The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1895-01-17
A Letter From Senator Hill to
Hon. Clark Howell.
OPINIONS MADE PUBLIC
Opposed Long Special Session of
Congress. For Free Silver.
MonometaIIism I emporary.
Tariff Ideas. The State
Bank Tax Repeal.
BY Southern Associated Press,

peIS VIII puDllSD 10 morrow letter
from Senator David B. Hill, of New
York, written nearly two years ago,
to MIR. Clark Howell, of the Atlanta
Constitution, to whom Senator Hill
authorized its publication some
time ago.
The letter wns written Just prior
to the milling Of the extra ses-
sion OF the present Congress i'll the
summer of 1898, and bearing di.
rectly upon the next national cam
paign, and the developments of the
past two years, becomes n document
Of national interest. L is as fol-
lows:
ALBANY, n. Y, July l3, 1888.
My DEAR HOWELL: = Absence
from home aud professional engage.
nonts have prevented an early reply
10 your recent letter, asking conf.
dentlaliy my views on certain uues.
tions.
First, rs to the approaching ses-
sion OF Congress. ! WAS one of those
who believed that the extra session
of Congress should have been called
III April last, and | so advised the
President i'll the first and only in.
terview | have had with him.
lie seemed bent on having one in
Septem ber, which [ thought was a
mistake. l believed then that whut-
ever policy III regard to the curren-
cy and tnrlll that WAS desired TO be
| adopted could better DO done in the
spring before the patronage had
been distributed and before party
| differences could augment. The
| President thought differently, but
has finally yielded to outside pres.
sure and has called the session for
August. | fear that il is
! mistake. | fear that we shall be in
session until December. l do not
Ike the prospect of having Demo
| cratic Congress Ill session during
the fall elections. | anticipate many
| differences and much bitterness Will
he developed, all Of which Will tend
to distract the party and give us
set back III the flll. | hope [ am
mistaken i'll all this, but / fear |
may not be. SO long as Congress
must meet hope it Will only be in
session thirty days and adjourn.
| Second, us to the repeal of the
Sherman law. | favor the uncondl.
tionai repeal Of that law. The true
| friends OF silver make mistake in
attempting 10 defend 1t. Ny views
were partlnliy expressed Ill my re-
| cent Iemmany letter.
Personally, | should prefer not TO
| repeal the law until ali acceptable
substitute was provided in order to
| render more probable tho adoption
| Dt AL lAAtt n IN. Il 4.
approve If all of tho Sherman sill
yer law. But from party point OF
view the wiGest course 10 uncoudi
tlonal repeal. Tho county expects
Ii and the party will be found fairly
well united III favor of il.
Let the repeal be made at once
aud let us dltIer as to other financial
matters after wards. I am III fuyor
OF Dlmetalllsm 1s the issue of tue
fnture. We should be for free coiu
age under nu international agreo-
meut, II 1t Is possible to secnre one,
ana Tor which every eXertiOn should
pe made. ana II not possible, then
Tor independent blmetalism. This
iA the great goal for which We should
strive. Ii cauuot be doAe ut once.
lie people must be educated.
The unexpected action OF India
and the general sentiment OF the
inoneyed cIns6es cOnspire against us
Mt this timo. | Go not believe IN
the Bland bill or any other measure
which guarantees anything less than
Unrestricted cOiuaae Tor gold and
silver alike, as pledged III the Demo
cratic national pntIOrm Let us
pfephie not Tor present victory, but
Tor victory upon that issue in 1896.
The repeal OF the Sherman law
viii not give the relief which is an.
tlcipated. 1t will aid business tenn.
poraFllY, but IN year times will be
hard and the demaud for permanent
AnancIai relief will be ifIes.stable,
We snouid continue 10 hold out free
coinnBo rs the goal which the coun-
try must ultimately reach. The
triumph OF the mOnumctallists viii
be but temporary.
Third. ns to the repeal Of the 10
per cent. tax on State banks. That
tax cGnnut DO we'll defended. If is
IN un Democratic tax. Ostensibly
itis impoacd for revenue. but 1t
does not IL lact bring IN anv reve.
nne, and was lever intended
Tor that purpose. [ should not
IKE to gn upon record IN
iavor OF such tax, nor do | desire To
refuse repeal OF 1t. | regard that
fax question as I'll independent one.
which has very little bearing upon
"A nI