The evening herald. [volume] (Shenandoah, Pa.) 1891-1966, 1892-03-10
OPEN LETTER TO HILL
Requesting His Views on the
Silver Question.
FROM CONGRESSMAN HARTBR.
Thinks the People Are Entitled to a
Statement from the Senator.
FROM CONGRESSMAN HARTBR.

He Says the Public Loves Frank. Cour-
sgeous Man. aud That Now is Time to
Demonstrate That lie is All That is
Claimed for Hlm-He Thinks That the
silver Issue Overshadows All Others
Now Before the Country.
WASHINGTON, March 1O.-The follow =
ing open letter has been addressed co
Senator Hill by Congressman Harter, re-
questing his views on the silver ques-
tiOn
To the Hon. DAVID B. HILL, United States
Senate.
DEAR Mr.. HILL; Learning from the
early action of the party in New York,
as evidenced by its February convention,
that you are candidate for the great
Office of President, j am moved to ask
you for your views publicly on most
important question. l am led to this
because l think all the people are en-
titled to them, and because having read
your public, utterances on the general
subject, am unfortunate enought not
TO be able to grasp your convictions on
it. At first | supposed this was due to a
deficient understanding on my part, but
since then L have consulted with
some friends of yours who are
members of this House, and l find
they are also at sea; one of them
telling me you favor the free and un-
limited coinage of silver at the present
ratio. This would give our legal tender
dollar an inflated market value of 10
cents. Another tells me you are opposed
to free coinage and in line with the re-
cent platform of our party in New York,
which declares for a dollar worth
one hundred cents in gold, by demand
ing that every dollar shall be of equal
intrinsic value with every dollar, which,
as you know, is an exact definition of an
honest Democratic dollar
Under the circumstances, believing
you will be glad to put your views
briefly, clearly, distinctly, and unmis-
takeably before the American people,
ask you whether you favor or oppose the
outrageous measure of class legislation
usually called the "Bland bill'), which
is now pending in the House, and which
has the hearty support of all the
bonanza Senators of the silver ring,
the lobby, and OF Mr.. Bland, of Missouri,
and 1t said, of u number of other
Democrats.
| know you rviews of this question will
have great weight with many able and
sound Democrats who happen just now
to be engaged in worshipping the
silver calf. Aside from this, as a
prominent candidate for our nomination
at Chicago, all Democrats are entitled to
your views on this vital question, and
feel am doing you service in thus en-
abling you to express them, and at an
hour when such expression will be of
great service to the party.
The people love a frank, courageous
man, and the opportunity to demonstrate
that you are all this, is now before you
And in order thai your proportions as
| statesman and citizen may be seen in a
way to do you complete justice, give
| this letter TO the Associated Press and
the United Press, trusting L shall have
| your permission to do the same with
your reply. Your friends in the House
assure meyou are bold strong, cour-
ageous, and above all, a straightforward,
honest man, and l think l am safe in
| saying to the American people, who will
read this, that at very early date, they
| will know precisely, what are the views
of one of the leading Democrats of the
United States upon question so vital
| to every business and every individual
man, woman and child in the Republic,
a question which involves the good name
and honorable reputation of our great
| government, and which to day over
| shadows all other issues before the
country. Yours truly,
MICHAEL ID. HARTER.