, 1884-05-08
THE SILENT GENERAL
Finally Ways His Tongue to
the Oily Interviewer.
Extended Expressions From
Grant on the Country,
With all Incidental Reference
TO Political Matters.
interviewing General Grant.

1hterNle"lnB Tenerdl Gfant.
New YORK, May The Mail al,
Express to-day publishes two columns o
al interview with General Grant on til,
political situation. The interview was helc
yesterday before the news of the financial
difficulties in Wall street reached him.
Grant was found at his office where h,
makes tr:-weekly visits, and is still using
crutches. He looks somewhat thin and
has lost flesh since his accident, but hi,
complexion is clear and ruddy, and he is
in fine spirits. He had the inevitable
cigar in his mouth as he rapidly and freely
answered the queries of the reporter.
How do you regard the present condi.
ton of the country in general?" was asked.
well, ! suppose the country in gen,
eral is all prosperous outside of Wall street.
True, the producers are not getting very
high prices for their products, but their
supplies are abundant, and manufacturers
are busy in all directions. and | think the
condition of the country, on the whole, il
quite satisfactory. think the population
will increase right along, and at the ratio
of increase of the past fifteen years, the
country, at the end ofthe present century,
that is sixteen years hence, ought, and
probably will, proximate 100, 900, 900"
In what particular portion do you
look for the greatest changes within that
period.
Il think the changes will be uniform.
New York City will, of course, retain the
~ascendency oven all other places in the
country and [ expect people living at the
end of the present century will see New
York the financial center of the world.
The entire western country is being rap
idly built up now for grazing and agricul
tural purposes. and the great West is far
ahead of what people imagine, In fact,
they never dreamed of its great fertility.
The whole country along the northern
borders of the United States for 300
miles south of the British possessions as
far as the valleys stretch, are wonderfully
prolific. The Southern states have devel-
oped wonderfully in the last fifteen years.
/ see no reason why the Southern states
at the end of the century should not be
the leading manufacturing section, par
t%icularly in cotton fabrics and iron in all
forms. | have no doubt the development
that will take place in Mexico will be as
rapid in the future as it was on our own
Pacific coast when we first acquired il.
and | want to see relations between that
country and ours the most cordial Of any
nations in the world. If they are not 20
it will be Il fault. We should do every
thing to secure the confidence of the peo-
/ pie of Mexico. The more prosperous
the Mexican people are the better pleased
we shall be, and the more it will aid our
industrial interests
What do you think Of the Mormon
question q
Il think the surest and best remedy
would be to take away from Utah the
present territorial government and govern
the territory by commissioners, as they
do in the District of Columbia. Then
enforce anti-polygamy laws and such laws
as Congress may prescribe.
Can you point out any existing defects
in our Constitution and suggest rene.
dieS?"
Yes. There are several amendments
that would be of advantage to the country
ifthey were adopted, although | don
believe in tinkering with that instrument,
and am opposed to innovation except in
cases Of great necessity. There is one
amendment | consider of great benefit
and that is one that would make the
Presidential term one in seven year,
instead of four with a provision that the
President holding the office seven year,
would thereafter be ineligible. ! wOulc
suggest another amendment such as
recommended when | occupied tn,
Executive Chair, which was to the effecr
that in event of the failure by Congress.
to pass any regular appropriations in on,
year, then the appropriations correspond
ing with those of the previous year to b,
continued until such time as the appro
priations may be passed. Anothe
amendment | favor is one, also recon-
mended during my term of office ,authoriz
ing the President to approve a portion
of any act of Congress and Withholding
the approval from all portions of the ac
he does not approve and to return til
same to the House in which the bill
originated with his objections, when
shall receive two-thirds of the votes a
both Houses before becoming a law.
May | ask your opinion of Presiden
Arthur's administration
Il prefer not to c%riticise it.
May ask then what your preference
may be?'
II decidedly favor Logan.
The Colorado C0urier, a German papel
published at Denver, contains in a recer
number a long article on Cheyenne. pay