Editing Grover Cleveland (section)

===Tariffs===
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| style="text-align: left;" |"When we consider that the theory of our institutions guarantees to every citizen the full enjoyment of all the fruits of his industry and enterprise, with only such deduction as may be his share toward the careful and economical maintenance of the Government which protects him, it is plain that the exaction of more than this is indefensible extortion and a culpable betrayal of American fairness and justice&nbsp;... The public Treasury, which should only exist as a conduit conveying the people's tribute to its legitimate objects of expenditure, becomes a hoarding place for money needlessly withdrawn from trade and the people's use, thus crippling our national energies, suspending our country's development, preventing investment in productive enterprise, threatening financial disturbance, and inviting schemes of public plunder."
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| style="text-align: left;" | '''''Cleveland's third annual message to Congress''',<br />December 6, 1887.''<ref>{{cite book |title=The Writings and Speeches of Grover Cleveland |publisher=Cassell Publishing Co |year=1892 |location=New York |pages=[https://archive.org/details/writingsandspee01clevgoog/page/n116 72]–73 |url=https://archive.org/details/writingsandspee01clevgoog |isbn=978-0-217-89899-7}}</ref>
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Another contentious financial issue at the time was the protective [[tariff]]. These tariffs had been implemented as a temporary measure during the civil war to protect American industrial interests but remained in place after the war.<ref>[https://millercenter.org/president/grover-cleveland/key-events "Grover Cleveland: Key Events"] University of Virginia Miller Center. Retrieved June 3, 2019.</ref> While it had not been a central point in his campaign, Cleveland's opinion on the tariff was that of most Democrats: that the tariff ought to be reduced.<ref name="nevins280">Nevins, 280–282, Reitano, 46–62</ref> Republicans generally favored a high tariff to protect American industries.<ref name="nevins280" /> American tariffs had been high since the Civil War, and by the 1880s the tariff brought in so much revenue that the government was running a surplus.<ref>Nevins, 286–287</ref>

In 1886, a bill to reduce the tariff was narrowly defeated in the House.<ref>[[William Ralls Morrison|Morrison]] Tariff Bill of 1886. 1886 [[Congressional Record]], Vol. 17, Part 6, Page [https://www.govinfo.gov/app/details/GPO-CRECB-1886-pt6-v17/GPO-CRECB-1886-pt6-v17-8-2 5830] (June 17, 1886).</ref><ref>Nevins, 287–288</ref> The tariff issue was emphasized in [[1886 United States House elections|the Congressional elections that year]], and the forces of protectionism increased their numbers in the Congress, but Cleveland continued to advocate tariff reform.<ref>Nevins, 290–296; Graff, 87–88</ref> As the surplus grew, Cleveland and the reformers called for a tariff for revenue only.<ref>Nevins, 370–371</ref> His message to Congress in 1887 (quoted at right) highlighted the injustice of taking more money from the people than the government needed to pay its operating expenses.<ref>Nevins, 379–381</ref> Republicans, as well as protectionist northern Democrats like [[Samuel J. Randall]], believed that American industries would fail without high tariffs, and they continued to fight reform efforts.<ref>Nevins, 383–385</ref> [[Roger Q. Mills]], chairman of the House Ways and Means Committee, proposed a bill to reduce the tariff from about 47% to about 40%.<ref name="graff88">Graff, 88–89</ref> After significant exertions by Cleveland and his allies, the bill passed the House.<ref name="graff88" /> The Republican Senate failed to come to an agreement with the Democratic House, and the bill died in the [[United States Congress Conference committee|conference committee]]. Dispute over the tariff persisted into the 1888 presidential election.{{citation needed|date=November 2024}}