The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-01-10
Why German Smiles.

Says the Augusta, (Ga.D Chronicles:
One of the startling parts of the
Presidents message, was that which
incidentally, if not actually, eulogizes
the tariff act now in force. We say
this is startling" because when that
act was about to be cOnsummated, the
President denounced it in letter to
Mr.. Wilson as 'deed of perfidity and
dishonor." He even adapted in prose
the verses of Thomas Moore reciting
how the deadly blight of treason had
come over the counsels of the braye to
blast them in the hour of might"
This letter caused bitter rupture in
the party, and was one of the best cam
paign documents the Republicans ever
had. The President followed this up
with refusal to sign the bill, thus dis
crediting what his party had done in
had declared to be, all they had the
power to accomplish, if any tariff bill,
on any line of reform, was to pass at
all. Not only did the party have to
campaign, but fierce war was made on
Senator German in his own State, sub
sequently, and resulted in Cleveland
Democratic bolt that turned the whole
State over to the Republicans, carrying
with it the loss of Democratic Sena-
tor.
Now, when these disasters have oc-
Cured, the President, in his recent
message, wheels about and endorses,
in his choicest rhetoric, the very act of
''perfidity and dishonor" he had con-
demned and to which he had refused
to attach his official signature! That
there may be no mistake about this
We reproduce his own words as follows:
"By command of the people 81 Gus
tom revenue system designed for the
protection and benefit of favored class
es at the expense of the great
masses of our countrymen, and
which, while efficient for the pur
pose of revenue, curtailed our
trade relations and impeded our
entrance into the markets of the
world, has been superse ded by
tariff policy which in principle is
based upon the denial of the right of
the Government to obstruct the ave-
nues to our peoples cheap living, to
lessen their comfort aud cOntentment,
for the sake of according especial adj
vantages to favorites, and which,
while Encouraging our intercourse and
trade with other nations, recognizes
the fact that American se.f-reliance,
thrift and ingenuity can build up our
cOuntry's industries and develop its re-
sources more surely than enervating
paternalism.
When Senator German heard these
astounding statements read at the
clerks desk, can any one blame him if
he smiled significantly? Can any one
blame him if in his scrap book, imme-
diately below the letter the President
addressed to Mr.. Wilson, he pastes Sc
curely and trlumphantly, the attesta-
ton of Grover Cleveland, that the
present tariff, instead of being "pertidy
and dishonor," is one which in prln-
ciple is based upon denial of the right
of the Government to obstruct the ave-
nues of our peoples cheap living, etc."
and one that encourages intercourse
with other nations.
1t will be difficult for Mr.. Cleveland
to harmonic his deliverauces on this
bill, for though it may have fallen far
short of what was aimed at, if it con-
tanned the principle which the party
was striving for, as he now asserts
that it does, then it was entitled to his
signature as the official head of the
party. Either President Cleveland al
lows his displeasure to lead him into a
course that was unjust to his party
then, or he has permitted his loyalty
to his party to tempt him into an ut
terance now that is unjust to himself.
And this is why Senator German
smiles.