The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-12-08
ADDRESS ID BY GOV. HILL.
lhs Issues or 1890, Repeated in
1892, Will Insure Demo-
cratic Success.
a Conservative Eulogy Of the Ad-
ministration of Rx-Presi-
dent Cleveland.
Ehrrman's silver Policy Discussed
Rlaine's Duplex Diplomacy-Thc
silver of the World.

ELMraA, N. X, Dec. Gov. D. b. Hill
addressed an immense democratic meetinI
al this, his home city Friday night. He wa
warmly received by his fellow townsmen, hi
remarks being applaudad vigorously. In tn
course Of his remarks Gov. Hill said:
ssNo creator misfortune has befallen th,
whole people OF the United States since
they were d~efrauded, in 1876, OF their soy
ereiQn right TO assign their presidency *
the party and the man of their deliberate
choice, than the loss Of the federal elections
OF 1883.
.The billion congress and all its wrong.
doings became possible through that mis-
adventure. The squandered surplus. tbs
advancing deficit, the monatrous prodi'
gality, the packed house. and the packed
senate, whereby a new and scandalous
scheme OF taxation was put beyond
reach OF popular reform for the whole of
the current presidential term, and a part of
the next term-ths door for all these evils
was flung wide open by the peoples failure,
thrse years ago. to elect a democratic con-
greas, or even 4 democratic president, whose
yeto-power might alone have been the pee
PIES buckler and defence.
ssPresidenb Clevsland's administration
deserved a better fate. No scandals marked
III election. Its success was not bought by
the purses OF rich candidates, nor corrup-
tion-fund hat-holders rewarded with cab
met office. No scandals stained its history.
It's partisan affairs were not conducted by
men of spotted fame and ill reputs. Its
public councils were led by mel Of long OK
perience, Of unsuliied fame, of unques-
toned integrity. l do not ask Of sincere
republicans that they shall approve MIR.
Clayeland's tariff message, which made
them SO anxious to prevent his continuance
in office; but / ask them to consider if, per-
chance, there can by any connection be-
tween Systematic party legislation to pro-
tect tho accumulation of colossal fortunes
BY a few favored interests. and these invari-
able outbreaks of political leprosy under
every republican president, so conspicuous
by their absence during Mr. Cleveland's ad-
ADMINISTRATION.
Nevertheless, defeat came, and a demo-
in the Fiftieth congress was changed to a
republican majority of fifteen in the Fifty
first congress. which came in at the end of
Mr.. C~leveland's term-the Billion congress.
II admit with candor that the repeal of
the two Mckinley acts would only land US
whore We were before our great mlsadven-
ture three years ago. | admit that the
tariff of 1883 offers a large field for revenue
reform.
"But that is nov white beside this later
.black-this revolutionary and ~unponstitu-
tional legislation which buttrssses the gov
ernment partnerships of our privileged
classes, and issues the peoples taxes in
brides for new defenders of the system.
II admit frankly hat no repeal of the
two Mckinley aats can override the presi-
dents veto and become law. My answer is
that to pivot our politics on the issues of
1880 Is itself al immense political achieve
ment which will assure to the democrats of
the fifty second congress our victory in 1882
and a nations gratitude. 1t abandons out
works indeed, but it m the sover-
eign. people to recover from republican
revolutionists the citadel of power.
So, too, / admit that the Bland Allison act
of 1878 is indefensible. But it shows white
beside the blackness Of the Sherman silver
law. It purchases silver, and treasury. pur-
chases Of silver cannot be defended. Free
bi-mstallio coinage would purchase neither
silver nor gold, but would monetize both in
their old rated true PARTY" Yet the re-
peal Of tho Sherman silver law and the re-
vival Of the Bland-Allison act would so far
promote free bi-mstallic coinage as to
slacken our speed toward a silver basis
toward silver rnonometaiism, and give time
to escape that outcome. Moreover it
would abolish the last n~ew-fangled legal
tender paper which ia both unconstitutional
and unnecessary.
s'Our silver certificates and our gold GER
%tificates which are not and never have been
. legal tender, and which, as experience |
need never be a legal tender, are a
perfect paper currency, or rather will be-
como a perfect paper currency whenever
the intrinsic value of tbs coined silver dollar,
like the intrinsic value of the coined gold
dollar, shall have been fixed in one ratio
by a competent free %bi-metallio coinage.
Such proper paper currency is no impedi. |
meEt.
But the merit of this demand for repeal, |
like the demand for tina repeal of the Nc
acts, is not thas it can be- carried
through the Fifty-seconG congress and
through the White house, but that it keeps
the issues of next Novcmber's els ctions
the billion congress fixed them, and
fell, one year ago.
"As / would not seek to modify the tariff
az made by the billion congress, by
she votes OF democrats i'll both houses
and by the peoples verdict thereon,
80 / would not wish to modify the silver is-
sue rs made by the billion congress-, by the
votes of democrats and by the peoples YER
dict. 1t is evils which are an issue now.
shall WIS be tested and judged by
our remedies hereafter. But until the peo- |
pie shall have confirmed last years verdict
next year, ii commissioned a democratic
executive and IL democratic legislature to
put that verdict in execution, those evils
are remedilesa.
In conclusion, J. have a story to tell and
a suggestion to offer. 1t is offered to any
Or southern friends who feel less
keenly than it is felt in the great port of
our foreign that the gold and
silver question is q world question, not only |
. federal or national question. DO not be
impatient with orr conviction in New York
that every step toward free bifnetallio coin
age must be safe and sure, no step back
but also no step forward that puts in
one hour's jeopardy the peace and prosper
lay OF your commercial capital and 30 of
your country at large, for these are insep-
"My suggestion :s submitted with most
respectful Difference. to any democrats VIC
have firmly asserted by their votes their un-
hinehing loyalty to the principle of frse BIZ |
metallic coinage rather than any final iudp-
ment upon a group OF laws or a plan of
diplomacy best fitted to attain that END, |
and who would now repass the senate's bill |
of last January in the hope of its escaping
or overriding an executive veto. And to
them ] need not say that my suggestion. |
now that New York has spoken, is u fr<ndly
II admit that last year the nero hops of
Tres bimetallc colnage at the hands of con-
gress mot as ignorant persons say enlarged
treasury purchases of silver) lifted all sill
fer In all markets. i'll all mints, in all banks,
all treasures, throughout the civilized
world, and not merely in the United States.
from less than one dollar per ounce to
more than one dollar and twenty cents per
one dollar and twenty nine cents
per ounce being the point at which with free
olmetaiiic coinage price would cease and