Democratic Sentinel, Volume 13, Number 8, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 March 1889 — GROVER IS A DEMOCRAT [ARTICLE]

GROVER IS A DEMOCRAT

THE KIND OF A MAN MR. HARRISON SUCCEEDS. An Interesting Talk with Mr. Cleveland— True Principles of the Democratic Party Essential to the Country’s \Ve4l-Being— TarifT Keioriu Sure to Prevail Sooner or Later. Just on the eve of vacating the White Ho ne, Mr. Cleveland was interviewed by a New York Herald co: respondent: It was really u talk, says the Interviewer, for Mr. Cleveland objects to a Iprmal interview. Ho preferred to chat in a fatnilittr and friendly way about the varhms topics which involve the national welfare, and then give mo a free pen with which to describe both what I saw and heard. M . Clevel md reierred to the last four years and then declared his hope that th i Republican party, on its ucoossion to power, would pur.-U'j no course teat could in any way rehabilitat) the sectional animosities winch have boen dying out. I was anxious to know what ho would say of the future prospjots of the Republic. I, therefore, led the conversation to subjects bearing upon this question. Ho spoke with the utmost fmnkuess. He said: “I am a Democrat, with all that the word implies. I am, moreover, an intense Democrat, in that 1 believe the ti uo principles of the Democratic party are essential to tho well-being of tins country. “During the war,” he added, “the Republican party had supreme and uuquest oned control of publio poller. No ono will qu ;s----tion the service it rendered at that time, but tho rank and file of tho army was composed largely of Demoorats. Tho (icneruls who won renown wero also, many of thorn. Democrats. While there wore among, the Republicans a small number of hotueads who lound fault with tho Lincoln administration, and among the Demoorats an oqual amount of fossils whose timidity was a national misfortune, tho groat bulk of tho people from East to West, without respect to purty affiliations, wore solidly patriotic and ready for any necessary amount of Bucrlllee for tho preservation of our institutions. It is folly to claim that tho war was fought by oither Republicans or Demoorats; it was fought by the Amerioan citizens of the North. “But It is plain.” ho said, with groat seriousness, "that undor Republican administrations there has been given a fresh and dangerous impetus to monopolies, trusts, and combines. Immense fortunos have been accumulated, unknown in the days of our fathers. They are a peculiarity of postfa Hum times, and tho control which they arbitrarily exorcise over tho cost of existence is a direct menace to tho welfare of tho workingmen and of our farmers.” On my suggesting tho race question in tho South. Mr. 1 Cleveland naturally hesitated before answering, because, as he said. It is the most delicate subject now before the people. "Tho South has partially recovered from the effects of the war, and for twenty years or more has been putting all its energies into tho soil and into manufactures. It has risen from a condition approaching ruin to a degree ot financial enterprise which renders it in some industries a sharp competitor with the North. Tho sadden and marvelous recovery of tho South in industrial intjrcsts is a fact in which tho whole nation may well take pride. And this feeling of pride would be universal if the professions so often made of complete reconciliation and a desire to join in a hearty united effort to work out our destiny as a nation wore sincere.

“The new relations between tho whites and the negroes of tho Bouth are gradually arranging themselves. It must, however, bo a work of time—and of a long tlmo--be-foro an entirely satisfactory result can bo reached.” While Mr. Cleveland believes that manlest wrongs, either to whites or blacks, should not be tolerated, ho has by no means lost confidence in tho fair-minded public opinion to do tho boat wnich tho circumstances allow. They know tho situation In all Its bearings, and to distrust their ability to deal with it is to distrust their sincerity and fairness. When I suggested some questions as to tho difference between the incoming and outaoing,iulminlatrutions. Mr, Cleveland was quick with an answer. Evidently ho is in no wlso disturbed by tho fortunes of political warfare which have beaten him. Ho was downright goodnatured over his defeat. »

Tho people alone, ho said, havo n right to rule tno country, and their will is law. There is no appeal from their decision, and tlioro should bo none. What they desiro they will have, and ought to have. While tho President ilrmiy believes that the tariff reform measures, whicli tho Democratic party stands for. oro for tho best interest of the whole people, and whilo he neither sees nor desires to see tho least disposition on tho part of tho Democratic party to recede from the position which it has taken, he accepts the result of the election with the placidity of the philosopher and tho calmness which tho minority should always possess. The people can not bo deceived by false logic in the long run. Tho workingmen already understand pretty well the question submitted to them at tho last election. Mr. Cleveland has no fear that the Democratic policy of the adjustment of the tariff to the wants and circumstances of those of our people who work for their living. with a due regard for all other legitimate interests and enterprises, will not ultimately commend itself to the American people. What will help the people to make their burdens lighter is what they will have in the end. and there need be no fear that they will not discover tho way to the end, or that they will fail to attach themselves to the party which constantly and honestly offers them tho way of relief. There were other matters on which I should have been glad to hear Mr. Cleveland’s opinions, but he had already given me more time than could be well spared, aud I took my leave.