Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-03-10
wATTEKsON. hill AND SILVER.
The Kentucky Editor Advises His Party sind
Causes . Sensation at Albany.

WATTkksON, MILL AND SILVER.
The Kentucky Editor Advises His Party snd
Cause. . Sensation at Albany.
re ssys pEsocRsrs MUST STICK TO THE TARIFF
rssrg AND KEEP CLEAR OF srLvER-eov HILL 8
FRIENDS DECLARE THAT THE KENrucKIsS Is
rSoAsrD IN PLOT.
Louisville dispatch to the New York Herald
today says: In long editorial in the Courier
.JosUna! Mr.. watterson protests against send
ing the tariff question to the rear and the sd-
vocacy Of free silver By the democrats. He
predicts defeat if this is done
Nr. wstterson also saws that if New York
furnishes the presidential candidate abe must
come to the national convention united on
Cleveland
I'm the midst of the rejoicing which followed
the November elections and the democratic
ground swell they brought us. one dissonant
note was heard" says Mr.. Wstterson, lone dis
eouraging word was spoken, and to this effect.
that the victory was too great TO last and that
before the presidential campaign Of 1892 we
could be relied on to perpetrate some folly set
ting il all at naught. -Four short months have
passed away and already signs are not wanting
that point to the verihcation Of this sinister
prophecy"
Two points of disturbance" he continues,
ARE being advanced to ma our counsel One
of these relate to the denomination of Mr..
Cleveland. the other to the adoption of some as
vet underlined but altered policy as to silver
coinage. Touching the first Of these the re-
Fiction ought to lessen the anxiety of those OPP
posed to it-that il depends largely. IL not
wholly. upon the action of the democrats OF
New York II New York comes 10 the next
national democratic convention resisting the
nomination Of Mr.. Cleveland or seriously di-
vided upon il his nomination would be suicidal.
In that event the party will be compelled to
quit New York altogether and to seek for
nominee elsewhere; for nothing could be more
absurd than the suggestion of setting aside
Mr.. Cleveland and substituting Gov. Hill or
any other New Yorker in his place. When we
leave New York, in the interval. however, the
ex-President should be treated with the respect
ful consideration alike commanded by his pub
lie services and the obligation we owe to the
single democratic President we have had in
thirty years
MUST STICK TO rsRrFF REFORM
Touching silver this is to be said; Ali OF us
in the west and south are bimetalists, all of us
are friends Of the double enemies of the single
standard. all OF US believe that the expanding
needs Of the country require and that the
country will assimilate still larger circulating
medium and look largely TO silver as the basis
Of the currency which is TO succeed the retir-
ing national bank notes. but rs to conclusions,
this is the extent of il. In the matter of legis-
lstive detail as the best fiscal means Of reach
ing these ends. there is no agreement. because
there has been no adequate discussion and
there is no general knowledge. The people of
the west and south are sorely distressed and
perplexed- Twenty-Five years of class dis
tinction OF tie government have done their
perfect work. Excessive and unjust taxation
ia the original, the fruitful source of our ills.
We have expended ten years in getting togethe
on this paramount issue; at last We are to-
gether: We stand upon high, upon solid
ground Victory, if not within our grasp, is
yet within our sight Is II possible that any
sane democrat anywhere can believe il good OF
wise to abandon this position Of advantage.
reached after SO much travel and outlay. and
to advance through morass of uncertainty
upon the rifle pits and masked batteries of an
enemy, who laughs in his sleeve as he waits to
welcome us with bloody hands to hospitable
graves! Thinking democrats will never con-
sent to this, nor viii they be diverted by any
speeious arguments born of the fears of those
among us who are moved by an unwholesome
terror of the alliance. The democratic party
Is all that stands between the people and
archy on the one hand and ohgarchism on the
other. II has always shown itself equal to the
emergency"
COMMENT OF HILLS FRIENDS
The declarations made by Mr.. Watterson in
the editorial referred to has, says an Albany
special to the New York World today, caused a
sensation in that city. Views of New York
y
correspondent, has come to be looked upon Of
late as picturesquely inaccurate
Gov. Hill win not speak Of the matter for
publication. but his intimate friends and those
Who are known to have his confidence do not
hesitate to say that this is only another mani
festatien of conspiracy by the friends of
Cleveland to DESTROY Hill They are now more
than ever convinced that the famous Watterson
letter not only never sent to the governor
but was not written until the date at the head
- 81 f.h in Uhseh aba1 H.
declaration in Mr.. Watterson's newspaper to-
day. following Immediately after the long inter-
view with him published this morning in the
chief republican organ Of this state, shows be-
being carried out But they say further that it
10 not being carried out with skill because the
various published utterances of the chief plot
ter are self-contradictory.
DIssEcTISG MR. wArrERsoN's STATEMENTS
In support Of this they quote from this morn
ing's interview this statement by Mr. Waiter
in regard TO his letter: 'As the only official
representative in this state kentucky of the
democratic party, had a right to send it,
sultatien with people in New York and WASH
ington-"
The facts are that Henry watterson did not
become 1.-THE only Official representative Of the
democratic party" in Kentucky until at least
two weeks after December II, and PROBABLY not
until the beginning Of this year. On that date
Henry ID. McHenry, the states member Of the
national democratic committee, died aud sub
sequently the state committee elected Henry
Watterson to take his place. 1t was not until
he was 30 elected that Henry became 1.-THE only
Official representative of the democratic party
In Kentucky, and if he did not send his letter
until be based the right of doing 40 upon his
election he must have had the strongest rea-
sons for knowing that the stories of fraternal
harmony between Mr.. Hill and Mr.. Cleveland
were, 10 say the least, greatly exaggerated
Friends OF the former gentleman say that Mr.
Watterson wrote the letter then in anger be-
canse Of the failure Of q scheme of Mr. Cieye-
lands followers to have il generally believed
that the governor had decided to help the ex-
President To a denomination and to content
himself with the senatorship until 1896.
THE QUESTION OF DATE
II Is strange that this famous letter has no
date 1t bears no internal or external evidence
to show when il written. So the news
papers have been guessing at the probable time
that Wstterson believes be thought he dropped
II in the mail The New York Tribune saws il
was written November 2. but the mugwump
Tunes gives it q date ten days later as do the
Albany Express, JIsiOn and Journal The other
Albany newspapers say that il was not written
until November Il, SO that, As a matter of fact.
following the usual rules Of evidence one ia