St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-04-01
sEYsfouR TALKS ON POLITICS.
He Believes TiIdeas Would be a Safe Nonai
1iee-lyis Vie,cs on the Tariff.
IN Y Mail and Express.

Mr.. Seymour
'.And theI, wnatl''
seAnd then hot and spirited contest"
s4VilI you speculate as to the winner?"
Speculation would be well nigh idle at
this time. There are many side issues and
elements that are liable, in a Presidential
campaign, to exert influences almost as po-
tent as those growing out of the main is
sues.''
''And the main issues-what do you re-
gard as likely to be the main issues in the
coming campaignH'
''They may become befogged in the lateral
issues l refer to, and almost lost In the
warmth of personal partisanship Tor candl-
date but the two great topics of the day are
our carving trade and tariff. With regard
TO the last I am not well informed, but
think it is to excite great interest in the fu-
ture; and it threatens TO divide, with regard
to it, the Western from the Eastern States.
Il think in the main the Democratic party
is in favor of revenue tariff, and the Repub
lican party is in favor of protective tariff.
The question is can we expect to sell our
agricultural products to Great Britain free of
charge, when we say it is our duty to pro-
tect the products of our factories by taxation
upon imports from other countries!n
''And YOU regard the position of the Re-
publican party on the tariff question as like
" to bring about these results which you
fearl'
''The Republican party is evidently bent
upon taxing out foreign products and pro
tecting' by prohibition. The Republican
party virtually says to England: we will
not admit your products here except as it
suits our convenience l fear England will
retaliate.'
''Is that the reason you are a low tariff ad-
Vocate-fear that England will retaliateE"
''By no means the only reason. The
cause for possible retaliation is what [ de-
plore as unwise and injurious. Besides that
is the effect Of high tariff upon our own peo-
Die. and particularly those in humble cir
cumstances. For instance: 1 have two in
tellgent men in my employ. One is an
Irishman, the other an Epglishman One
day they were talking of the relative cost of
existence here and abroad They said it
cost them double the amount for clothing
here that it did at home. This puzzled me
some time, but / came to understand it at
length. The goods came here under heavy
duty. The importer sells the cloth to the
jobber, and he figures profit on the duty,
as well as upon the primary cost of the
goods. The iobber again sells the goods
and exacts his profit upon the amount he
pays, which includes the high protective
duty originally levied. The goods pass to
the small retail dealer, who in
turn charges up a profit on the import
duty that accompanies the goods.
They reach the laboring man at last at a
cost double that of the same goods to the
British workman. Paints, oils, iron and
lumber came highly taxed. The result is that
the man working at $1.50 day. and who
builds himself a house from his earnings, is
compelled to sustain the added cost repre-
scented by the high tariff imposed by his own
Govern upon the materials used in the
construction of the house. The same rule
holds good with reference to other items of
expense in living. No, it it not alone that
fear British retaliation, but because l see the
oppressive operation of high tariff system
upon the people of this country. And the
incidental possibility of retaliation by Eng
land would add the further OWL of a closed
avenue for the sale of our own products"
"And you feel that Congress should adopt
such course as will remedy the one and
prevent the other!'
Undoubtedly Congress should do so; but
Congress will probably adopt such course as
viii secure for its majority the greatest num-
Der of votes.''
''What do you believe will be the result of
the present position of the Democratic party
toward the tariff question in the coming
camphign!'
II may not be well to print this, but it is
probably true that the present position of the
party toward the tariff question may hurt the
prospect Of the party in the coming election;
but she whole protective fabric has got to
tumble.'
''Whom do you regard as the most availa
able candidate in your party for Presidential
nomination! Do you believe tibet Mr.. Tilden
would accept the Democratic nomination if
it were rendered to him?"
don't know don't know. I have no
right to expect he would don't really
know"
''Then I will ask if you regard his nomin-
alton as a wise One!'
Eyes do. l would be understood as be-
lieving Mr.. Tilden's nomination would be
wise and"
'Why?"
''He is a man familiar with such duties as
would fall upon president"
''Do you believeit would be physical pos
sibility for Mr. Tilden to discharge the duties
and sustain the strain Of the presidential po-
sition!''
''The fact about that is that the duties of
president are not laborious if one is familiar
with such questions as are common to their
office. Only two presidents were ever crushed
by the weight of presidential responsibilities,
snd they were two lustv soldiers, l mean
Harrison and Taylor, both of whom died in
office by reason of sickness"
'And you do not believe Mr.. Tilden too
feeble to perform the duties of presidents"
''Well, they say he he can talk. Now that
No
vet hurt by what he didn't say, and 1 say
that without the least hesitation. What we
we want in the presidential chair are men
lwho think more and talk less. A man should
= have his tongue cut off when he enters the
s,White house as president"
Should Mr. Tilden be nominated, do you
not think another than Mr.. Hendricks would
be stronger as second man on the ticket?n
81 don't know. Possibly So"
Next to Mr.. Tilden, whom would you
choose for first place on the Democratic tick
et?''
'I don't know There are so many of
these men who are new to me that l would
not care to say"
''What would you say of Butler?'
at might not be well to say so, but don't
believe Butler is the kind of man to build
the party"
''And Randall?"
GA good man an earnest worker"
'tAnd McDonald?''
''He is also capable man. I know him.
He is a robust and active man, able and ear
nest"
OF the Republican candidates now in the
public gaze Mr.. Seymour declined to speak,
except to refer to Mr.. Arthur in extremely
guarded terms, and to Blaine as a man who
mightlead in the Republican National con-
vention.
kEDn rnn1 feel that un11r rartu is drifting of