The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1891-05-09
CAN BE CONVERTED.

Mr.. Grover Cleveland is too good q
democrat to not become an advocate of
free silver coinage when he comes to a
proper understanding of the subject.
When Mr.. Cleveland was nominated
for president in 1884, it was not as a
tariff reformer but as a man with very
moderate views on the tariff issue, and
he was president nearly three years be-
fore he became o convert to the issue
of tariff reduction, and a leader in the
cause of tariff reform.
The editor of the INTELLIGENCER
was at the Chicago convention, and
distinctly remembers the contest there
between the extreme tariff reformers
and the moderate democrats, the
former were led by Henri Watterson,
the latter by Dan Manning, who was
the leader of the Cleveland forces, and
who, subsequently,, became Mr.. Cleve-
lands secretary of the treasury.
In the bitter struggle thaticame up
to control the committee on Platform,
the Manning forces joined by Mr.. Ran
dall's following prevailed and wrote
the resolutions which were adopted
after a sharp opposition from the Wat
terson faction, which desired q more
emphatic declaration in favor of their
pet measure. The gist of the tariff
plank was embodied in the following
ave therefore denounce the abuses
"of the existing tariff, and, subject to
''the preceding limitations, we demand
''that federal taxation shall be exclu.
''sively for public purposes, and shall
"not exceed the needs of the govern.
cement economically administered"
This was, to say the least, drawing
it mild, and of so little importance,
seemingly, did Mr.. Cleveland regard
the tariff issue, that i'm his letter OF
acceptance he made no mention of il
whatever. The result was the battle
was made on other lines, and the cause
of tariff reform, in many sections o.
the country, was lost sight of.
But if Mr.. Cleveland was Indifferent
during the campaign and the first two
years of his administration in this
great cause, his party had no rea'
son during the last years of his term.
to complain of his inattention. Thai
the ''tariff is n tax" and that the
taking from the people of money il
the form of u tax for the benefit OF
private individuals was robbery, seems
to have dawned upon HIM grandly
during the third year of his admins,
tration, and he ut once raised the cry
of tariff reduction and made that the
Shibboleth of his next campaign. Stalk
inc everythinp uOon this jssue he led
his party to battle to lose q victory fol
himself, but to see his people finally
prevail in one Of the most sweeping
successes they had ever achieved.
Now what were Mr.. Cleveland'i
views upon the tariff issue in 1884, anC
subsequently to the meeting of con
gress in December 1887? Undoubtedly
that of n misconception of the princi
pie of tariff reform. But how quickly
the man changed, and how he grew
upon the people when he came to :
proper appreciation of the subject.
So must it be when he comes to view
the of silver coinage in its proper
light. Whenever he understands thai
the cause of the single gold standard
and the characterization of silver is tina
of oppression of the people inevitably
he must change about, for either the
cause of the people-the MASSES
the cause of democracy, or the wore
democracy is a sham and a fraud.
The bonded, interest bearing debt Of
Missouri will be, after the May pay.
ments are made, $7,373,000 On Jan.