The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1893-05-22
PRESIDENT CLEVELAED's POLICY.

When Mr.. Cleveland announced, a
few weeks ago, that from that time he
would receive no more visits from Office
seekers OF in regard to appointments to
office he intimated that the time had
come when it was absolutely necessary
for him to devote himself TO more i'm
portant matters. 1t was easy To surmlse
that one of these was the consideration
of the grave financial questions which
confront his administration and the
formulation of policy which would, at
least. look like an honest attempt to
carry out the platform pledges and cam
paiRn promises of his party. The Demo-
cratic party has reached q point where
1t has got to do something. For the first
time In thirty years it has got to adopt
positive policy. During Mr.. Cleve-
lands first administration it was not un-
der this necessity, because it had not
control of the Senate and could not
shape legislation. Now it has got to act.
As the result of Mr.. Cleveland's reflec-
ton and consultation with leading Dem
ocrats he has, it is said, reached a def
mite conclusion on two or three
points. A Washington special to the
st. Louis Republic states positively
and apparently by authority that
he has fully decided in favor of an in
come tax. in favor of the repeal of the
10 per cent. prohibitory tax on State
bank notes, and in favor of the repeal
of the Sherman silver act. The neces-
sity of reaching some conclusion on
these questions is obvious. The ad-
ministrstion has got to do something to
raise revenue, and it has got to grapple
with the silver question. The pledge
OF the Democratic party TO make
sweeping reduction of tariff duties has
already caused large reduction in i'm
ports and consequent falling off in rev.
enue. Importers are waiting for the
promised reduction of duties. and until
such time will import as little as possi-
bic. In view of the present and pros
pective reduction of revenue from GUS
toms duties it is necessary for the Dem
ocratic party to adopt some means of
raising revenue. and Mr.. Cleveland has
decided in favor of an income tax.
The announcement that he has de-
cided in favor of the repeal of the Sher-
man silver act will create no surprise.
as it has been known for some time that
he favored that. Without doubt that
act ought to be repealed, but it remains
to be seen il Mr.. Cleveland can induce
his party to do it. His decision in favor
of the repeal of the present prohibitory
tax on State bank notes Is evidently
intended as sop to the initiation
lists, and will not be favor
ably received by conservative bus
mess men of either party. In reach
ing this conclusion Mr.. Cleveland COM
mits himself to q very dangerous exper-
iment. The repeal of the Sherman sill
yer act is uDquestionably desirable, and
ought to be done as matter of public
duty. but if Democrats can only be
brought to favor it by promise of the
re-establishment of State banks of issue
it might as we'll be left standing.
Can Mr.. Cleveland bring his party to
his support on the line above indicated7
He may succeed in getting the measures
through Congress, but some of them
will meet with strong opposition before
the people. Especially is this the case
with the income tax and the repeal of
the tax on State banks. one of which
will be opposed by all the rich men in
the party. and the other by oil conserv-
alive business men. Yet, perhaps, the
party can be brought to give as united
support to this policy as to any other,
and something has to be done.