, 1890-02-06
CLEVELAND'S OPINION.
The Ex- President on Tariff
Reform.
INTERVIEWED BY AN EDITOR.
He Again Expresses His Conf
dcnCe in Democratic Victory
A Reformed Ballot,

NNTvlLiE, Feb, l.-Thc American
tcryicw with eX President Cleveland,
had by Editor COrmaCh.
I'm substance Mr.. Cleveland said that
hc felt more confident than ever before
of the triumph Of tariff rclurmcrs,
on the lines worked out by
the democratic party, Defeat had
only stfcngt hcncd tie purpose
and incl. aScd tie energy Of the tariil
rcformer' ami confidence In the result.
The contest appeared to grow rs the
signs ofdi-'onsiuu appeared In tue pro-
tcctIonists' ranks.
"Onc Of tile most serious troubles the
republican party WILL have to
encounter" he said, ''Is revolt OF
the New England manufacturer
against the republican policy, while
several OF ihc Northwestern states are
now held as doubtful In the republican
columns by reason Of sectional prejudice.
The bloody shirt did valiant service in
the last campaign in counter
acting the effect OF the tariff re-.
form Arguments, and, unless that can
again save the republican party from
defeat, nothing else can. The r,puhli.
cans Of Nev England and the North
western states who have been hoping
for reduction Of the tariff duties in the
hands Of the republican party are
bound TO realize sooner or later
that their hopes are In vain. What will
they do abouJity They ure already be-
ginning to realize that the party which
persists H. COuTso hostile to their in.
lcrcsts is their enemy, and that the
party which is lighting to give them
what they want Is their friend, no mat
ter II il does contain confederate briga-
dicrs."
Mr.. Cleveland said that he had
thought that the republican party might
make some oli0rt to conciliute the low
tariff Sc ntiment In It's own ranks, but
that tue indications now appeared tO be
to the contrary. The party leaders eyi.
IDENTIFY thought II wiser to
stand by their contract with
the protected manufacturers than To
endangcr the solidity OF tne rich and
powerful CON binHlIons which had led IL
so often 10 victory, by departing "a
hairs breadth from the letter OF the
bond.
In the course Of the conversation the
question OF the ballot reform was
touched upon. and Cleveland in
torroguted the editor in regard to
the details of the law In Tennessee. lie
Is intensely interested in thc question,
and said II was one Of the most import
ant reforms that had been attempted for
years and that its importance was be-
coming greater as the assaults upon the
purity Oi the ballot became iicrUer.
1t was asked il hc thought the cause
of tariff reform would profit by such
legislation.
Honest government would profit by
IT, said MIR. Cleveland, "and so would
every worthy cause. The franchise il
not debauchcG In the interest OF good
laws and honest government. IL
is by those who have special
interests to subscryc ut the peoples
expense, and not by those whose inter-
osis are in common with the masses that
the ballot is corrupted. There nre no
rich and powerful corporations interested
in buy ing iloaters or cocrCing employees
10 vote for the reformation OF our
tariff laws. The powers of cor
ruplion are employed upon the other
side, and turiti reform, as all
other reforms, must depend upon the
unbought sullragcs OF the people. IL the
people are capable OF self government,
and are to remain So, there can not be
too many safeguards about the express
sion Ot their will"