Bismarck weekly tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1943, 1892-10-21
~CLEvELAND'S LETTER.
Chairman Carter Dissects 1t in an Intel
esting and Vigorous Way.

CnalHman C6rCer Dtssects 1t In an Inter-
esting and Vigorous Way.
MIR. Cleveland's letter of acceptance
is conceded to be the weakest document
that he has given the public. It 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:
It is rather difficult to figure out from
Mr.. 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. 1 sup
pose that nobody will doubt Mr.. Cleve-
lands regard for his opinions. Still in
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
eminent. and the Democratic party
having explicitly declared that such an
arrangement Of the tariff is %unconstitu-
tional, it would have been interesting to
know whether Mr.. Cleveland agreed
with the Republican or Democratic the
DRY.
1t will be remembered that in 1884 Mr.,
Cleveland ran for the presidency and
was elected on a platform which stated
that the Democratic party simply de-.
sired to reform the tariff, and that in re-
forming it they did not intend to disturb
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 planks which was intended to
mean, and did mean, anything to any
body. Mr.. Randall stumped New York
saying that it meant protection; Mr..
Hurd stumped Ohio saying that it meant
free trade; Mr.. Mills stumped Texas say
ing that it meant an income tax; Mr..
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 it's platform committee,
overwhelmingly threw it out, and by a
vote of SAG to 342 the convention de.
clared itself for free trade pure and sim
pie. To have regard for any other pur-
pose, it said, in devising a tariff, than
the purpose of raising revenue, was
unconstitutional. In dealing with this
plank MI. Cleveland has twisted in evil
dent distress. He e 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
courage of their convictions.
This is certainly a 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 the
profound alarm of every believer in a
stable currency the country over. Those
of u people who lived before the war
will remember the condition of congress
and affairs when everybody was per-
mitted to start a bank and print slips of
paper called money to the extent of his
inclination. Millions on millions of more
or 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 OF counter
felt.
The Republican party is fighting in
this campaign for protection to Ameri-
can industries and American labor. The
Democratic party is fighting for free
trade. Mr.. Cleveland lodges the issue.
The Republican party is fighting in this
campaign for honest money-dollars of
equal value, and that value 100 cents on
the dollar. The Democratic party is
fighting for wildcat money-an unlimit-
ed issue of meaningless paper. On this
issue Mr. Cleveland is silent.