St. Paul daily globe., 1884-04-22
TALMAGE.
The Tabernacle Pastor and the Chi
cago Conyenti0n.
He is Not Anxious to Attend as an Offset ~
Mr.. Beecher--Politics and Free Trade.


not altogether humorous light, as an available
delegate to the Democratic National conven-
ton by way of ''offsetting' Mr.. Beecher on
the Republican side, an Eagle reporter was
assigned this morning to discover the rev
erend gentleman's ideas on the subject and,
incidentally, his presidential preferences
and opinions on the political situation. Mr..
Talmage was found at his residence and in
answer to the reporters query said:
II wouldn't go to Chicago under any cir
cumstances. My leanings are toward quiet
ness and peace, and haYe no love for the
strife and contention OF convention, be it
political or religious"
''That question being satisfactorily dis
posed of, perhaps you would tell me what
you think of the present political situationa"
''It is without question the most mex
plicable puzzle and the greatest maze 1 ever
saw in my life. The entire political atmos-
phere is befogged and no man can see
farther thad his hand. In the shadowy air
we see contentious and quarrelngs and Of
fensive and defensive alliances; who strikes
and who is struck, who is acting on the
defensive and who is coming out victorious
in the fight none but the omnipotent eye
can see. To come down to more practical
ways of expressing my meaning I would say
that the enthusiasm of the adherents of tae
more prominent aspirants will, in my opin
ion, be the source of their defeat"
''In what way!"
''The partisans are knit so firmly to their
chief, the bonds between them are so strong
and highly wrought that their vision is filed
up with one man only, and they cannot see
the advantages of another However, when
this enthusiasm has spent itself and the
prospects of any well known man receiving
the nomination have become insignificant,
some hitherto unknown man, like Mr..
Hayes, will carry off the prize"
''Who did you mention to illustrate your
meaning, the late Mr.. Hayes!'
''Mr. Hayes, who, you viii remember, was
president before Garfield. An excellent,
genial man, who, understand, is at this
time wholly given over to the affairs of his
country. | had the pleasure of an intimate
acquaintance with Mr.. Hayes during his
term of Office, and have often partaken of his
hospitality in the White House,
''It is disputed question on which, per-
haps, you can throw some light as to whether
Mr. Hayes, being president de ejlre, did not
delegate the power of president de .facto to
Mrs. Hayes!n
II cannot answer that question. Mrs
Hayes is good woman, a strong temperance
worker, and great expounder in class meet
ings.n
ITO leave the subject of the Hayes family,
would you be kind enough to tell me what
you think about the present tariff agtqtion?'
Il think the question itself an important
one, but it requires an amount of study that
I have not had time to give it, and cannot
at this time talk very much about it."
You are generally very decided in you
convictions?n
Usually, I am, and just as decided 4 ex-
pressing them, but the mass of facts, the
volumes of statistics and the amount of labor
necessary to estimate the effect of reduc-
ton of the tariff would almost frighten any
one from conscientious study of the sub
ject. AS you know, follow three profes-
sions. L am preacher, a lecturer and an
editor. The pursuit of these three dissimila1
pursuits leaves me but little leisure for any-
thing else.p
Theoretically speaking, are you a free
trader?"
Il was in England for ninety days in 1879,
and found the condition of the poorer classes
sad beyond expression. God fearing, honest
men earning a miserable pittance To that
time my informed thoughts had been. drawn
toward free trade, but when l saw its effect
on the people of Great Britain, my convic.
tions, though hardly changed, became un-
settled.''
''But is it not possible that the enormous
population, comparatively speaking, that
England supports, and the keenness of the
struggle for existence here may account fol
the difference in wages?n IL cannot make
up my mind on that point. The whole sub
ject is surrounded with difficulties and beset
with pitfalls. On one hand we see the ne
cessity for reduction in the revenue, un-
equal duties and the striking simplicity OF
free trade; while on the other we have ouI
own old American system that we are told SO
benefits US, and the conservative seetiment
of the country. Which way to turn were
surely matter of some concern, and who
will advise us.''
''That is precisely what would like to
know.'
''The discussion Of the question cannot
do any harm. Nothing of service to the
community was ever endangered by a
thorough ventilation. What we have to fear
most is the kindling of sectional preindices.
We must not ostracise the PENNSYLVANIA
because he is Protectionist, nor must the
Ohio wool growers consider the Free Traders
children of Satan. We must bear gently
with one another, and endeavor to make a
compromise in this matter that will satisfy
the country.''
s'Then you would not counsel the nomi-
nation of pronounced Free Trader by the
Democrats?n
'Oh, not at all. The nominees must be q
safe conservative man, whose opinions on
this question are not very pronounced"
''Could you suggest such a man!"
''The man most to my liking in the Demo
cratic party is Thomas A. Hendricks, Of In
diana"
''Then you would favor the old ticket?"
sMr Tilden's physical condition ds such,
lhu0l oUahu, CD WIZ Piof0nU Hlo hOHilHa a
ton. However, even when he was at his
best was not strong Tilden man."
''Do you think Senator Bayard fills the
biIl?"
''He is a pnre, honest man, and as far re-
moved from the ordinary politicians as the
sun is from the earth. Right here I would
like to say a good word for ex-Goy. Colquett,
of Georgia. He would, of course, carry the
solid south, and although comparatively un-
known here, he is very well known in the
west and much respected
'Does Speaker Carlisle come up to your
standard?''
II was speaking to Republican congress
man, strong man in Askelon, too, a few
days since, and he told me that in his long
experience of public men he had never
met or known of purer man morally than