Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1895-01-17
LETTER FROM HILL.
Il Was Written In 'aS But Is Interest
Ing To-Day.
THE SENATOR'S POLITICAL VIEWS
Extra Session Of Congrcss--Sherinan-i Law
Bank Tnx-Tarin
RefOrm-Etc.

lD1kl1 II. nm. VI sNtn 'FAnf "'fef"f
nearly two years ago, to Mr.. Clark
Howell. OF the Atlanta Constitution. 20
whom Senator Hill authorized It's pub
lica,ion some time ago. The letter was
written Just prior to the assembling OF
the extra session OF the present Con-
gress in the summer OF 1898. and bar
Ing directly upon the next nationil cam
palgn. and the developments OF the past
two years. becomes document OF IN
terest.
IL Is as follows:
"Personll)
ALBANY, y. Y, July i3. lS7.
"Nry Dear Voweil,-Absence from nome
| and professional engagements have pre-
vented an earlier reply 10 your recent
letter. asking conndentlally my Views on
certain questions.
81 A 10 the approaching session
! OF Congress. | was one or those WHO oe-
licyed that the extra session Of Congress
should have been called In April last, and
I 50 advised the President In the nrst
! and only Interview | have had with MN
| He seemed bent on having one IN
sep,ember which thought was mis-
take. | believed then that whatever P'i.y
| IN regard 10 the currency ana the
| tariff that was desired 10 be adopted
| could better be done In the spring. before
Tho natronage haf been distributed ana
| hefore Marty differences should augment.
! Tho President thought differently. but
| has finally yielded to outside pressure anu
! has called the session Tor August / ieiF
| that Il Is A mistake. fear that we shall De
| I'm session until December. | DO not inc
! the prospect Of having n Democratic ,oh-
| yress in session during the fall elections.
nrI tItt
much bitterness Will be developer. Al
Of which will tend 70 distract the party
| and give IL A setback In the faiL
II hope | am mistaken in all this' but
| reor I may not be- 50 long as Congress
must meet I hope II Will only De III s,s-
/ sion thirty days ani then ADJOURN. Inns
/ would be my programme " II com" "o
! carried out The extreme silver men can
prevent il. the Repubicans can prevent
| IL. and general cussedness can prevent IL
| All the chances are that We shal d lh
| session until December. I would not take
up any other legislation than financial II
could have my way.
SuERMAE-LAW REPEAL"
"2 As 10 the repeal Of the Sherman
| law. / favor the unconditional rep N OF
that law. have always been opposed
IN II The true friends ~ silver make n
! mistake III sith'liNAiNs ~ N'A''t'' -
should be abandoned by general cons nj.
NV Views were partially expressed In my
recent Tammany letter. which you have
| doubtless seen Personally | should pre-
fer not to repeal the law until an ac-
| ceutable substitute was provided, IN or
der to render mors probable the adoption
| OF such a substitute. and not because 1
approve nj all OF the Sherman silver ia".
But from q party point OF view M
wisost course Is unconditional repeal. tn
country expects II, and the party VIII be
! found fairly well united In favor OF u.
| Therefore It Is unwise. while agreeing
upon the general proposition. 70 waste
| our TIM In agreeing upon aibsututr
| pending the repeal. Let the repeal be
made ut once and let us differ as to
other financial matters afterwards.
II am IN favor Of blmetallism ns the
issue OF the future. We should seik 10
keep that issue 10 the front: We should
not strive for temporary success or COM
promise measutes. We should be for
free coinage under an international
agreement II II II possible TO procure
one-and for which every eXertion should
be made-and II not possible. then for
Independent bimetallism.
This IS the great goal for which we
should strive. II cannot be done At
once. Our friends must not be imIa-
tient. The people must be- educated. The
unexpected action Of India and the gene
raj sentiment Of the moneyed classes con-
sDire against US at this time. DO not
believe in the Bland blll or any othr
measure which guarantees anything Iss
than unrestricted coinage for gold and
silver alike. as pledged in the Democratic
national platform.
Let US prepare no, for the present vic
! t.tltlf La
1876. The repeal Of the Sherman law VIII
not give the relief which IS ANTICIPATED.
II will aid business temporarily. but In u
year times will he hard. and the demand
for permanent financial r-llef Will be ire
sls.ible We should continue 10 hold out
free coinage as the goal which the cOun-
try must ultimately reach. The triumph
of the monometallists will BE- but tempo
rary,
STATE-BANK-TAX REPEAL.
"g. As To the repeal OF the 10 per cent
tax on State banks. That tax cannot be
well defended IL !, an undemocatic
tax. Osteusibly 1t is imposed for rev~-
nue., but II does rot In fact bring In any
revenue, and was never intended for
that purpose From a Democratic stand
point its imposition IL an abuse Of the
taxing power. | should not Ike 10 90
upon record in favor OF such tax, nor
do desire 10 refuse n repeal Of II. ! re-,
gard that tax question as an indepen>
dent one. which has very little bearing
upon the main great question Of tn
free coinage OF silver. ard they should
be kept apart as much az possible.
while that tax cannot be approved
from a Democratic standpoint, | fear tho
consequences OF repeal. As | under
stand IL, II has been held that Congres.
20 rrghfhis ga
banks from issuing their notes. whlcs
circulate as money, although they cannot
be made legal tender and are not money
I'm fact. DO not like such wildcat cur
rency, and never dli. do not think We
ought to become the champions ot H.
While, perhaps. we should take the
ground that the states should be al llber-
ty . issue such notes II they desire %
do 30. yet such issue should not be en-
, couraged We should not be switched or
from the gold and silver Issue upon any
such sde-track.
II fear the experiment OF wildcat.
! State-bank currency VIII not b. sue
cess. II may afford temporary reller.
but In the end Il will be disastrous. Th1
bank notes Of 50 many States Will be -
! worthless that while In New YORK or
Georgia they might be- perfectly good al
ways. yet in so many other states they
would be so Dil tndk tHc ""pie 'ift
ton would be dlscredited.
you will observe nom what ! nave
stated that advise we should move cau-
tiousiy In regard TO the State-bank tar,
and not mix II up with the legal'tendei
currency question.
TARIFF REFORM.
81 As 10 tariff reform, DO rot appre-
hend any serious difficulty In this matter.
There will be a general unanimity as 10
the bills which passed the last Demo
cratic House, and which were refused
consideration In thu Senate. Whatever
bills the Treasury Department may re-
COR mend | think are likely TO be passed.
We must make little tariff reform 80
a great way. The condition ot the 1rea-
sury will not admit Of much reduction
except In those cases where reduction
is likely 10 produce more needed revenue
do not think We need lie awake nights
at all anticipating trouble from the tarin
question "a.
II doub, the policy Of restoring the
srgar-tax. our people have come TO re-
gard sugar as one OF the necessities and
comforts ~ life. and they want II as
cheap as possible. Let the tarin be re-
ta.ned on those articles which come IN
competition with our own workman. u