Waterbury evening Democrat. [volume] (Waterbury, Conn.) 1887-1895, 1892-03-10
OPEN LETTER TO HILL
Requesting His Views on the
Silver Question.
FROM CONGRESSMAN HARTER
Thinks the People Are Entitled to .
Statement from the Senator.

He Says the Public Loves Frank. COur-
ageOus Man, and That Now is Time to
Demonstrate That He il All That is
Claimed for Hlm-He Thinks That the
Silver Issue 0vershadOws All Others
Now Before the Country.
WASHINGTON, March 10-The follow
ing open letter has been addressed to
Senator Hill by Congressman Harter, re-
questing his views on the silver ques-
ton:
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 q candidate for the great
Office of President, am moved to ask
you for your views publicly on . most
important question. I am led to this
because 1 think all the people are en-
titled to them, and because having read
your public utterances on the general
subject, I am unfortunate enought not
to be able to grasp your convictions on
it. At first I supposed this was due to a
deficient understanding on my part, but
since then have consulted with
some friends of yours who are
members of this House, and find
they are also at sea; one of them
telling me you favor the free and I'M
limited coinage Of silver at the present
ratio. This would give our legal tender
dollar an inflated market value Of 20
cents. Another tells me you are opposed
cent platform Of our party In New York,
which declares for q 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 'tBland bill'O, 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 It said, Of a number Of other
Democrats.
know you rviews Of this question will
have great weight with many able and
worthy men, honest gentlemen and
sound Democrats who happen Just now
to be engaged in worshippinR the
silver calf Aside from this, as q
prominent candidate for our nomination
at Chicago, all Democrats are entitled to
your views on this vital question, and I
feel am doing you a 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 q frank, courageous
man, and the opportunity to demonstrate
that you are all this, is now before you.
And in order that your proportions as
statesman and citizen may be seen in o
way to do you complete justice, I give
this letter to the Associated Press and
the United Press, trusting / shall have
your permission to do the same with
your reply. Your friends in the House
assure me you are a bold, strong, cour-
ageous, and above all, a straightforward,
honest man, and l think 1 am safe in
saying to the American people, who will
read this, that at a very early date, they
will know precisely, what are the views
Of one of the leading Democrats Of the
United States, upon question 50 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 D. HARTER-