The Sauk Centre herald. (Sauk Centre, Stearns County, Minn.) 1886-current, 1894-04-19
Any CENTRE HERALD.
THURSDAY, April 10. "a.
"IAM Al DEM0cRAT.p

Hill. then governor of New York, for the
purpose OF drawing striking contrast
between the speaker and Grover Cleve-
land, both at that time candidates for
the nomination to the presidency by the
democratic convention. They served
their immediate purpose Mr.. Hill took
the New York delegation as unit into
that convention, and Notwithstanding
the fact that it was vigorously and con-
vincingly handled by politicians skilledin
all the arts of democratic intrigue, his
cordially hated opponent carried off the
glittering prize. And ever since that
nomination Mr. Hill has been a poisoned
thorn in the Cleveland side. In public
and in private Mr.. Hill has repeated his
aphorism-"I am ademocrat." when
ever by so doing he felt he could reach
little deeper into the gaping wound he
delighted to aggravate.
His opportunity for sharpest criticism
OF the administration offered itselfin the
senate last week when the Wilson bill
was under discussion in that body. Ii
will be remembered that the avowed
policy of the democratic party. laid
down inits last national platform, upon
which it Heated into power was a tariff
for revnue only. The Wilson bill is the
administrations expression otthat policy
bill which squints at free trade. winks
at protection and so far as revenue is
concerned provides for nearly hundred
million dollars year less than the ur-
gent demands of the country for current
expenses. This deficiency it seeks, in part,
10 make up by imposing an income tax,
the most odious, inquisitorialand unpop-
ular method OF taxation ever devised,
and never before resorted to in this
country except as necessity during the
exigency OF war. 1t was distinctiyely
republican measure at that time, as was
every other which had for its object the
devising ofways and means for suppress,
ing the great rebellion, and it, in common
with most Others, Vas unanimously OPP.
posed by the democrats. Their expressed
objection to all war legislation was that
it was unconstitutional. Any device to
save the constitution was TO thefnsun-
constitutional, and the income tax. the
last TO be imposed and the first tobe re-
pealed of all the war taxes, was most
bitterly fought. AM yet, in times of
profound peace, with no other explana-
tion or excuse than is shown in utter in
competency to handle tariff legislation,
the dominant party in turn dominated
by one who assumes to be greater than
his party, proposes to enact an income
tax. What could be more undemoeratic,
more inconsistent? In fact, the only
democratic feature of the proposition is
that it is inconsistent.
Senator Hill, in a speech which has at
tracted more attention than any other
delivered in either branch of congress
during the session, attacks this feature
of the Wilson bill and does not hesitate
TO excoriate the president for his active
influence in its behalf. He goes so far as
to say that congress itself<eceived the
first intimation that such legislation
was contemplated by the ways and
means committee of the house, not from
that committee. but from the presidents
message, long before the committee had
even intimated to any one the character
of the bill it proposed to frame.
The senator from New York takes oc-
casion to criticise most severely the
ADMINISTRATORS foreign policy with
references to Notwithstanding it as
undemocratic, again. its Inconsistency
being the only democratic mark upon it.
Very adroitly does he lay the burden OF
the condemned policy upon the republic
can shoulders OF Secretary Gresham,
who. he declares is not and never was a
democrat. and is now as he ever has
been so deeply stepped in republicanism
that he can not adapt himself, even un-
der Mr.. Cleveland's manipulations, and
influence, to democratic presidents,
modes of thought or methods of action
and ingenuously inqIires: Was it be-
cause there were no democrats of sufh.
cient learning, discretion and fidelity to
principle that Mr.. Cleveland had to
reach into the camp of the enemy for q
leader to disgrace and disrupt his ad
ninistration and the party responsible
for it? In all this Mr.. Hill merely tier
ates: 81 am democrat" whatever the
political complexion or conviction of the
presidential incumbent.