Rensselaer Republican, Volume 18, Number 18, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 January 1886 — A CHAT WITH CLEVELAND. [ARTICLE]

A CHAT WITH CLEVELAND.

Tbs President Talks Freely—He Discusses His Duties as They Delate to Congress. [New Tork telegram.] The New York World’s Washington correspondent lias an interesting interview with President Cleveland upon topics now uppermost in the public mind. When asked it he had Interviews with Republican Senators tor the purpose of talking over with them what will be done with his appointments, the President said: "No; there is not a word of truth in it.” ' “Have you talked with Senators of either oarty on the subject?'’ "I havo mentioned this subject casually to some of my callers, but only as a casual topic of conversation. Of course, it is natural that I take an interest in the confirmation or rejection of tho-mfeii I havo selected during the vacation, but I seal no undue anxiety on tbe subject. I believe this is an executive office, and I deem it important that the country should be reminded of it. I have certain executive duties to perform, and when that is done my responsibilities end. The office is one of the co-ordinate branches of the Government. The Senators and members ha,vo their duties and their responsibilities. They put their hands upon the Bible and take tho same oath of obligation upon assuming office as does the President.” The President t(um continuing said that when he had made his recommendations t > Congress or had sent appointments to the tieuate. the responsibilities then were shifted to the other end oi the; avenue. The President regards the financial question ns the most important before Congress, although he does not by any means underrate the importance of the tariff'question. As he touched upon these two topics he stood up and moved about, leaning upon chairs about his desk as he outlined his personal ideas relating to these subjects. He said: “I believe the business of the country is now to a large extent in a condition of uncertainty, owing to the doubt os to what will be done with silver. I wrote upon that subject to the best of my ability in my message. I don’t see how even the extreme advocates of the use of silver can ask to have the coinage continued while so much remains idle, and there seems to be no scarcity of currency.” :i)o you believe that Congress will cary out your recommendations about silver? Do you think some compromise will be the actual result accomplished?” To this the President said ho had no means of knowing what would be done. It was a subject which had now passed beyond his control of direction. He had not the slightest wish or desire to influence Congress beyond the methods employed by him in directing their attention to the subject through bis official message. The President was asked how he regarded Senator Beck’s speech on the tariff. He replied : “My own personal idea abont that is that the only practical way to pass a bill would be to have the Honse Committee charged with this work take up the subject in a business fashion, and modify the present law in such a way as to help poor people who labor and take away needless protection of the few who have grown rich at the expense of the many. There are many incongruities in the tariff which! could be- remedied by looking at the whole system from a business standpoint.” Returning to the subject of the Senate and the consideration by that body of his appointments, the President said: ‘I have made no hasty selection of officers, hot on the contrary have given very much time and investigation to the subject, appreciating that very much depends on the personnel of the Government Possibly I may have erred in some instances, bnt I am sore they are few, and I have every evidence that the country is satisfied with the new officials. I have no knowledge as to what course the Senate will pursue, but I have no idea that it will assume to. interfere with the prerogatives of the President I have my duties; it has its. One thing I don’t believe, and that is that the United States Senate will spend its time in listening to the petty criticisms of appointees which come from the disappointed applicants fbr office. ”