Daily Kennebec journal., 1884-10-16
Can He be Trusted /!

That portion of the democratic party that
sympathizes with ex-Spesker Randall in his
views on the tariff question, and believes that
the policy of protection is preferable to that
of free trade. is excusing them for their sup
port of Cleveland by saying that it believes
he may be trusted. in the event of his cleo
ton, to oppose any such reduction. of the
tariff rates as shall involve free trade; that
he will recognize the prevailing sentiment of
the country in favor of protection, and even
should Congress pass free trade act under
the disguise of traiff reform and revenue re-
duction, Mr.. Cleveland might be trusted to
veto it. Can he be thus trusted This is
certainly one of the most serious questions
Of the day. Just forty years ago we had
Presidential campaign which, in its essential
features is very much like the one which is
being wsged at present. On the accession to
power Of the Wings in l84l they proceeded
TO carry into effect the pledges they had made
the people in the previous campaign. and in
augurated policy which should build up the
Frustrated business interests of the country by
the enactment of the protective tariff law OF
1912 The law was opposed almost solidly
by the Democrats, but under its influence the
country rapidly grew prosperous. and IN the
campaign of 1874 the democrats dared not
openly array themselves against the law. In
fact, to allay a natural distrust in sections
where the protective sentiment was strongest,
they adopted as their battle cry, "POlk, Dali
las and the tariff of ~" "On the strength
of this profession they succeeded; but no
sooner was this administration installed
than it begun a warfare on the very tariff,
to which, during the campaign, it stood
pledged The tariff of l342 was repealed
by the passage of the virtual free trade act of
l846, which was carried through the Senate
by the casting vote of Vice President Dallas.
He was a Pennsylvania, and there is no
doubt that he was friendly to protection, but
he was compelled by the force of party dis
cipline to go with his party, though he repu'
dated every pledge made during the canvass
Of 1874
Whatever may be the views of Grover
Cleveland on the tariff question, if, indeed.
he has any views, there is no question as to
the position of the party supporting him.
The Morrison bill, "a first frm step towards
free trade" which was only defeated in the
House last winter by a bare majority of four,
was a democratic measure. No intelligent
man doubts that should the democratic party
be successful in November, that bill, or one
providing even sor a more sweeping reduc-
ton, would Immediately pass the next House.
The Senate is almost evenly divided. As in
1876, the vote of the vice president might
decide the matter. There is no question
whatever that Hendricks would vote for free
trade, and there is just as little question that
Grover Cleveland would not unhesitat-
ingly approve any free trade meas
ure that should pass a democratic Con-
gress. He has not, it is true, declared him.
self explicitly in favor Of free trade, nor has
he shown any sign that he knows anything
about the tariff question. He has, however,
declared himself democrat, in full sympa
thy with the democratic party as at present
constituted, under its present leadership and
management. This fact alone ought to be
sufficient to prevent any one, who believes in
giving American labor and American indus
tries protection, from voting for him How
ever solid and stupid may be the silence of
Cleveland on the tariff question, he is not
man to be trusted. The country has been
betooled once, but it has not the excuse for
its folly now that it had then, since Cleveland
does not even make the professions made by
Polk and Dallas. Boston Trauelier.