
terials and a just and fearless regula-
ton and reduction of the tariff to meet
the changed conditions would carry to
every humble home in the land the bless
ings Of increased comfort and cheapes
living.
The millions Sof our countrymen VITO
have fought bfavely and well for tariff
reform should be exhorted to continue
the struggle bdldly challenging to open
warfare and CONSTANTLY guarding against