New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-10-22
A LETTER FROM JOHN JAY.
POINTS WHICH WAYNE MACvEAGH SHOULD
CONSIDER.
THE DEMOCRATIC TARIFF PLANK BIO" AZ
CIVIL SERVICE REFoRM-IT SUBSTITUTES
THE DECLARATION OF CONVEN-
TON FOR THE RULINGS OF

TON FOR TIE RULINGS OF
THE CONSTITUTION
The Hon John jay. late president Oh "e
s.rvlce Commission, of New York. has Wilton ~
s ,.,,cr 10 Mr. Wayne Macveagh Mr. jay 5 prom
o a., The Cvi, service Reform movement gives
, - .,rctures on Mr. Cleveands attitude IN ''"S
canvass special weight. The following Is '"e -
Dear Mr. MacVesgh: have read Win e''e sou
able speech at the Philadelphia Acaneu! VI 'o.,
spnplemen,cd by that at Cooper Institute OF ''o
,a.ta,t giving reasons for your announcement tha'
was alike your privilege and your pleasure W VIZ. >,
November for our next President, 1roVcr oo'o"
u,,, vonr speeches express sentiments with winch III
,eI,iceut and devoted Republicans and Clvif9eiNoo IN"
formers will heartily agree; when you ueio. 49,,
I,,,o, errors and crimes AZ that awful trahc maze
mi alike 10 God and all good men, the ousi"e "
selling of votes; and you might have aaoeo ''o IVY
,nc and selling of political and judicial noihaNoi''
wien YOU denounce policy that Will not ouS n''No
tho moor poorer but is making tho rlch man "oio
so,esh ard more corrupt; reckless lcgiSauoh anu
ILLEGAL trusts debauchng the voters I'LL they oooo''o
a commodity within the control OF partisan oo'''o''
and martial imposts, widening Inc 'oo-"iuo e"i
,rcadv existing between rich and poor" All honest
Repnblcans will Join you in condemhhg' aS nio'"ii'
eujlty of treason TO our insttnuons' the P"i"o' "
. SYSTEMATIC corruption OF our Electoral system anu
GOOD Americans of every party VIII accept 9o'i IL
mark that the moral law Is the only SAFE ruio III
economies Ii is the only sanction OF lesslauo' ~
q the only possible, foundation OF CHRISTIAN ciN~"
ton.' .,
Then Won allude to the struggle for a better and
ra- administration of the Government, TINS suhsslc
for higher and purer politics." and you remark In
closing that with our faces therefore turned from
,be setting TO the rising sun We may aus
Germ the growing scendancy OF the ethical spirit
,s 10 SWAY the coming age" by which "thS hepuo"c
n, American Democracy, tho last and best eii' Oh
Time. will be redeemed regenerated, disenthslied ana
secured in social order, by social justice as in inc
Republic Of God
fail 70 find however. in either Of these speeches.
grounds for believing that the ethical spirit that per
ysded the Democratic Convention at Chicago and IN
spired its platform the Tariff was one CALCULATOR
IN redeem and regenerate the Republic OF 10 secure
social order and social justice. And yet there would
seem 10 be no good reason for ignoring In TINS dis
cussion Of the canvass. the principle issue on the
Tariff the chief question which the Democrats were
divided.
Iohn Quincy Adams Is reported to have said during
rho onf,-slavery struggle tho tariff is no longer an
ISSUE but in day despite the issues OF gigantic
Importance which demand instant National action. and
among them are unrestricted Immigration making
this country, as the Democratic platform says. "fhe
dumping ground of the criminal and professional pau
ners OF Europe" lowering our civilization and plant
Ing seedbods for the cholera and other diseases. audu
lent naturalization: the assaults upon our public
schools the buwsrk OF our Republic National
mlteracy threatening as Madison taught us tn make
O, popular government farce or tragedy, or both
combined: the Cahensey plot In Europe and America
for denauonalizing and controlling our institutions
and the Increasing necessity for reform in our public
service National. State and municipal, In which YOU
have been so honorablv conspicuous despite all these
the tariff IS stin the chief issue OF the pending Pres
Dental contest. on this the National Convention Of
the American Democracy has spoken with plainness
that cannot be misunderstood and Which dehes all al
tempt at misrepre sentatOn. It's frank discussion was
recommended by Mr.. Cleveland himself. when he Justly
remarks in his letter: This is time above all
Others when the questions thus invoked In the can
vass should be considered in the Hight Afforded by as
sober apprehension OF the principles upon which our
Government is based and clear understanding OF the
relation 1t hears 10 the people for whose benefit IL was
created. II doctrines or theories are presented
which do not satisfy this test loyal Americans must
pronounce them false and mischievous" The i'm
portance Of this thorough consideration OF tn" tariff
platform Of the convention will be emphasized by a
glance at the proceedings which Mr. Cleveland makes
no sllusion.
SIGNIFICANT PROCEEDINGS OF THE DEMO
CRATIC CONVENTION.
The proceedings Of that convention as reported IN
The New-York Sun" dune 20. 1902. showed that.
upon the constitutional tariff question the convention
was divided and the resolutions on the subject sec -
reported by the CGmnltlee on heSOulonS, "HstH H'Ni
10 have represented the views Of minority party In
that body on the tariff question: declared that "many
Industries have come TO rely upon legislation for sue
cessfh continuance, that any change OF law must
be- at every STEP regardful OF the labor and capital
thus involved
At the close OF the reading OF the resolution, MI
Neal OF Ohio moved the following amendment on the
subject Of the tariff: "we denounce Republican Pro-
lection as fraud (cheersl robbery Of the great ma
ority Of the American people for the benefit Of few
loud chee~sJ We declare II to be the fundamental
principle OF the Democratic party that tho Federal
Government. has no constitutional power TO enforce
and collect tariff duties. except for The purpose OF
revenue only (Icnewed and bng-coatinued cheering,
md demand that the collection OF such taxes shall be
limited 70 the necessities OF the Government, when
honestly and economically administered
Mr. Wa,terson In the course OF some remarks, said:
.When listened 10 the extraordinary essay we have
heard from the desk daughter and cheers. asked
myself whether we are, indeed, In Democratic or
Simply Republican convention, revised by james o.
Blaine benjamin F. Butler"
Chairman Jones, OF the Committee on Resolutions.
on behalf Of that committee accepted the amendment
Mr. Johnson OF Ohio. thanked God that they had a
real tariff plank and rot All addition to that stump
speech on taking the vote the amendment was
adopted by 364 ayes TO 342 nays. Governor Flower
casting the sevcnty-two votes OF New-fork for the
ayes and your own State Of PENNSYLVANIA voting
This Is the platform on which Mr.. Cleveland was
nominated: these the principles to which ne Is
pledged ard which his supporters by their votes VIII
help 10 establish as the constitutional rule OF the
Republic.
EMINENT DEMOc RATS LIKE CURTIS DENoCNCE
THE TARIFF PLANK.
II has been the habit OF the Democracy to acqnesce
silently and otedienty in the will OF the majority bit
IN This instance the amended resolution violated 50
a<olutay regard to historic truth respect for the
Constitution reverence for the fathe1r Of the Republic
and decent regard to the Democratic record as well
as 10 Justice and honesty In the administration OF the
Government. and the rights and Interests OF the IN
dustria classes of people that the fair examination
OF nautical questions invoked by Mr.. Cleveland was
given 10 this novel plank in the PLATFORM not simply
by the Republican leaders. but by thoughtful and In
dependent Democrats. Among the latter was mat
most eminent Democratic juris the venerable George
rcknor Curtis whose devotion 10 constitutional study
nod so with his party,