The weekly register. [volume] (Point Pleasant, Va. [W. Va.]) 1862-1909, 1894-09-05
IT DID NOT SUIT Him.
Why MIR. Cleveland Would Not
Sign the Tariff Bill.
NOT HIS IDEA OF TARIFF REFORM.
He Whites No Message but Sends
an Explanatory Letter to
Mr.. catehings.
HIS POSITION PLAINLY DEFINED

Reform Fight VIII BE waged Until the
Question Is Fairly Settled.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2s.-At midnight
Monday the Mckinley tariff law,
which had been in operation since Oct.
so, 1890, died on the statute books and
the new Democratic tariff bill, passed
by the Fifty-third congress, became q
law without the signature of President
Cleveland
The constitutional period of 10 days
allowed the president to consider the
bill, expired with the midnight hour,
and according to the terms of the consti-
tuition, the president having failed to re-
turn the bill to congress with or with
ont his approval. It became a law.
The placing OF the bill upon the stat
ute books ended one of the longest and
most remarkable struggles in the parlia-
Inentary history of the government.
WithstOOd All Pressure.
Up to the last minute the pressure
upon the president to induce him to
afix his signature to the measure was
not abated-
The future welfare of the party, the
necessity of division of responsibility
and the immediate effect upon the pend
ing campaign were all urged upon Mr..
Cleveland with great persistency. Even
Democrats who have stood by the presi-
dent through thick and thin were dis
posed to question the wisdom of his ac-
ton in refusing to sign his name to the
measure, and they added their appeals,
but in vain. Against all this pressure
Mr. Cleveland remained obdurate-
The president intended to send a
message to the present session, reiter-
afing the opinions so vigorously set
Irkk 20, (Ntnfr1WnnTa VVildOrN
and the document was partially pre-
pared Other counsels prevailed, how
ever, and the president concluded that
he would say nothing more ut this
juncture.
The decision was not satisfactory to
the extreme tariff refOrmers, who want
ed to go into the fall elections with a
slogan from the president and who were
aware of the uses to which the Wilson
letter was being put by the Republican
campaign committee He viii send IN
q tariff message on the reaSsembling of
congress- Opinions differ as to the
effect of the passage of the tariff bill
with all its complications upon the ap-
preaching campaign.
Representative Quig of New York,
speaking for the Republicans, said to a
reporter Monday that the threat of
further tinkering with the tariff would
Va
Democrats into the Republican ranks.
He SAYS that the present outlook for the
manufacturing industry is bad enough
without having further assaults to fear
On the other hand Western Demo
Gratis, like Mr.. Bynum of Indiana, say
that the action of the Republican cam
paign committee in circulating the preSi-
dents letter to Mr.. Wilson will be a
boomerang for that party and will result
- In NJ n the Democratic
ranks In the west
Mr.. Bynum is quite hopeful of the
outlook for the Democrats, and says
that the Democratic congressional con-
Ventions in Indiana have never been so
well attended nor has so much enthu-
siasm been shown as during this sum-
mer.
At any rate there is no possibility of
any legislation for two years or more.
Mr.. CLEVELAND EXPLAINS.
He Gives Hls Reasons For Not Signing the
Tariff Bill.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 2S.-President
Cleveland wrote the following letter to
Representative Catchings of Missis-
sippi, in which he sets forth his views
of the new tariff law, and gives his
reasons for not approving the bill:
EXECUTIVE MANSION,
WASHINGTON, Aug. %.
To Hon T. Catchings:
Ny DEAR SIR-Since the conversation
had with you and Mr.. Clark of Alabama
q few days ago in regard to my action upon
the tariff bill now before me, 1 have given
the subject further and most serious con-
sideration- The result is, I am more set
tied than ever in the determination to al
low the bill to become a law without my
signature.
When the formulation of legislation,
which It was hoped would embody Demo
cratic ideas of tariff reform, was lately en-
tered upon by the congress, nothing was
further from my anticipation than a re-
suit which could not promptly and en-
Enthusiastically endorse. 1t IS therefore with
q feeling of the utmost disappointment
that submit to a denial of this privilege.
do not claim to be better than the
masses of my party, nor do wish to avoid
sny responsibility, which on account of
the passage of this law, ought to bear as
q member of the Democratic organization;
neither will 1 permit myself to be sepa-
rated from my party to such an extent as
might be implied by my veto of tariff leg
tslatiOn, which, though disappointing, is
still chargeable to Democratic effort. But
there are provisions In this bill which are
not in line with honest tariff reform, and
Il 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 accom-
panying the passage of the bill through
congress, which made every sincere re-
former unhappy, while influences sur
rounded it in its latter stages and inter
fered with its final construction, which
ought not to be recognized or tolerated in
Democratic tariff reform councils.
And yet, notwithstanding all its yicissi-
kudes and the bad treatment it received at
the lands of pretended friends, it presents
a vast improvement to existing conditions.
L will certainly Tighten many tariff bur
dens that now rest heavily upon the peo-
ple. Il Is not only barrier against the re-
9urn of mad protection, but it furnishes n
vantage ground from which must be waged
further aggressive operations against pro
tected monopoly and governmental favor
ItIsm.
/ take my place with the rank and file of
the Democratic party who believe in tariff
reform and who know what 1t is, who re-
- to accept the results embodied in this
as the close of the war, who are not
Ided to the fact that the livery of Dem
atic tariff reform has been stolen and
IN in the service Of Republican protec-
In; and who have marked the places
here the deadly blight of treason has
lasted the councils of their brave in their
our of might
The trusts and their combinations-the
communism Of pelf-whose Vaccinations
have prevented us from reaching the sue
80 Ne deserve should not be forgotten or