The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-07-25
THE PRESIDENTS CONDUCT.

IL is not TO be thought for one mo-
ment that Mr.. Cleveland has been inten-
tionaly guilty of bad faith towards the
senators who have conferred with him
concerning the tariff bill. and. If the evil
dence tending that way was the testi-
mony of Senator German alone the whole
matter would be dismissed without anoth-
er thought But the evidence of Senators
Jones and Harris can not be dis missed as
every one would treat that Of German.
Jones and Harris are intelligent men,
perfectly capable Of understanding and
approaching the exact import of the
interviews they had with the President,
and both are men of characters that can
not be impeached. Mr.. Jones tells us that
the Secretary of the Treasury went over
all the Senate amendments TO the House
bill, and agreed to them. and stated that
the President had gone over all Of them
and agreed TO them also. He tells us
further that he himself saw the President.
who told him that Mr.. Carlisle had ex-
planned all the amendments to him, and
that he agreed that 1T was wise to take
them as the basis OF a bill. and that a
tax on coal and iron was expressly men
toned between them and agreed TO by
doubt that these statements are true. our
explanation Of the case is this: The
President, as every one knows. has long
been a devOtee Of the idea of free raw |
materiaIs-especially coal and iron When |
Jones. Carlisle and Harris talked with |
him he had concluded that bill such as |
tho Senate passed was all that could he
obtained in the line of his views. After
wards. on comforting with Mr. Wilson. who
had been i'll in the South when all this
took place. and was probably ignorant of
IT, the latter persuaded him that If he
would back him CWilsom in his effort 10
force the Senate from its position it
could be done Not rejecting on the
length TO which the Senate might have
supposed him 10 have committed himself,
he yielded TO Wilson's solicitation and |
wrote the letter which that gentleman
read.
Now. we have no idea that there was
the slightest duplcty about this. but
there were two entirely sufficient reasons
why the letter should not have been
written. The first is the one on which
we have already commented, that the
matter was one with which the Presi- |
dent had nothing 20 do The Constitu- |
ton defines the method. and the only
cne, by which he can communicate With !
Congress. He is to send his message
openly and above board to both Houses
Of Congress whenever he thinks the pub
&c interests require him TO make sug-
sestions or offer advice TO them. but
when he has done that his connection
With the matter ends 1t is for the two
Houses after that TO deliberate on the
'ase ana put their conclusions into the
orm or an enactment. which is to be
10 him for his approval or dis
approval. But whilst the subject is under
he celebration of Congress IL is not for
ne President 10 interfere with either
louise In any manner whatever This is
perfectly plain, and it should have de- |
erred Mr.. Cleveland from allowing Mr.. c
wilson TO read that letter in the House {
10 matter how great was the temptation
D do IL. q
In The second place. he should never
ave allowed his eagerness 10 see a tariff
Ill framed on the lines of his views to J.
iahe MIN overlook or forget Just what Il
"a taken place between him and Senator u
'"eS' Jones was managing the affair d
Is o'olher senators had perfect conf
1"Se IN MN, ana, when he came from pl
10 PRESIDENT with Il report that the W
reSlueht mad agreed that IL was wise la
luer all the circumstances Of the case IT
at hill should be framed on the lines hi
Jones 400 amendments. Jones ana 10
lose other senators had a right 10 undor as
ana mat II bill were framed and nm,
trough upon those lines, il would mo, tri
ith 'he Presidents approval. at least ~ ne
e extent OF encountering no oppos,t,op yu
ON him' 81 neutrality The President bad Tn
perfect right 10 say to Senator Ioros ley
al ne would not confer with him aho,, Hu
e matter. That IL was a matter o,,or ah
men Congress had entire con,,o, 49,, "
at ne would reserve what he had 20 49,. iat
'out the action Of Congress min ,na, p pr'
"oh came before him for his ar,ro,.~, -
"is"pproval. lie had a nerfec, -, of
'No ois position and, indeed Z, -, 81. 49,.
V uue position for him 10 take p,,, der
oiu not do IT, He wen, into 60
WIN Jones and told him 10 renor, i ,hee
ms brother senators that he was CO.. ba s
y WIN what was proposed-at le,s, .
al ne agreed that II was the hoe, 80 Is
al could be- dom '"e pest thing ind
ancss n. uhuer the circum- hes
Ahces. he had no right after ina, - thi
A''o Dy ana allow those senators 70 the
ape tneir course and action unon ~ sou sou
,'sI ous communicated 10 them ,h.s ind
% framed would not be onnos.s lati