New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-09-27
Mr. CLEVELAND'S LETTER.

n is scarcely conceivable that any one OF them
will think it the strongest paper ne mas gwen
10 the public Yet it has been months III
nrena,ation. and the occasion called 1or the
hest exposition in his power OF the purposes
and principles of his party. 1t docs not compare
., all in force or directness with the bold tarlif
MESSAGE which opened the way for his nom
nation and defeat in 1888. Even less adron
than his speech at Madison Square Garden 1t
will be pronounced by nearly all Democrats
feeble performance in comparison with the
speech of Senator Hill at Brooklyn as an effort
to reconcile the declarations of his party with
the necessities of American industry. In read
inc if one is impressed with the feeling that
il is evasive and feeble because Mr.. Cleveland
no longer dares to challenge direct verdic' OF
the people upon his own real convictions or the
avowed purposes of his party
True. he SAYS enough to betray the fact that
his beliefs have not changed. The favorltc
ideas and catchwords of the ultra-Free Trader
still crop out in spite of the extreme caution
of the candidate to pick phrases that may pear
two meanings He still calls Protective Iallli
one for the "express purpose and intent OF
nromoting especial interests and enterprises
declares such a tariff clearly contrary to the
shirt of the Constitution" and shgmatzes AS
q false pretence the claim that Protective
Tariff is necessary in order that high wages may
be paid to workingmen. lie does not expressly
say as he has so often said, that the whole
amount of the duty is added to the price paid
by consumers, but he calls it sophistry TO claim
that taxation does not result from protective
duty. or that the tax is paid by the foreigner
But while the peculiar errors of the radical rec
Trader find frequent expression, as If half un-
consciously there is a constant and laoored
effort TO make it appear that in some ntys'eri-
ons Uay. which he does not attempt to eX-
plain. the declared objects of his party can be
attained without harm to any American indus
try. While he opposes the theory that laws
nav be passed discriminating IN favor OF pri-
vate ventures" he yet asserts that he and his
party "wage no exterminating war against any
American industry After reiterating Free
Trade ideas, he affects to scott at the fear OF
impossible Free Trade"
This is no longer the voice of the Outspoken
and masterful man who demanded free trade
in wool and forced his party TO take his own
platform. Instead of any definite plan or sug-
gestion whatever he offers only this slngularly
Il
evasivo utterance: awe believe readjust-
ment can be accomplished, in accordance with
the principles we profess, without disaster or
demolition. We believe the advantage OF freer
raw materials should be accorded to our manu-
facturers. and we contemplate fair and care
full distribution OF necessary tanif burdens
rather than precipitation of Free Trade" Con-
trasted with Mr.. Clevelands past utteranceS
this means simply that the candidate appre-
hends defeat II wound be an insult to MS
intelligence to suppose him not aware that the
manufacture Of tin-plates and OF cotton ues'
lust established here by means of duties IN the
tariff of 1890, would not be eXtermlnated by
the acts Of repeal passed by the last Democratic
House. Yet he processes to desire no ex-
terminating war against any industry" and no
disaster or demolition" What he really
means is to have people believe that he docs
not favor the measures and the policy 10 which
his party is committed, and yet every man OF
sense knows that It is too late
Mr.. Cleveland is not more explicit in regard
to the silver question. His words. taken apart
from the vote of his party for unlimited coin
age of silver, might almost be adopted by a
Republican, but, coming from the chosen can
didate of that party, they appear carefully
chosen to avoid antagonizing its known pur-
poses. Regarding the freedom Of elections, he
has ONLY this bald and unfOunded assumption
TO offer. that "interference with the control OF
suffrage by the States" discloses partisan
purpose to overturn the fundamental and safe
relations between the people and their Gov
eminent" If this can be dignified with the
name of argument it is much the weakest argu-
ment vet offered against the exercise OF power
granted in express terms by the Constitution to
Congress.
1t is not for what it says or omits to say on
minor topics that the letter Of Mr.. Cleveland
will be Judged. He rightly treats the tariff
question as more directly involved in the cleo
ton than any other, and devOtes more than
half of his space TO painfully lab0red and weak
effort to smooth over the rugged declaration
of his party, the uncomprOmising measures to
which it has committed itself, and his own ag-
grcsslve and vigorous utterances prior to the
Rhode Island election. 1t seems to be the truth
that Mr. Cleveland learned something from the
stunning Democratic defeat which followed his
speech in Providence Apparently they tell the
truth who say that Mr.. Cleveland was correctly
represented at the last National Convention by
those who wanted to evade and dodge the very
issue upon which his nomination had been de-
handed This, at least, is certain: his latest
utterance will not crafty those who have re-
ioiced in his " fearless zeal for reform" Ii is
much to be doubted whether it will moderate
the antagonism Of single believer in the de-
fence and maintenance of American industries.
NEU.JERSEY Can BE REDEEMED
New-Jersey Democracy with Hudson County