Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-10-29
HILLS PROGRAM
His Friends Defend Him From Ger
tain Criticisms.
NOT MAKING A SELFISH CAMPAIGN
Free Raw Material the Cry in the
National Contest
NO TARIFF ACTION SOON

Friends of Senator Hill in position to dis
cuss his ideas and purposes, and familiar
with existing political conditions, object to
that presentation of his case describing him
as striving by might and MAN, and SEEM
ingly regardless of consequences, merely to
put himself in the way of forcing the hand
of his party In the presidential race of
1896. They declare that while he Is acting
with energy and taking great risks for him
self the spirit is neither that of a reckless
nor a selfish man. 1t is essential, of course,
as they point out, for his power at home to
be recognized and put past all dispute. and
hence his ardent wish and effort to win his
present race; but his calculations, they say,
extend beyond today. and he really believes,
as they believe. that IL he is elected COVER
nor of New York next week 1t will be on the
cards for him not only to be nominated, but
elected President of the United States two
years hence.
Tariff Again the Issue.
This Hill calculation, as outlined. is that
the tariff will again be the issue, but lini-
tied to the equalizinS of a few rates and to
the proposition of free raw material Mr..
Hill. it is said. does not believe that any
tariff legislation will be enacted at the COM
the nature of things will be postponed. In
the first place, the Senate will remain un-
changed, both in personnel and in views.
The same combination that shelVed the
''popgun bills at the close of the last
session will prevail to keep them shelved.
The justification for such a course will be
found in the Congress elections which, 1t
Is argued, will certainly go against the
democracy. For even if it should find itself
able to organize the next House only by a
small majority, that, in effect, would be a
defeat. The present House has demo-
cratic majority of ninety. If that Is whit
tied down to beggarly ten or twelve In the
next House, with the losses showing a re-
buke of the democracy in the east and
northwest, the argument Is that nothing
further of national consequence VIII be at
tempted until 1t comes time to make up the
issues for 1896. This work WILL of course,
devolve on the next House, and hence there
is likely to be a stay of proceedings until
that House takes up the business.
No Action Next Session.
But let 1t be supposed that some of the
aggressive low tariff men, impatient of re-
straint and delay, Insist upon action on the
''popgun bills at the coming session. The
republican Senators, the Hill men claim,
could and would block the game. The time
will be limited and very short The supply
bills alone will, as they always do consume
the greater part of the short session. The
republicans, therefore, would have little
trouble under the rules as they exist in
drawing out debate on any measures OBJ
tectiorable to them until adjournment day
rolls around. That they would be at
especial pains to do this in the case of
tariff bills Mr.. Hills friends are very con-
fident. The impending large reduction of
democratic representation in the House Will
be claimed by the republicans as a victory
for protection, and If the democratic ma
jority should disappear altogether the re-
publicans will hail the result as In the ma
for the presidential race and hold every
thing down until that time.
Free Raw Material.
In any light, therefore, in which matters
may be viewed, Mr.. Hills friends can only
see free raw material as the issue for 1896.
And upon that issue they challenge the pro-
duction of democratic leader who would
make so strong a race for his party as the
senior Senator from New York He made
the Senate chamber ring, they say, in advo-
cacy of that policy all through the recent
tariff debate. He put everybody on record
and went on record every time himself.
He declared repeatedly that the party was
committed unalterably to the doctrine of
free raw material, and that 1t must write
such law upor the statute books or be
condemned by the people at the polls.
1t Is plain from all this, which comes
from an excellent source, that whatever the
democratic losses may be In the Congress
contests next week, the friends of Mr.. Hill
will hold that the policy of free raw mate
rial has not been included in the condem-
nation. They are expecting heavy losses,
and will ascribe them to the bungling way
in which the tariff problem was handled in
its entirety to the dickering over the diff
ferent schedules, which made the insertion
of too high protection possible; to the scam
dals about the trusts, to the income tax
and to the general incompetency of the
democratic management in both House and
Senate.
The Appeal in the National Contest.
But the free raw material question, taken
upon it's individual merits, they will hold
up as one upon which no seal of disfavor
has been fixed, and as the proper one
therefore upon which the party should ap-
contest. And their claim is that upon that
issue with so able a champion as Mr.. Hill
representing II. the party will be able to
appeal with confidence to the country.
The south would approve solidly, and good
fighting ground would be found not only In
New York and Indiana, but in Massachu-
setts Rhode Island, New Jersey and Con-
necticut The New England manufa cturers,
II is asserted, have long been in favor of
free raw material, and have only been re-
strained from breaking away from their
old republican associations by reason of
the high duties allowed on the finished
products But some of the schedules are
marked for readjustment and reduction, no
matter which party holds the reins, and
hence the belief that now Is the time for
an appeal to be made to New England on
the issue suggested.
This then is the Hill program. Demo-
cratic success in New York next week, and
Hill for the democratic candidate, and free
raw material for the democratic issue, In