The Washington bee., 1892-10-15
CLEVELAND'S LETTER.
Chairman Garter Dissects 1t in an Enter
esting and Vigorous Way.


| esting and Vigorous Way.
Mr.. ClevelGHd's letter of acceptance
is conceded be the weakest document
that he has 5iven the public. 1t was
generally criticised as a pitiful attempt
to straddle all the doubtful issues of the
campaign and make enemies of nobody.
Here is what Chairman Carter of the
Republican committee said of it:
1t is rather difficult to figure out from
MIR. Cleveland's letter of acceptance pre-
cisely what he believes about anything.
He starts out by saying that he is more
than ever confirmed in the belief that
all the things which he has heretofore
believed are true and excellent. sup
pose that nobody will doubt Mr.. Cleve-
lands regard for his opinions. Still i'll
the present situation, the Republican
party having declared plainly and ex-
plicitly in a tariff so devised as to protect
American industries while raising the
revenues necessary to support the gov
ernment, and the Democratic plrtr
having explicitly declared that such al
arrangement of the tariff is uncoIstitu-
tional, it would have been interesting to
know whether Mr.. Cleveland agreed
with the Republican or Democratic the
ory.
It will be remembered that in 1884 NJ.
Cleveland ran for the presidency and
was elected on platform which state,.
that the Democratic party simply de
sired to reform the tariff, and that in rt-
forming it they did not intend to dis; rrh
existing industries. They said that they
were aware of the fact that many in
dustries depended on the protective tariff.
and that all changes of existing Law
must take note of the interests of the
labor and capital invested This WAS
one of those characteristic Democratic
lodging planl1s which was intended to
mean, and did mean, anything to any
body. Mr.. Randall stumped New Yo.!,
saying that it meant projections; Mr..
Hurd stumped Ohio saying that it meant
free trade; Mr.. Mills stumped Texas say
ing that it meant an income tax; Nj
Watterson stumped Kentucky SAYING
that it was exactly in line with the views
of the star eyed goddess of reform.
But the Democratic convention Of
1892, when this identical plank was pre-
sented to it by its platform commit.
overwhelmingly threw it ont. and bv 4
vote of 546 to 342 the convention de
clared itself for free trade pure and sim
pie. To have regard for any other pu,
pose, it said, in devising tariff, than
the one purpose of raising revenue, was
unconstitutional. In dealing with this
plank Mr.. Cleveland has twisted in evi-
dent distress. He means what the plank
means, but does not dare to say so. In
stead he says he believes what he always
believed, and that everybody knows what
he has always believed, and that that
ought to be enough. Finally he says
the people cannot be frightened by the
specter of impossible free. trade, which
means, if it means anything, that the
people must have confidence in him and
his party, because they do not really
mean what they say, and have not the
of their convictions.
This is certainly curious ground on
which to appeal to intelligent people for
their suffrages. The Democratic con-
vention declared at Chicago in favor of |
the repeal of the 10 per cent. tax on |
state bank issues. This has excited tile |
profound alarm of every believer in a |
stable currency the country over. Thos..
Of our people who lived before the war |
will remember the condition of congress
and affairs when everybody was per-
mitted to start bank and print slips of |
paper called money to the extent Of his |
Millions on millions of more
Dr. less worthless money foated around
The country, nobody knowing precisely
what the bills he had in his pocket would
be received for at the bank, nor indeed
whether they were genuine or counter
'eit.
The Republican party is fighting il
this campaign for protection to Ameri-
IAN industries and American labor. The
Democratic party is fighting for free
'rade. Mr.. Cleveland lodges the issue.
The Republican party is fighting in TIL
for honest money-dollars Of
equal value, and that value 100 cents on.
he dollar. The Democratic party is
lighting for wildcat money-an unlimit-
ID issue of meaningless paper. On this
ssue Mr.. Cleveland is silent.
THEN AND NOW.