Los Angeles herald., 1892-10-02
TRE CLEVELAND ISSUE.

We have advlse0ly put tnls peculiar
phrase at the head of our editorial col
umns. 1t is really significant and po-
tential. If the name of Mrs. Cleveland
were added, a consensus of sentiment
absolutely without dissident would be
involved; but, in the United States,
ladies stay in the background.
1t is fact that cannot be contradicted
that everywhere Mr.. Cleveland has de-
veloped and is developing a personal
strength. Business men, irrespective OF
party, in all the principal cities OF the
country avow their preference for him.
Amongst those who do this are many
persons who do not accept his ideas on
many of the issues of the day. They
simply think that he is true and tried,
and. that the essential interests of the
country are safe in his hands.
1t was the good fortune of one of the
editors of the HERALD to have inter-
viewed Mr.. Cleveland the day after he
had sent into congress his famous mes
sage. He had sought the White House
in the company of senator Hearst. No
one who has ever encountered Mr..
Cleveland in the White House has ever
failed to note his extreme and unpre-
tentious urbanity. To employ New
England phrase, he is ''home body"
The gentleman who represented the
HERALD, and who was prosecuting a
contest for a seat in congress, had met
Mr.. Cleveland frequently before, and
was thus disembarrassed in opening the
conve sation. Prior to the interview,
Mr.. Cleveland had converted him from
mild protectionist to an enthusiastic
tariff reformer. But while he had as
simulated Mr.. Cleveland'a arguments
and the presentment of free wool and
free raw material, which in substance
crystalized the message of 1887 to con-
gress, he was doubtful of the result.
He said:
''Do you not think, Mr.. President,
that you have, by your message, created
Republican corruption fund that will
result in your defeat?"
Mr.. Cleveland pondered for a while
before he replied. He finally said
"Perhaps you are right. When 1 was
confronted, during the past summer,
with what looked like an imminent
panic, I was compelled to do a great
deal of thinking. and I was obliged to
do it either myself or through the
counsel OF gentlemen appointed by my
self, with no chance to evade or to divide
the responsibility. An enormous sur
plus was accumulating in the treasury
at the same time that there was a great
construction of money in Wall street.
and to restore the equilibrium, by
anticipating the interest on national
bonds, and by paying off those which
were convertible into coin. The crisis
passed, but it left an indelible impress
sion on my mind, which resulted in a
message which. whether it shall have a
good or i'll influence on my political for
tunes, represented my conscientious
convictions as to the needs of the coun-
try. | was determined that the treasury
OF the United States should not be per-
mitted to throttle the business interests
OF the country, and took the responsi-
bility of suggesting measures of relief
which would leave the money OF the
people in their own pockets, instead of
uselessly piling it up in the treasury of
the United States, at Washington"
Almost in these exact words the rep
resentative of the HERALD sent letter
to his paper. But, during the course Of
the interview, Mr.. Cleveland INDUCED
in other expressions that are worthy of
note. "Why," said he, sit is perfectly
absurd to suppose that, for moment, 1
should seek to jeopardize the business
interests of the country. Why should
become an alarmist, or seek to compro
mise industries with whose development
l am in thorough accord? If I had not
perceived that departure in the line of
free raw material would stimulate the
manufacturing interests of the United
States, l certainly would never have
written that message"
We have thought that it is perhaps
wise to reproduce an interview as to the
details OF which the HERALD can speak
with authority. No one who has ever
interviewed the Democratic president
ever left him without the profoundest
respect for the sincerity, simplicity and
patriotism of the man. 1t is owing to
this fact that he is stronger than his
party; and, considering the Doodle
game that the Republicans have already
initiated, it is fortunate thing for the
Democratic party that Mr.. Cleveland is
indeed stronger than his party.