The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1895-04-24
WASHINGTON LETTER.
[From Our Regular Correspondent

From Our Regular Correspondent
WASHING TON. d. g., April 49, 1885.
President Cleveland's Andrew Jackson
frmness in standing by his financial views
is admired alike by those who agree with
those views and those who oppose them.
There are timid democrats who say that an
expression against the free coinage of silver
was mt polite, in view of the knowledge
that many democrats favor it. Perhaps it
wasn't, but Mr.. Cleveland has never been a
polite nlau. That is one of the reasons why
he has never got along with the trimmers OF
the democratic party. His tariff reform mes
age of 1887 was not a polite document, but
it resulted in uniting the democratic party
and in making tariff refOrmer synonymous
with democrat, and is today regarded by
every democrat as one of the best things he
ever did. Democrats admire courage, and
no democrat Will think less of Mr.. Cleveland
for having the courage to stand up for what
he believes to be right, regardless OF whether
il be popular or unpopular with the party at
large. He invites a contest within the ranks
of the party, and is confident that when ali
the arguments which can be presented on
both sides have been heard that an over
whelming majority of the party will endorse
his views He may be wrong. Other dem
ocrats have been wrong bnt when he asks
that the democrats shall come together and
discuss this question in all its bearings be
fore committing the party he is not unrea
sonable. A campaign of education is never
one sided. Let every democrat hear what
both sides have to say in coming discussions
on the silver question, weigh the evidence al
he would were he sitting on jury, and then
decide which will be best for the country
Up to this time most of the talking has been
done by one side.
Secretary Morton is always interested il
everything connected with the food supply
of the people ;hence it is not surprising tina
he should be devoting his time and the power
of the department of Agriculture to heading
of the extortion of the beeftrust II he hac
his way, and President Cleveland and the
other members of the cabinet agree will
him, the tariff of 20 per cent ad valorum OF
foreign cattle would at once be abolished
but only Congress can do that AS the mex
best thing Secretary Morton has amended
the rules of his department So as TO admi
Mexican cattle, after they have been inspecl
ed by our officials. Speaking of the reSu
of this move DR.. Salmon, Chief Of the Bu
reau of Animal Industry of the Department
of Agriculture, said {: 1t is guesswork t.
make an estimate of how many cattle will bt
brouUht from Mex CO. There is no CT n 'us O
cattle i'm North Mexico. We have no figure
70 90 by. Nor have we any accurate news a
TO what proportion Of the cattle there ar
ready tor slaughter. But what is know
might encourage a belief that the numbe
of cattle brought in from Mexico during th'
next month will be heavy. Once before w
lot down the bars to the incoming of Mexi
ran cattle and within a month 25,OOO Wer
brought in. Probably the number will reacl
100 600 this time" From the very marked
carnations III the retail price of beef in dit
ferent cities Secretary Morton is inclined t.
helieve that thereafter is squeezing tn
,orsrr,er harder than he himself is bein!
s1ueezed by the trust. He is now makin
an investigation of the whole business. Ii
avs: "My belief that beef ring exist
among the big slaugh erers. The dthcult
now bef ne us is how to prevent its contlnu
ance. If anything is done the papers vii
have TO do it. The Sherman antitrust LAY
will neither punish nor protect. We've gon
all through il with microscope, and 1t l
cl.ar that it was made to be evaded and gon
around. There is nothing left but the viii!