The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-09-28
WILL HILL PROVE A MASCOT OR A
JONAH FOR THE DEMOCRACY?


Brooklyn speech. The press generally
commend the paragraph devoted to the
SO called ''force BILL" The position Hill
takes on the tariff puts hlm in line with
the protection wing Of the Democratic
| party. Hill was shrewd enough to en-
dorse the Mills bill and make a speciOus
argument 10 prove this measure pro-
| tective one. He thinks to disarm the
southern free traders who are opposed
! to protection from a constitutional stand
point but who favored the Mills bill, by
this position. But the Democratic tariff
position is great muddle. Most of the
party favor free trade. A few politi-
clans like Hill, especially in New York,
are as surely for protection as can lie,
mainly for the reason that the large ma
iority of the voters in New York are for
protection. Since Powderly has spoken
and denounced free trade, Democracy in
New York seems in desperate straits.
If Mr.. It'll can point the Democracy
away from the platform of 1892 and
back to the platform Of 1884, and the
Democracy should win, he will be a
great hero IF he fails to do this and
the Democracy loses, then Mr.. Hill will
say defeat came because Democracy
favored absolute free trade. VIII MIR.
Hill forestalI Dir. Cleveland and his
southern and western admirers, who
claim that he stands directly on the plat
form of 1892 and in favor of free trade,
because protection is robbery, a fraud
and unconstitutional. 1t is significant
that the southern and western free trade
press make so little of Mr.. Hills pro-
tective speech. He uses, it is true, Sc
verely critical language about Republl-
can protection. handles deity the
threadbare and meaningless tariff re-
form verbiage, but his conclusions are
as purely protectionist as the Republican
platform. Can Hill take the courage
out Of Wilson, Watterson and that class
of free traders who believe III a revenue
tariff. and that mo duty is to be I'm
posed on any article above the lowest
rate that would yield the largest amount
of revenue 2" Can he stem the free trade
tide Of his party and commit it to pro-
lection to cover "the difference between
the rate of wages paid in this and for
eign countries SO far as labor en-
tiers into the cost of their
productions" Will Mr.. Hill be able,
the platform to the contrary, to commit
the party to policy Of tariff that would
discriminate in favor of American labor
and American industries
That Senator Hill comes into the cam
paign from sense ''of political duty"
that "outweighs minor considerations,
and il this great emergency in our party
affairs" be is careful to say. He contin-
ues; Individual disappointments, even
alleged personal injustice, should be
given up in the faithful performance of
political obligations. Pet
ty jealousies must be dismissed; regular
organization must be respected; party
discipline must be enforced: dissensions
must be healed and apathy must give
way to enthusiasm 1t is plain in all
this that Mr.. Hill is not to allow his per-
sonal grievances 10 be forgotten.
He advocates the Chicago ticket
ont of sense of political
duty. ''In this great emergency indi-
vidual dis appointments or even alleged
personal injustice should be given up,
but his hearers in New York are to be
reminded of these individual disappoint-
meqts and of this personal injustice.
Men are not to forget that there is
regular organization" to be respected
and party discipline to be enforced.
Hill himself, let 1t not be forgotten, rep
resents the regular organization" and
his enemies of the 'anti-snap" conven-
ton are the fellows to feel the weight of
party discipline" That Hill desires
the election of Cleveland few will be-
lieve if he did he would have left out
of his speech all apologies and references
to individual disappointment and per-
sonal injustice; all mention of regular
organization to be respected and party
discipline to be enforced. He would
not have handicapped Mr.. Cleveland
Will HIS Tree tIduS IleiitiS ildo he SlHCeIc-
" desired his success. In this connec-
ton Mr.. James w. Scott of the Chicago
Herald has this to say of Senator Hill:
at is impossible to convince the west
ern man 10 put any faith in Mr.. Hill
whatever. The western Democrats,
while Mr.. Hill is apparently supporting
Mr.. Cleveland, have no idea that he Is
faithful, and while they believe the
organizations of New York and Kings
counties are in line they think that
the feeling west of Albany is such that
there will be sufficient Republican ma
JOrity to overcome anything the Demo-
Gratis may do in Kings or New York
counties. They think Mr.. Cleveland will
be elected by the vote outside of New
York"
Ar. Scott says the feeling against Mr..
Hill among estern Democrats is very
bitter, not likely to be forgotten, and
that his treachery defeated Cleveland in
1883
Ii Mr.. Hill is sincere he is much
abused man and his friends will resent
this suspicion and abuse as they of right
ought 10 do. If he IS the traitor be is
painted to be he has following enough
10 defeat Cleveland in New York, which
Will make his election almost an impos-
sibility. Hill is playing CONSPICUOUS
figure in the game of politics at present
He was urged to speak, and lie has
spoken. That he has confused the
Democratic position on the tariff. antag-
onizsd the platform on the subject is
true: that he has limited at serious fac