262 LIVES OF THE PRESIDENTS tariff reform, and made it the leading issue be tween the parties. In his letter he said: "Tariff reform is still our purpose. Though we oppose the theory that tariff laws may be passed having for their object the granting of discrimi nating and unfair governmental aid to private ven tures, we wage no exterminating war against any American interests. We believe a readjustment can be accomplished, in accordance with the princi ples we profess, without disaster or demolition. We believe that the advantages of freer raw ma terial should be accorded to our manufacturers, and we contemplate a fair and careful distribution of necessary tariff burdens, rather than the pre cipitation of free trade." He denounced "the attempt of the opponents of democracy to interfere with and control the suf frage of the states through federal agencies" as "a design, which no explanation can mitigate, to reverse the fundamental and safe relations be tween the people and their government." He ad vocated "sound and honest money," declaring: "Whatever may be the form of the people s cur rency, national or state whether gold, silver, or paper it should be so regulated and guarded by governmental action, or by wise and careful laws, that no one can be deluded as to the certainty and stability of its value. Every dollar put into the hands of the people should be of the same intrinsic
