The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-04-13
HILLS SPEECH A TONIC
IT WILL sTRESegHEN TEE DEMoo-
RhCT OF THE STATE IN IT'S STAND.

si.es Esres, Isss, the De-s.rsue Party n
New York Hss Bees ListIsss ssa Hstif
Nsr~att bet the Great Speech of ssnstor
Hin viii Tsus n Up Go I's Oid Foru,.
ALBANY, April 12.-ssnstor Hills speech Of
April o serves to put the Democratic party In
New York State on higher and more tensbls
political grounds than II has occupied since
the close Of the Presidential election OF 1902
The com m srcial and business interests OF the
voters OF New York State have never failed to
secure supporters among the responsible and
accented leaders Of the Democracy in New
York From Marcy to Seymour, from Seymour
to Tilden. and from Tildsn to Hill the Demo-
cratic party In New York has. In every era and
under all conditions. stood up for the business
interests Of the State against the agitation or
assault OF political incendiaries. The voting
strength Of the Democracy OF New York is
chiefly In the large cities. and Its great strong
hold, ofoourse. is the city OF New York. which
represents 80 large a share Of the taxable
wealth. More than two-thirds OF the personal
property taxed within the State 10 held In the
city Of New York, and the financial. shipping,
and corporate interests OF the city are corre-
spondinRly large.
No city In the State which represents very
large business interests or the accumulation
Of capital. gives. normally. Republican ma
iority. whereas the strength Of the Democratic
party has always been In such localities.
Wherever new-ianeled notions. such asan ar
tincial imitation OF currency the issue OF fiat
money. socialistio schemes for governmental
monopolies, single land taxes. or other like
radical devices have made their appearance.
thsy have found advocates and supporters
among the Republicans OF the interior and
have cut down the Republican rather than the
Democratic vote. Thus. when In 1887 Henry
George was candidate for Secretary Of State.
on . Single Tsx-Labor platform. and polled
20. 900 votes. the Democratic plurality In the
State. which had been 1919 the year before.
rose to 1900. Outside political movements
have affected adversely the Republican party
in New York. made up, In considerable meas
ure Of farmers and residents OF the smaller
towns. Tho Democracy has never suffered
much In New York from such defeotions, and
IL has never swerved from the sound economic
principles OF finance laid down by its leaders
and ratified at successive State Conventions
Since the 4th OF March. 1893. however. the
strength OF the Democratic party in the big
cities Of New York has. for visible reasons.
been gradually slipping away. The attitude
OF q majority OF the Western and Southern
Democrats in Congress on the silver question.
during the long controversy over It, from
August until November. 1893. worked much
injury to the Democrats in financial circles.
and the Wilson Tariff bill alienated. of course.
not only m an ufacturers. but also q consider
able number OF mechanics. in what have como
to be known as the protected industries."
When the proposition was added to affix to that
misshapen and unpopular measure an income
tax clause designed to I'm pose an annual bur-
den OF some thirty million dollars on the peo-
ple OF tho Eastern and Middle States, there
seemed to be additional cause for the break
l. L,.At
loyal in their allegiance to their party until
that time. During the ten years between
1853 and 1879 that tho income tax. q Repub-
lican measure. was in force. the Eastern and
Middle States. collectively paid seyenty;one
per cent o. the tax, and New YORK STATE alone
dation Of monetary interests In New York
com putsd In some quarters that clear fourth.
cont. af WHY R upon Ssn
New York city. brooklyn. and Westchester
fSS .mosratic eS business. en- never before With
held from the Dem ocratic party OF New lork:
tarifi question. and mainly on account OF the
Income tax PrGDNsti0G supplies lies one OF ths
winter and spring elections held since. But
tns a solely BY the 1u%ber Of Votes d.
verted, for the support Of business elements Is
A. considerably factor In political contests.
Governor. Roswell P. Flower. a typical New
York business man, was the Democratic
standard bearer. the support OF the business.
banking. mercantile. and eorporate Interests
OF the State generally was thrown in his favor
against Fassett, the Republican candidate.
Ihs insS n. pcts. thu
snd WA: the
candidate Of a conservative party.
fender OF Democratic interests. has not failed
to discern the danger which the Identification
OF the Democracy with any Populistic or COM
the eed OF getting the party back into traces.
and pulling straight. he has defined. In his
speech In the Senate. the inveterate and ac-
York. In so doing he has rendered the Democ-
racy q conspicuous and a timely service. and
has made It easier henceforth for It's represents
atiyes to withstand aud overcome Republican
The Internal condition Of tho Democratic
party In New York. outside OF the large cities.
country districts in the West and South. away
from manufacturing localities, the Democrats
have been able to hold their own In local cleo
tons; but until Senator Hill spoke. and tho
necessity for his speech came to be gener-
ally accepted among Democrats. did 1t seem
probable that the Democrats OF New York
would enter upon this years elections for Cow
ernor under fairly even terms But with her
representatives In Congress. through Senator
Hill as spokesman. stigm atizlng and opposing
the unpopular Income tax. disAvoWing party
res pons bility for the Wilson bill, and cutting
absolutely adrift from any political partner
ship in free coinage schemes. the Democrats Of
the En- pire State are again on firm ground.
and those conservative elements which dur
ing the past twelve months have been es-
tranRed from the Democracy are once more
tAges Of senator Hills speech.