Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1885-05-22
Mr.. Randall
Talks Asour THE ADMINISTRATION AED TEE
TARIRF.

A correspondent of the N. Y. Herald. bav-
ing interviewed Mr.. Randall, gives the fol-
lowing conversation:
Your correspondent asked. ''What do You
| think of the new administration 2"
Mr.. Randall replied. SIN my Judgment 1t Is
going on as well a. possible, and am GER
tain that il i. making good impression on
the people I notice some fault finding here
and there, but notice also that no one pre-
I tends to doubt the sincerity and honesty OF
the Presidents intentions When so great a
change comes about as change OF parties
after a quarter of a century, it is Impossible
but that some minor errors should be MADE.
| But the people do not deal hsrshly with pup
| tic men for small mistakes in Judgment. II
/ only they seem to be honest and sincerely de-
sirous to serve the general interest dont
believe that any one of either party douots
the Presidents honest and patriotic purposes
nor his ability and determination to serve not
merely his party but the whole country.
You think we'll Of the President, then Z!
"Yes, and the more see of him and the
better get to know him the more perceive
the sturdy honesty of his mind, the single
hearted conscientiOusness with which be acts.
Some of our men say he moves too slowly.
That ia true, hut he has an immense WORK
and responsibility upon him. or all reforms
administrative reform Is the most dimcuit
To ascertain where in the immense Govern
ment establishment bad methods prevail ana
incompetent or unfit persons are employed,
and TO improve the methods and substitute
faithful and competent men to do the WORK
il huge task, for which even single fresl-
Dental term is scarcely adequate. What mas
been accomplished in the two months ana
half since the 4th of March Is necessarily
only the beginning. The President ana the
Cabinet have not had time to look closely
into the machinery of the Government. They
are at work, and reports from different and
numerous points and places are Coming in,
and will he. intelliQently acted upon as re-
ceived. All his public experience as Mayor
and Governor has fitted Mr.. Cleveland in a
verv especial manner for his present task"
You believe, then, that with sufficient
time the President will secure the confidence
and approval of his party and of the people
at larger"
II believe he has these already, and feel
certain that he will gain more and more en- |
tirely their undoubting trust. will go fur
ther and say to YOU that if he goes on as he
has gone. in his own way, following his own |
ideas of his duty to the public. he will be in
the end one of the most acceptable Presidents
we have ever had He will, through his success
BY the year 1888, as the public administrator
of great trust, be re-nominated and
reelected, and I am satisfied that the party
can do no better than faithfully stand BY him
and cooperate with him. The work of re-
form confded to him can hardly be complet-
ed in single term. The country will re-
elect him to secure the completion of that
work and give it the permanence which it
hav Gov tho al
''Do YOU mean that the true policy for your
party is to give the administration a united
and cordial support with the distinct object
of renominating Mr.. Cleveland in 1882"
"That is nv view of the political situation.
On general principles it must be plain to any
one that we can more easily re-elect
Mr.. Cleveland than elect a new man.
Or, to put this in different shape,
If We cannot reelect Mr. Cleve-
land, he having accomplished in part or in
whole the reforms desired by the people, then
we cannot elect any one. We must cluster
around him and his administration, and thus
keep our party together, strengthen it, and
enable it to meet its opponents in 1883 with a
solid 'front.'"
"What do you sav about the tariff ?"
Gas to the tariff. the Administration should |
be guided by the spirit and letter of the utter
ances of our platform on this subject, and a
faithful execution of those declarations. with
out cavil, will unite our party everywhere
and accomplish the tariff reform which both
platforms asserted to be necessary. Changes
occur in the conditions existing in our coun-
try and the countries with which we exchange
productions more rapidly than is supposed.
These changes must be provided for through
notifications in our tariff laws, and the best
time to make these alterations is Immediately
following the information and results shown
by our system of census returns"
This was the end of the conversation.