St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1884-07-21
BEECHER'S BROADSlDE.
He States Why He Blows His Bugle
for Cleveland Instead of
Blaine.
Especial Telegram to the Globe. ]

NEW YORK, July 20.-Rev. Henry Ward
Beecher was asked an opinion on the Blaine let
ter by the GLOBE correspondent last evening.
Mr.. Beecher declined giving an extended criti-
cism of the letter, as he had not had time to
think enough about it, but he added: ~ think
the document will have tendency to force tho
fight on the tariff issue. Now I'm an out and
out free trader" said Nj. Beecher, '.bnt / rec
ognize the difference between an ideal and
that which is attainable. / know where there
are SO many interests to be considered we must
necessarily go slow. The principle of free trade
| am loyal TO and when do say anything in this
campaign it will be straight in that direction.
do not believe in dealing in uncertainties and
generalties In anything and l certainly see no
reason why the Democratic party should attempt
to hide the free trade question as an issue. /
wish its platform had been more definite than it
is. stood on the Republican platform when it
was more than half way down in the earth and
don't propose to stand on platform that strad-
dies and is fabbly and is likely to
let me down. That Is not
what l have been brought up to
and propose to speak out in meeting very plain
ly when am ready. l shall know better what
l shall do after the conference OF Independent
Republicans l think there is . strong disposi-
ton on the part of the leading men in the Demo
cratic party to so lesislate the tariff matter
that no injustice shall be done to American labor
and industry. As far revenue reform is con-
cerned, there is more hope in the Democratic
party than in the Republican. l say again that
/ do not want any compromise on this question,
and il the Democratic party believes that there
ought to be a tariff for revenue only, they should
say so. though they might loose the presidency
by it, what, after all, is the
! four years presidency to the incarnation OF q
principle. Therefore say it Is better to tak0
this opportunity of declaring their convictions
as to the tariff and educating the people in that
direction than it is to elect Cleveland, though |
think we can do both.
MY opposition to Blaine is not on account OF
SANDER. don't know much about the Mulligan
letters and all that controversy, and il did 1
don't know that it would make much difference
What do know is this: that in politics there
are various planes of, honor When low ward
politician goes in TO politics and uses all the
means and appliances he has at hand, makes
himself solid, as they say, with everybody and
comes out of politics with lot of honeywell
he has not committed Ds.,issntiary offense. L,
is not crime in the eyes the law. He can't
be arrested for it. but he has been living and
working on very low and IN some instances q
very degraded plane. Now, that is shout whore
Mr. Blaine has been. II is proposed to elevate
! man OF that moral stamina to the presidency
Well, 1 rebel against it. 1 don't think il is FOR
the welfare OF the country to
put the administration and disposition
OF all OF the offices into the hands OF man who
has that moral caliber and that record The
Republican party needs very strong rebuks in
this direction. It had lesson when Cleveland
was elected governor. It was rebuke Of the
method adopted to beat Cornell. l think 1t was
a very wholesome lesson. don't think it win
do any harm to try it on large scale and give
Cleveland the presidency. He has made good
governor and he wiz very likely make good
president