Evening journal., 1894-08-23
TARIFF BILL SECRETS.
The Wilson Letter and How 1t
Was Made Public.
sEEAToR eoRMAN's LITTLE TRICE

she senate If the senate TariT Bin Was
Accepted.
New YORK, Aug 60 "A morning paper
prints the following from Washington;
The presidents letter to Chairman VIII
son, In which he aGaigned the Democrats
OF the senate, has an interesting history,
and it has been carefully guarded by tho
handful Of leaders who are in Mr. Cleve-
lands confidence. All sorts Of explana-
tions Of the presidents reasons for having
this remarkable letter made public have
been given from tlme to time, but tho
full story OF how Mr.. Cleveland came to
write tho letter and to authorize Mr.. Will
son to give it to the country has been kept
q profound secret
II had been supposed that the letter was
simply IN expression Of the presidents
opinion Of the senate bill, given 70 Mr..
Wilson IN the nature Of an exchange OF
confidence. The administration leader
IN the house made q statement on the
floor Of the house when he sent il TO the
desk to be read that only that morning
had he received Mr.. Cles Gland s permits
sion to make 1t public. At the same time
several leaders Of tho house were in al
most daily conference with the president,
and the tariff situation in the senate was
the subject Of conversation.
Urged TO Keep It Quiet.
Several versions Of the conference at the
executive mansion had been current dur
ing tho last two or three days 1t now
appears that Speaker Crisp and one or two
other house leaders were apprised Of what
the president had written to Mr. Wilson,
and that Mr.. Cleveland was urged not 10
permit Its publication at that time. Tho
story is that Secretary Lamont and one
or two other members Of the cabinet urged
the president to keep the matter secret,
and that Speaker Crisp also doubted the
propriety Of arraigning tho senate, on the
ground that it might have the effect of
further complicating the situation in the
conference mir Cleveland declared that
the bill passed Icy the senate was not at
all satisfactory TO the party, and that the
Democratic masses were entitled to know
why the convention pledges had been sac.
riiced
Speaker Crisp argued at length with
Mr.. Cleveland as to the advisability of
stirring up the senate, as many of the de-
fccts in the bin might be satisfactorily
corrected in the conference between the
two houses.
Mr. Cleveland at that time was half
convinced that it would be botter to al
low the negotiations between the two bod
les to proceed without any public CONF
ment, and Speaker Crisp, it is said, was
warmly complimented by Secretary La
mont and others for inducing the presi.
dent not to interfere at that critical stage
Of the fight. This is the story as it is told
IN n lss- i4as ri
house.
What Brought 1t About.
Soon after this interview the conferees
drifted widely apart, and 1t was decided
TO report d disagreement to both houses.
dr. Wilson had another conference with
tho president just before this report was
submitted and IT was then TINT Inc pres
ident decided that the Letter should ha
made public Speaker Crisp was as much
surprised as any one when Mr.. Wilson rn-
vealed just before the assembling Of the
house what Mr.. Cleveland had decided to
have done. Tho president had intimatcd
to no one but Mr.. Wilson that he had
changed his mind.
Up to tho last minute the president
banked on the solid support Of the house
and was confident that the fight for free
raw AAfAkAAAAtAn hNlt4N h1 MRA. siEtAaA1t
German and the other conservatives
were alarmed by the letter, and tho Mary
land leader determined to stand out bold
y against ans compromise.
The inside history Of the surrender on
the part Of the house has been only vague
ly recounted At the first meeting of the
second conference it became obvious to
the house representatives that a satisfac-
tory compromise could not be reached be-
cause of the distractions on the part Of
Mr. German and his conservative" al
lies The senate conferecs were dominat-
ed by Mr.. German, and every proposition
was rejected Then Mr.. German hit upon
the idea Of the popgun bills. AS the price
of the surrender by the house it was held
out that separate measures placing sugar,
coal and iron ore on the free list could be
passed by the senate.
Blackburn Sent Scouting.
The story is-it seems to be well au-
thenticated-that Senator Blackburn was
delegated by the senate steering commit
tee to mako the overtures on this line to
Speaker Crisp and the other leaders Of the
house
Senator Blackburn met General Catch
ings in the appropriation room on the
Saturday preceding the Monday on which
the house receded and explained the situ-
alton. General Catchings refused to be
party to any surrender unless some as
suranee was given on the part Of Mr.. Cor
man and the other men who had blocked
a compromise that the separate bills
would be passed.
Senator Blackburn then returned to the
senate, and on the following Sunday
morning he met General Catchings at the
latter's house, and the matter was again
discussed
Senator Blackburn was unable TO sat;s-
fy AIR. Catchings that the plan proposed
would be faithfully carried out. Another
appointment was made for late Sunday
night. 1t was after midnight when Sen
ator Blackburn reappeared and informed
Mr. Catchings that the bills would be
passed.
Acting on this assurance, Speaker Crisr
and Mr. Wilson went into the caucus and
reported that further negotiations for q
compromise wculd prove Intellectual. Tho
Democratic majority decided TO accept the
popgun bill conditions, and they were
rushed through before adjournment ol
the house that day.
Then came the Carlisle letter and Sen
ator German and tho conservatives
found it convenient to evade their prom
ises on the score that the revenue from
fka fbroo ,rffn1De .nrald NOT Iva 1ferarteaf