Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-08-23
HAT TARIFF BILL
No Danger of the President Vetoing the
Measure.
He Has Not Rclcnted Toward the
Senate, hut Finds a Condition Not
. Theory Confronting Him.

1t Is unquestionably Mr.. Cleveland's pres
ent intention to permit the tariff bill to be-
come a law without mis- signature. There
Is no danger of his vetoing the BILL though
he would probably like to do so If the busi-
ness condition of the country would admit
Of his doing so. 1t is evident. hwever.
that he does not want the bill to gd to the
archives of the State Department with his
signature attached. 1t would be somewhat
of a humiliation for him to approve the
measure which he has already so roundly
denounced, and by Withholding his sigma
ture he can maintain his attitude Of dis
approval.
Effect of a Veto.
Information from all sources shows him
that a veto. and the continuance Of Con-
gress In session which would result from
it, together with the disturbance of busi-
ness arrangements. which have been made
upon the assumption that the Mckinley
law is to be replaced by the German law.
would almost surely cause a panic in COM
parison with which the recent business
troubles would seem Insignificant. 1t Is
this situation. and probably this alone,
which will induce him to let the bill be-
come law.
Not ReIented Toward the senate.
Men who have seen him say that he has
but he finds himself confronted by a con-
dition, not theory, and Is not at liberty
to crafty his own personal feelings in the
matter. BY Withholding his signature from
the bill he can give expression to his con-
tinuiEg dissatisfaction with the Senate and
show that he stands by his letter to Mr..
Wilson. Great pressure IS being brough: to
bear upon him to change his determination
and to sign the bill. bit those most inter-
ested have no idea tina: he will d. so.
Those democrats who have to go before
the people for reelection almost at once
upon the record they have made on the
tariff question are greatly alarmed at the
prospect of having to take the stump in de-
ferse Of a measure which the President re-
fuses to sanction with his signature. If the
President adheres to his present intention,
as he probably will. the bill will become a
law at IL o'clock Monday night, and Con-
gress will probably adjourn early the next
day There is no more than a bare possi-
bility of the correction Of the alcohol item,
and the other errors are almost certain to
have to stand until next session.
Party Danger Exaggerated.
1t is evident that Mr.. Cleveland thinks
trat the importance to his party Of his sign
ing the bill Is greatly exaggerated. The
bill has already been condemned by demo-
Gratis publicly, and even with the aid Of
his signature to the measure they cannot
turn around and consistently praise 1t. The
most tney can say Is tnat IL carries lower
duties than the Mckinley law, that II Is a
step in the right direction and the best they
could do under peculiar set Of circum-
stances. The fact of the President refusing
to sign 1t will probably be accepted by the
radical tariff reformers, who are the most
dissatisfied with the bill. as an evidence
that the party does not intend to regard
this measure as a fulfllment of their prom
ises. but will persist In an effort to make
still further reductions. 1t is argued, at all
events. that the House made a hard fight
for It, and that Grover is standing out for
principle" 'N-e
Congress VIII Last Until Tuesday.
Speaker Crisp told members of the House
Who were anxious to get away that he
thought the session would last until next
Tuesday.
Chairman Wilson Is expected back from
West Virginia today, but he was not about
the House during the session.
Senator Faulkner and other members of
the upper branch Of Congress were about
the House through the day discussing the
prospects. Later In the day 1t became ac-
cepted as certain. as a result Of the vari-
Gus calls made on the President, that he
would not sign the bill unless his present
purpose was changed.