The weekly tribune. [volume] (Great Falls, Mont.) 1891-1894, 1891-12-26
HILLS, ELlTTRA SPEECH.

Hills speech maue dt ElillTd, NcW Ioih
the 9TH inst. in which he took positive
grounds in favor of free coinage OF
silver. No words in our language can
make his meaning clearer. And yet our
evening contemporary, the Leader,
affects to believe they are ambiguous
and charges that Mr.. Hill is not honest
in his professions Of loyalty to the white
metal. 1t quotes a New York Times
editorial to sustain its charges against
Mr.. Hills sincerity. The simple fact
that the Leader regards the Times as a
democratic paper measures its intelli-
gcnce and leads one TO believe it doesn't
know whereof it speaks. The Times is
not a partisan paper. Like the Herald,
of that city, it yields a free lance and
gives and withholds its support to men
and measures without regard to politics.
The animus of these attacks against
Governor Hill may be found in the fact
that he is a presidential possibility. Re-
publican newspapers have reason to fear
him and hence their efforts are directed
toward weakening his influence among
silver men in the west and south. 1t Is
a hopeless task. While Mr.. Hill may
never be a democratic candidate for the
presidency he has laid down his position
upon the silver question so clearly that
the friends of the metal can entertain no
anxiety in case his party select him as
it's standard bearer in the national o n
test next year. His Elmira speech can
not be mistaken. We doubt that the
Leader has read it and will therefore re-
produce such portions of it as bear
directly upon the subject in question.
In referring to the sentiment of the
democracy of New York upon the silver
question Mr.. Hill said:
We firmly mark the insuflicicncy of
either gold mono-metallism or silver
mono-metallisin: we firmly pronounce for
that which is better than the free coin
age of both; We pronounce for the free
coinage of gold coupled with the free
cOjHoge Of silrer: we denouncc the Sher-
man law as a false pretcnsc n an
artful hindrance of a return to free BIZ
metallic coinage.
Isn't that language plain enough? Is
il ambiguous or meaningless: No sane
man will answer no to the first ques-
ton and yes to the second. Mr.. Hill
spoke for himself as well as for the de
mocracy of New York. He interpreted
the meaning of the Saratoga platform
a platform which he says. lis my com
mission and my chart" Continuing Mr..
Hill referred to the attitude Of the demo-
cratic party upon the silver question as
expressed by their state platforms and
by their representatives in congress in
the following words: THE United States
senate on the 18th of January, 1891,
passed a free bi-metallic coinage bill,
For that bill every democratic senator
present voted, if not paired in its favor,
except one from Delaware. After fifteen
years of debate, all these our party's
chosen men, studious, upright men, vot-
ing upon their honor, their conscience
their intelligence, voted thus. 81 i y
Preparing for the elections Of the present
congress last fall, IA year ago, democratic
conventions in nearly all the greater
states west of New York, from the head
waters of the Ohio to thePacific coast ,had
Just voted without dissent infavor of the
country's return to the free coinage OF
silver as of gold"
Do those words, spoken by Governor
Hill in sober earnestncss, indicate dis
honesty or insincerity upon his part: dc
they not show as clearly as words car
show it that Mr.. Hill stands with the
masses of the democratic party in favor
of the free coinage of silver: He woulc
not have a silver mono-metallism; thai
is a purely silver standard. No demo
crat favors it. He believes with Thoma:
Jefferson, that greatest of all democrats
who said: 1.-The money unit must stant
upon both metals"
If the Leader has read Mr.. Hill
speech and would choose to be homes
and sincere it would not have quoteC
the criticisms and mouthings of the golt
bug Times, but it would have given thu
governor a fair hearing in IFS columns O
remained silent. But the Leader evi
IDENTIFY took its cue from the New Yorl
gold bug organ and jumped to the con
clusion that Mr.. Hill was dishonest il
his silver views. II the Leader has real
the speech why, in the face of the abov
excerpts does it say: 1.-THE chief of dem
ocratic jugglers may come out tiat-foote'
for free coinage and he may not" Ca
a mar come out more ~squarely for FIRE
coinage than did Mr.. Hill in his Elmir
speech? Will the Leader answer?
The Madisonian has made the aston
ishing discovery that Congressman Di,
on has been defeated in his first effor
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