Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1894-09-27
HILL ON CAMPAIGN ISSUES
His Speach to the Democrats
at Saratoga.
SUSTAlNS THE NEW TARIFF BILL
A Vast Improvement Over the
Mckinley Law.


I
tration of President Cleveland.
! SARATOGA, N. Y, Sept. 25.-Upon
taking the chair in the Democratic State
convention, this afternoon, Senator
Hill spoke as follows: Our opponents,
by the vigorous beating of bogus politi.
cal tom-toms and the insistence upon
petty and misleading local issues, seek
to divert the public attention from the
unenviable record which they made
during their recent four years control
of the Federal government. The people,
however, have not forgotten the fact
that it was Republican administration
which, in that Inflated year OF 1890,
saddled the country with unwise and
vicious legislation which has since
crippled its prosperity, endangered its
| finances and augmented its public
burdens. The people remember that
the Sherman Silver Bullion Purchase
law was the product of Republican
craftsmanship, against the enactment of
which every Democrat in Congress
voted; measure fraught with injury
to the business interests of the country,
based upon no just or sound principle
of finance, converting constitutional
money metal into commodity, hasten
ing us to q single rather than bimetal-
| lie standard, and weakening our
national credit at home and abroad.
1t should be borne in mind that the
financial panic of 1898 was Republi-
can panic-Republica in its inception,
continuance and disastrous effects--a
situation largely induced by the results
| hap vie md Inn. aN1f rf f,f hot Pr,
publican legislation which Democratic
administration had not lot or parcel in
enactlug, sanctioning or condoning, but
which it only unfortunately inherited
from its predecessor.
The people recolect that it was under
national Democratic administration
that the Sherman law was repealed, not
as promptly as some of us desired, it is
true, but nevertheless Internationally
repealed within eight months after our
advent to power.
We promised the people in our Chi
cage platform that this statute, which
was eating out the vitals of our financial
body polite, should not be permitted to
endure, aud the promise was redeemed,
despite the adverse predictions of our
adversaries.
We also declared in favor of the
repeal of that last relic of post bellum
partisan legislation, known as the Fed
eral election law, which invaded State
rights, menaced the liberties of the citi-
zen, multiplied Federal officials, in
volyed the expenditure of millions of
money, continued sectional animosities,
and were as ill conceived, unnecessary
and impotent for the prevention OF
fraudulent practices and the promotion
of pure elections as they were vexatious
and offensive in their enforcement.
THE M'KINLEY TARIFF BILL.
The enactment of the Mckinley Tariff
law was the eliminating atrocty of
Republican recklessness in legislation, a
measure so extreme, so selfish, so UNI
reasonable that hazard nothing in as
sorting that conservative and fair
minded Republicans everywhere re-
GREETED the party exigencies which
seemed to demand its passage. 1t was
the very personitication of protection
run mad.
Throwing off all DISCUSSES, it was the
Inauguration OF huge scheme OF gov
ornamental partnership with private
business interests. Public considerations
were lost sight of or subordinated to the
promotion of individual agrandizement.
1t was fit exemplifica:ion of the vicious
theories which underlie the modern
doctrine of protection "for protection
sake alone" as eXpounded by our OPP
popents, and well illustrates the dan
gerous tendencies of governmental
paternaism. The reaction which
soon followed in the election of
1890, and reiterated IN 1892, was
the natural and legitimate express
sion Of popular indignation at the party
which had basely surrendered to the
mercenaries within its own ranks and
had bartered away the public good for
selfish greed.
We promised the people that if in
trusted with power this vicious, un.
American and Objectionable law should
be repealed, and we rejoice to-day in
the tulfilmcnt of that pledge.
The Mckinley law has "gone where
the woodbne twineth," gone to stay
never TO be re-enacted again by any
political party. 1t is true that there
was a veXqtlous and unfortunate delay
which we regretted, occasioned in part
by the Anticipated rules of the Senate
which tolerated unlimited dehate-rules
which we did not frame but which we
inherited, and which, by reason of oul
slender majority, we seemed unable to
change, but which, l trust, in the neal
future will be abrogated; but the fact
should be remembered that the record
shows that we occupied less time, by
some months, in repeating the law than
our opponents took in enacting it in
1890
The depression or disturbance in
business which necessarily accompanies
any general tariff revision was Of course
to be regretted, but call the attention
of the country to the fact not generally
understood that no matter which politi.
cal party had won in 1892, there would
have been tariff revision--necessarily
and inevitably so--because the Mckinley
law had broken down, had collapsed
and had proved utterly inadequate tt
meet the necessities Of the government
and to furnish its required revenues
The Mckinley tariff duties had beer
placed so high as to be largely prohibi
tory in their effect, and the necessary
revenues were not forthcoming, anC
upon the advent of the present nationa
administration to power we were con
fronted with a virtually bankrupt
treasury, and the deficit was daily in
creasing.
TIE SENATOR'S OPINION OF THE NEW
LAW.
Referring to the new bill the Senator
said Without retracting a single wore
1 Il, II At.