The morning call., 1892-01-02
HILLS PLATFORM.

The speech Of David 3. Hin on his retire
meut from tie Executive chair Of the State
of New York may be accepted as tie plat
form upon which be viii make his tight for
Tile Presidency. The principal points of
the speech are, therefore, proper subjects
ia review. TIE Erst plank in his platform
SIS 10 .a6e from the General Government Ger
:8in powers which Mr.. Hill asserts have
been usugDed from tle States. BE did not
euumeTate these usurped powers SO closely
2 might be wished. but in a general way
urged that the Federal Government should
exercise none but specified granted powers.
ItmaY be worth while TO remind MI Hill that
when the Democrats last had complete con-
IrOi OF the Government the President, Mr..
James Buchanan, could ind no authority in
: the Constitution for any fOrcibe resistance
20 the proposed secession Of several States.
Mr. Buchanan, Ike Mr.. Hill. was a strict
consTuctionist. aud he admitted that the
President was poWeriess TO save the nations
life. Under the paralyz ing influence of
this political creed Mr.. Buchanan let the
Government drift along into chaos and
himself Gr,fted along into the contempt of
his own party. At last the Northern
Democrats gave more or less vigorous
support to a Republican Administration,
which discovered in the Constitution DOW
eTs to defend the life Of the nation whether
its enemies were within tbs Union or with
out. Mr. Hill plants himself on the ground
Dir. Buchanan occupied in 1859; ia other
words, he would limit the exercise of power
by the General Government to those clearly
granted by the States. He rejects the les
sons Of the last thirty years and would,
doubtless under like conditions, do as Mr..
Buchanan did.
Another point in Mr.. HIPS speech in. bis
denuneiatOn of the billion-dollar Congress !:
After establishing State rights in its an
tiquated form, Mr.. HUI can find nothing
better to do than to cut dOgn expenses. 1t
happened under a Republican administra-
ton that one Congress covering two years
Of time appropriated for the first time, when
The country was at peace. $500, 0O0,00 a
year for the expenses Of the Government.
The principal extra items which made up
this large expenditure were pensions, coast
defenses, building a new navy. the Shipping
Act aud public buildings. Under this lib
eral expenditure New York and San Fran
cisco are rapidly being made impregnable,
ard a small navy has been provided TO meet
such emergencies as are at any time likely
10 arise. There has been no considerable
waste, no defalcatiOn, no misuse of public
funds. The Republicans favor the meas
UIes we have commended, aud Mr. Hill puts
the Democrats on record as opposing them.
Mr.. Hill also declares for a tariff for reve-
nue. only with incidental protection. While
his meaning is somewhat vague he would
probably have tariff reform take The direc-
ton OF restoration Of duties on foreign
articles we 90 not produce and reduction
or entire adjustment of duties on foreign
articles we do produce. Under a tariff for
revenue only duties would be placed on tea,
coffee, sugar and such other articles of for
eign product as we necessarily import Ii
The object Of a tariff is to provide revenue,
that object can best be accomplished by
tax-on articles we necessarily import.
On the silver issue Mr.. Hill is hopelessly
at sea. lie wants dollars of gold and silver
Of equal value made out Of bullion of widely
unequal value How he is to get gold
dollar Of 25.8 grains of standard gold of no
greater commercial value than silver dollar
or 1927 grains of standard silver, while the
bullion in one is worth 30 per cent more
than the bullion in the other, is riddle he
does not attempt to explain. Mr. Hill is
certainly mistaken in the impression that
New oTk Democrats and many New York
Republicans will support a measure TO re-
peal the present law and revive temporarily
the OLD Bland act, under which s.. 600. 900
worth of silver was coined each month. So
distinguished a Democrat as Senator Car
Isle has declared against any present change
In our silver policy.