The free press., 1892-10-27
FOR CLEVELAND.

| TRUE WELFARE OF THE COUNTRY
| WOULD BE PROMOTED BY CLEvE-
LANDS ELECTION.
Following close upon the announce
ment that Judge Gresham, four years ago
prominent candidate for the Presiden.
tial nomination in the Republican Ma
tional Convention, had determined to
vote for Cleveland and Stevenson, an.
other bombshell has been thrown into the
Republican camp. The following letter
from Wayne MacVeagh, Attorney Gen
eral under Garfield, announcing that he
will vote for Grover Cleveland, has been
given out for publication:
PHILADELPHIA, Oct. 4, 1872.
John w. Carter, Esq, Secretary OF the
Massachusetts, Reform Club:
Your cordial invitation to address tho
citizens of Boston on the issues OF the
canvass happens to reach me just when
professional engagements prevent my
naming time when can do so, but you
are quite right in concluding that I in
tend to vote for Mr.. Cleveland.
Entertaining the convictions I do,
no other course is open to me, and
cheerfully accord to the supporters of
President Harrison the same sense OF
public duty by which I claim to be act
uated. AS both parties have presented
unexceptionable candidates, there is no
reason why the differences which exist
upon questions of public policy should
be discussed otherwise than in good
humor, and with entire respect for each
others opinions.
In the present campaign what may
fairly be called the false alarms OF the
canvass will prove of little value, because
of the general confidence in the safe and
conservative character of both candi-
dates. The average voter knows that
free trade is impossible in this country,
for the conclusive reason that the vast
revenues now required to meet the ex-
penses of the Government will necessar-
ily afford far higher degree of protec-
ton to our established and prosperous
manufacturers than either Alexander
Hamilton or Henry Clay thought desir-
able in the infancy of our weak aud
struggling industries. The average voter
also knows that the irredeemable paper
currency in use before the war can never
reappear On the other hand, he knows
as we'll that no system of duties on inn
ports, however inequitable, can prevent
our rcontinued growth in wealth, in man
ufactures, and in population, growth
due to the incompatible gifts OF Provl-
dence, the intelligence and energy of the
people, and the blessings of free institu-
tions.
While am more than ever resolved
to hold duty to country far above any
ties of party, find myself at present in
general accord with the Democratic
PARTY, and willing to trust its course in
the future. The insight, the courage
aud the patriotism the masses of the
party exhibited in compelling the nomi-
nation of Mr.. Cleveland when be was
without single office holder to support
his candidacy seem to me to demand
that I should meet them in the same
spirit and act with them as long as they
maintain that high standard OF policy
and of administration. 1t is the more
easy to do so because the Republican
Party, securing its return to power four
years ago by promising to preserve mat
tiers as they we're, at once embarked upon
what regard as reckless and revo-
lutionary policy, even overturnlng all
the safeguards of legislation in the House
of Representatives in their haste to pass
the Force bill and the Mckinley bill,
both, to my mind, unnecessary and un'
wise measures.
The opposition to the Force bill, as
not only sure to create far greater evils
than it could cure, but as also subverslVe
of the rights of the States, has become
so earnest and widespread that it is said
to have been abandoned; but 1t Is must
not be forgotten that only two years ago
such a measure was warmly advocated bY
the Republican Party, and very narrowly
escaped becoming law.
There is no pretense, however, that
the Mckinley bill is abandoned. On the
contrary, our express approval OF 1t IS
demanded. No doubt that bill, which
cannot but think was an uncalled Tor
| disturbance of the then-existing tariff,
greatly benefited few interests, but Ger
tainly it greatly oppressed many Others.
OF the protected industries themselves,
many were then, as Low, IN lar more
urgent need of free raw materials than oil
higher protection, but with raw mater
ials on the free list the bill could not
have passed, for those having such mater
ials for sale controlled enough votes to
defeat it, and they were very likely to do
so if their bounties were discontinued.
The manufacturers needing free raw
materials were therefore, obliged to Join
in the Objectionable processes of increas'
ing prices by restricting production, thus
adding to the number of trusts by which
the price of the necessarles OF llte IS
placed at the mercy of unlawful COM
binations of capital.
1t is not surprising that labor, belev-
ing itself to be oppressed, soon rose in
revolt, and civil war has actually ragged
this summer in four different sections OF
the country. And, of course, the farm
ers, paying more for what they buy and