Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1904-06-27
CLEVELAND INTERVIEWED.

cussed some OF the po1tlcal topics llaI
have personal bearing upon coming
national election in an interview with
correspondent in New York.
The ex-President declared himself, as
he often had before, out of politics, and
expressed the conviction that nothing
be further from the probabilities than that
he should be asked again to accept the
nomination for President He would
not discuss any candidates, and conseut-
ed to speak explicitly Of only two impor-
tant features of the republican national
platform.
Mr.. Cleveland expressed the opinion
that the question of tariff adjustment
must certainly occupy large place in
the canvass; that that question forced it.
self inevitably upon the statesmen of the
nation, and that whether it should be
met or rot was not, therefore, dependent
upon their will. He criticised the vague
ness of the republican promises as to the
political future of the Philippines, and
characterized Elihu Roots speech at the
Chicago convention as an exceedingly
"adroit' instrument He would not
touch upon the foreign policies of the
government. He confirmed the approx
al already expressed by him of Parker
and Ulney as aspirants to the presidency
out he took especial pains tc disclaim
any idea of influencing the choice of the
democratic national convention.
To the question bluntly put to him ::
'If the democratic national convention
again nominates you for the presidency,
would you accept" his first answer was
pantomine. He vigorously shook his
head and lifted his hands deprecatingly.
Then he exclaimed, with rapid utter
ance: "That will not happen that will
not happen, so there is no use talking
about it. | am out of political affairs,
he continued. 81 have said it often, so
that it ought to be well understood. :"
Asked what he thought of the sugges-
ton that the democrats would do most
wisely to take their candidate for Vice.
President from the southern States,
the ex-President dictated the following :
81 must decline to enter into any dis
cussion of politica! questions at this
time. 1t cannot be possible that my
opinion on any question that is about to
be involved in the national canvass can
be misunderstood. | do not expect to
be concerned actively in the plans that
are now occupying the thought and ef-
fort of the democratic managers, and it
is quite proper that should be out Of
that account inasmuch as | consider
myself as absolutely retired from politi.
cal activities.
"In answer to your question as to
what issues [ would regard as most i'm
portant in the present situation of the
country, I would say that it is impos-
sible at this time to specify the questions
which in the mutations of the thought of
our people may most occupy their atten-
ton when they are called upon to express
themselves at the polls"
"Do you think, Mr.. Cleveland, that
the tariffquestion will be of prime impor-
lance in the campaign"
al have no objection to saying" re-
piled the President, with marked
emphasis and delberation, "that in my
opinion, whatever else happens, the
question of tariff adjustment cannot fail
to occupy a large place in the political
discussions of the present canvass.
Even the few evasive and grudging
words contained in the republican
platform, in a halfway fashion per-
hitting republican followers TO exercise
independent though on that subject in
combination" continued Mr.. Cleveland,
"with the insistence of the democratic
party, in season and out of season, upon
tariff changes, it seems to me, will GER
tainly bring this question to the front IN
a most important way"
"Will you, Mr.. Cleveland, express
your view of the attitude OF the republi-
can party on the Philippines question:
"My opinion on the Philippines ques-
ton is, l think, pretty well known The
promise held out to the people of those
islands of independence and self-govern-
ment should, in my opinion, assume a
more definite shape, and one sufficiently
tangible to hang a pledge upon, which
can be reasonably made the grounds OF
an appeal to the good faith and honesty
of those assuming it and of insistence
upon its enforcement"
Mr.. Cleveland, by inquiries addressed
to his visitor, manifested lively inter
est in the success of the democratic
party in the pending campaign, and he
expressed strong hope that the out
come of the St. Louis nvention would
be such as to stimulate the very bes