The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1895-01-27

Deduululy decorated with nagS ana punt
ing, President John Fox presided. On
his right sat Senator Hill. while Robert
b. Roosevelt was on his left.
When the cloth had been removed
President Fox arose and introduced SEN
ator Hlll.
At the mention Of Senator Hills name
all the guests arose TO their feet and
cheered enthusiastically 1t was some
moments before the Senator was allowed
to speak, such was the ovation he re-
ceived.
When quiet had been restored, Mr. Hill
spoke in part as follows:
sENAToE HILLS SPEECH.
'The mission of the Democratic party
is not ended Temporary reverses may
impair its present usefulness, inadequate
leader ship may retard its successeS'ln the
near future local difficulties may emDar-
rass its efforts for selt-disentnraiiment
from unfortunate conditions, yet never
theless its vital progress Is essentlal 10
the prosperity of fhe RepuDlic, us
splendid achievements in the past FURNISH
ing its guarantees for the future, its un-
swerVing devotion 10 civil and religious
liberty in defeat as well as in victory, ltS
uniform insistenCe upon the eNceptlOnal
limitations of Federal power, its stead
fast advocacy of the reasonable ana IN
alienable rights of states under our dual
form OF Government. its adherence 10 the
poses only, its traditional record OF oppo-
sition to monopolistc tendencies on tle
one hand and communisuc senuIheutS
on the other-the conclusion becomes II
resiEtible that such party win sucn per
sistent traditional sentiments and achleVe-
ments Is still capable of securing inagnll,
cent and permanent results Tor the 6oou
of the country ,-...,.,,.,,
of any public party may below prilllaht
it's past achievements. or how excellent lts
principles, 1t cannot hope for Valuabie ana
successful results without thoroush or
ganization of its adherents. Men Wno
think alike upon publlc quesuohS M, nIut
be brought together; there musJ De uhIy
of purpose, harmonious council run coil
sultatlOn; the will of the majority iaiI!
EXPRESSED must prevail, there must De
prompt action in the results or cohVeu-
tons; loyal support OF regularly Holn- H,Ir1n,
mated candidatesi indlVldual NleMSS, - -
essential matters must be suDoIdlhateu
TO the general opinion If substantial re-
suits are expected TO be attained
POLITICAL TIES hang LOOSELY.
"rbe fact cannot be disguised that
noIitical ties seem to hang loosely now
a days. and that instead of hsalthy
and vigorous party spirit, mere ldibely
evis+s a disposition on the part OF aver
AGE citizens to cut loose from party as
sociations. | am not complahlhB V5 V5liii,t iiit9
tendency; | am simply nouns II, Iolitl
cal upheayals follow each other IN rdpld
succession first in one direction ana thel
in the other, indicating either popular
fickleness, popular discomfort, or popu-
"The tendency seems to be growing in
favor Of freedom from party trammels,
loerality in opinions and indlVldudnty
i'm political effort. We have independent
POLITICIANS. independa mt newspapers, lnde-
pendent churches, and independent clups.
Good, old-faShiOned partisan speech rs az
a discount. independence IS the RAD oI
the hour. 1t is in the ar. IL is everywhere.
It's supremacy may be largely que 70
the contempt for party hdellty' laituiu ui
party reverence and partisan ACTIVITY,
which unfortunately prevails IN some
quarters and TO a lack OF appreciation OF
the labor and pains involved in unset
fish. jealous and efficient party manage
ment
and with no purpose or influencing pub
lie opinion generally. but speaking SIM
ply as Democrat to party friends con
ferring with each other IL may hot ne
amiss to pause and reflect whether some
mistakes OF party policy have not been
made in the recent past, the frank ana
impartial consideration Of which may
furnish itself for our future guidance
SOME DEMOCRATIC MISTAKES.
Upon our advent to power in March,
1898. the first duty which confronted us
was the prompt assembling OF ConSresS
i'm extra session for the speedy enact
ment OF those remedial measures OF
tarifI, financial and electoral reform
to which the party was committed inc
redemption of our pledges to the people
was the primary obligation resting upon
us, Oyershadowing all mere questions
of the distribution Of official patronage,
the rewards of friends or the punishment
of enemies
~ hateyer was to be done should
have been done quickly, at time when
the people were clearly with us, when
they were impatient Of delay In the car
rying out Of our promises for whics
they had just voted. and when our op-
ponents in Congress would have scarcely
resisted. at least By any prolonged oppo-
sition, whatever fair measures we had
then proposed. Delays are dangerous
in politics as well as in war The time
TO strike is when your arm is ready.
when the enemy is disorganiZed. az
when he is easily within your grasp
A financial panic of which the country
had. however been forewarned, finally
made imperative the conVening of Con-
gress in August 1873, i'm which session
the repeal OF the sherman silver bullion
purchase law became necessity as well
as a duty. It's repeal had been expected
10 be approved in the national Demo
cratic platform OF 1892 and the business
interest of the country. as well as poll
teal good faith. united in demanding
speedy action. It's repeal. however. was
stoutly resisted by professed Democrats
extreme silver men-who imagined that
such action would eInbarrdss the cause
of free bimetallic coinage, seemingly for
getting or ignoring the fact that the
modify rather than as a money metal
was a mere temporary eXpedent make
shift and antagonized every underlying
principal of true bimetallism. This was
a narrow and short-sighted policy, pre-
venting final action until November. fS93- p
the long delay disgusting the people and
depriving the country of much of the
benefit which otherwise would have ac-
crued by the repeal. arousing the ami
mostly and losing the care of the busi-
ness community, and really injuring the
cause Of silver which they professed TO
serve.
RKyIsIoN OF THE TARIFF.
The frittering away OF our opinions.
the failure TO grasp the situation at the
outset, and the indspostion to respond
quickly to the demands of the public SEN
timent in o great financial crisis sowed
the first seeds of popular discomfort with
the Democratic administration.
THE revision of the tariff, which unfor-
tunately had been postponed until 1854
seems TO widen and extend party diff
ferences of oIfnion. Extremists Hgain
came TO the front and demanded that
their peculiar views should be engrafted
uDon the proposed legislation regardless
of well-established Democratic principles,
the provisions OF our national platform
and the records and traditions OF the
party.
'Singe-tax theories were urged, entire
tariff extinction was seriously advocated
instead OF reasonable tarin reformation.
TO which we were pledged; direct taxation
was proposed 10 be substituted for in
direct taxation; radical reductions were