The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-05-08
STRONGLY PUT.
HUNTER REPLIES TO PALMER.
Says the Senator Misapprehends
the Intent Of His Letter to
Hinrfchsen.

Springfield, ILL.,. May 1.-Andrew J.
Hunter, of Paris, ex-congressman-at-
large from Illinois, has addressed an
open letter to United States Senator
John M. Palmer in reply to the latter's
criticisms. 1t is in part as follows:
I conclude from the subject
matter and the arguments in your letter
that you entirely misapprehend the in
tent and meaning Of my letter to Mr.
Hinrichson-that is, If your letter is in
tended as reply to mine. Your sub
jects and arguments, as stated, certainly
were not prompted by anything con-
tanned in my letter. The question of
the kind and quality Of money, the spe-
cific wording of statutes to carry out
the doctrine Of the free coinage of silver,
were not referred to by me. My pnr-
pose was to show that it is always safe,
in times of decentralization and discon-
tent created by the servants Of the peo-
pie in failing to carry out their will as
expressed in their platform, to appeal
to them and let them in their sovereign
capacity correct the errors and declare
their wants. [ presume you
will not contend that there is no occa-
sion or necessity for something being
done to save the party. You will GER
tainly admit that universal defeat has
been registered at the ballot box by
spirit Of resentment in our own party
against the administration; that demon
alization obtains in every township in
the United States. cannot think that
your admiration fer one man would
cause you to place yourself in opposi-
ton to the only recognized method Of
adjustment known to the party. IL the
democratic party wants to accept Mr..
Cleveland's new departure and follow
him into the republican camp they
should not be denied that right.
You should also know that the demo-
cratic party pledged itself, through the
press, on the stump and in convention,
that If the people would intrust them
with power the laws of 1873 would be
repealed, silver would be placed side by
side with gold as the money of ultimate
redemption to do the business of the
people. These pledges have not been
kept. indorse the platform upon
which you we're nominated for senator in
1890, declaring the same doctrine. ! in
dorse the free coinage of silver that was
declared in the platform of 1892, which
Mr.. Cleveland and every other demo-
crat accepted and Endorsed. Platforms
must be obeyed. In no other way can
party strength be fully utilized.
Now as you have been fair and, have
no doubt, candid in asking me some
questions, which I have tried to answer,
| hope you will not regard me imperti-
nent if return the compliment by ask
ing you some. Are you in favor of
maintaining the law of 1873, demonetiz-
ing silver? Are you in favor of the
gold standard alone? BY what author
ity and from what source does Mr..
Cleveland and the self-styled Honest
money democrats" derive the right to
| make change in the creed of the dem
ocratic party without consulting them?
BY what authority does Mr.. Cleveland
| use the great Office of President to COM
pei his secretary to pay gold to the
creditors of the government when the
law provides for the payment of coin,
forcing gold loans when there is silver
in the treasury? What new emergency
that the democratic party shall abandon
It's policy and principles of more than
100 years standing on the question of
money and accept and adopt the Hamil-
ton and Sherman doctrine in finance?
I now ask you further, and, I
think, a more important question, can
man be a good democrat that uses all
of his efforts and power to force the
democratic party off their own platform
on the money question and place them
| on the republican platform? / ask you
If Mr.. Cleveland's financial policy did
not cost the democratic party more than
| one million votes last fall, and is it good
politics to go with him any farther on
the financial question, repudiating the
Chicago platform and continue in de-
feat? Do you think Mr. Cleveland
should be recognized in the right to
commit the democratic party to the re-
publican platform without giving them
chance to be heard, and is it fair to
| the democracy of Illinois to be forced
to accept the doctrine of gold alone"
as the standard of value without their
consent? Do you think we can repu-
date our own platform and go over to
| the republican party and carry out their
platform on the money question and
| still be democrats?