Democratic Northwest. [volume] (Napoleon, Ohio) 1869-1894, 1890-02-20
THREE REFORMS
EARNESTLY ADVOCATED BY Ex-
GROVER CLEVELAND.
The Ballot, Civil Service and Tariff
System Can and Should be Bet
tered-Meaty and Interesting
Interview.


BALTIMORE, Feb. 13.-The Sun pub
lished an interview with ex-President
Grover Cleveland. Says the cores
pondent:
'In discussing the question Of ballot
reform said to him that some of the
southern Democratic leaders at Wash
ington were fearful that the adoption
of the Australian system would imperil
Democratic supremacy. At this he was
surprised, as he did not SEQ why there
should be any fear on that score But,
said he, / have never looked upon this
question from that point of view. l
have never debated in my own mind
whether the removal of trickery from
the voter would ipjure or benefit the
Democratic party. Ballot reform Is
right, and that Is why think 1t should
be adopted AS to the argument that
the uneducated voter would be en-
barrassed and in many instances de-
prived of his privilege, Mr.. Cleveland
could not see that there was anything
in it. Nothing could be easier than the
abortion of some sign or device appar-
ent for the most ignorant, indicating
the political complexion Of the candi-
dates to be voted for. He thought the
best plan would be to have lists of all
candidates printed on one ticket, the
signs to be adopted starting at the top
of each list and indicating to which
party the candidates belonged. The
voter could then by one mark indicate
his intention to vote for all the candi-
dates of his party. He did not approve
of the proposition requiring the voter
to make a mark opposite each candi-
date of his party. The vital principle
of ballot reform he regarded as lodged
In the official ballot.
"The necessity for ballot reform was
most urgent, and Indiana, state most
able ofjuding and appreciating the evils
of the present situation was ripe for the
movement in that direction. In the
last Presidential campaign this virus
of corruption of the voter had passed
largely into the rural districts of New
York and thousands of voters who had
never before cast any but an honest
ballot had yielded to temptation and
for So bills voted against their own con-
victions. If not arrested by legislation
il would be much worse at the next gen.
eral election. He expressed his perfect
that public sentiment was
running strongly in favor OF ballot re-
form and he believed 1t would ere long
be sufficiently powerful to compel re-
spect and obedience from reluctant leg
islators.
"Speaking of civil service reform, Mr..
Cleveland said 1t was quite appar-
ent that many of the politicians
of both parties would be delighted If
they could smother it out of existence
by Withholding the necessary appropria-
tions for its maintenance. OF course,
they would not have the courage to kill
it directly. There was little fear they
would succeed even by in indirection,
for the principle had too firm hold
upon the country, to be destroyed, and
he looked for the time when its scope
would be enlarged and its benefits ex-
tended.
passing to the subject of tariff re-
form asked what could be done to ad-
vance tariff reform among the sgri-
culturists of the United States. He re-
piled that they were the class upon
whom the tariff bears more heavily
than upon any other, and it was to re-
lieve their burdens that he was so anx-
ious. The high tariff brought mort
cages and ruin upon them, and 1t was
hard to understand why so many Of
them cIung to what was their destruc-
ton. He thought the best way to reach
the farmers and convince them of their
own true ueinterests was the establishment
of tariff reform clubs among them and
to disseminate literature applicable to
their circumstances. 1t had been too
much the custom in the party to send
into therural districts tariff documents
consisting of facts and arguments of in
terest only for city people. The proper
way to have them understand and ap-
preciate the question was to give them
veritable object lessons-facts and fig
ures which came home to them. This,
he believed. was already being DONE"