The Portland daily press., 1895-12-13
is 1T CHANGE OF HEART ?
Will Hill Be the Administration Mouth
piece in the Senate.

Washington, December 12.-The arrival
of Senator Hill in town for the session
awakens good deal of speculation as to
the part he shall play in the COMPRESSION
III drama. He has suffered with the othe t
leaders of his party, and. like the others.
finds a somewhat cherries outlook. But
there is business even for the Democrats
to do, and somebody in the Senate must
act as spokesman for the minority. Shall
it be the senior Senate from New York;
1t is regarded as one OF the most
striking features of the situation-quite
fantastic in a sense-that Mr.. Hill should
now appear as the best qualified man in
the Senate. both by reason Of his talents
and opinions, to represent the admins
tTatiOn in the contests approaching. But
SO it is. This administration must have a
representatives. champion-there. Its
policies may be never SO unlikely of
adoption, but they must need have atten-
Mr.. Brice is not debater. Mr.. German
is hardly qualified, for personal reasons.
Mr.. Villas is too extreme in his admira-
ton of Mr.. Cleveland. Mr.. Gray at last
draws back on account Of slight faint
Of jingoism in the President, and MIR.
III l1lS Is uO dQNOCdl6 Ol increased DOVER
to national banks. This, then, leaves
only Mr.. Hill available. The rejected
the eft rejected-stone is to become chief
OF the corner.
Mr.. HIPS qualifications include skill
as debater and large experience as a
legislator and parliamentarian. He is
sure of hearing at any time he may
choose to take the floor. He established
his reputation as a lawyer in the debates
on the income tax, and this will help
him. He is, at last, in full agreement
with the President on the leading propo.
sitions OF the day. He favors the retire
Inent of the green backs-in fact be urged
that in advance of the President. He be-
ieyes in the Monroe doctrine, but is CD
POSED to the annexation, under existing
conditions of either Hawaii or Cuba. He
can speak for the Presidents policy with
out mourning the criticism of being q
cuckoo Coming from him. praise of the
policy can be separated from all per-
sonal1ties. The policy as Mr.. Hills
the Presidents. He sounded the green
back note dwo years ago, and the foreign
policy note at the Syracuse convention
whose platform he wrote.
But with what energy may Mr.. Hill be
expected to undertake this task? Will he,
whom the administration has more than
once helped to put in hole, labor with
enthusiasm to help pull the administra-
ton out of one into which it has cast it's
sefp The answer Is that Mr.. Hill will
labor for the good of the party; that he
has the party's good solely in mind. The
administration is drawing to a close.
Whether the end comes while it Is still in
the hole is not so much to the point. The
point Is to keep the party from drawing
to close. The party ought to have long
life before it. He thinks it has, and that
its leaders ought to get together. He has
as much to forget and forgive as anybody
else, and his voice is for harmony.
Thea, as is suggested, by accepting this
leadership and acquitting himself of it's
duties with all his power, he will be in a
position to benefit by any surprises that
may turn up between now and tho hold
ing OF the next Democratic National con-
vention. This is the erea of surprises
Mr.. German of Maryland and Mr.. Car
Isle and Mr.. Blackburn of Kentucky can
testify to that Chairman Carter of the
Republican National committee suggests
the same thing, although the cards are
all coming his way. If a big surprise
should come-if there should be a rain of
larks for the Democrats-would it hurt
Mr.. Hill to be found with his apron
spread wide to catch the pick of themP
Wouldn't the early apron catch the lark