Evening star., 1896-11-09
HILL AS A PROPHET
He foresaw What the Democracy Would Do
at Chicago.
Satd No Party Could Garry the Coun-
try on a 1G to
Platform.

A friend Of Senator Hill, in conversation
with representative of The Star today, re.
lated an interesting story of Mr.. Hills pow
ers of keen observation and his ability to
forecast results.
"a few days before Congress adjourned
last June" said this friend Il called at the
Capitol to bid Mr.. Hill goodbye. An i'm
pcrtant campaign was about to open, and it
seemed likely that he would play an i'm
portant part in it. 1 wanted to get his view
OF matters. He came out into the marble
room In answer to my card, and, having
little leisure, talked for some time about
the political situation. He spoke without
bitterness or personal criticism, and sum-
med up things as a judge on the bench
might have done.
You are going as a delegate to Chi
cago?' 1 asked.
Yes. he replied My people want me
to go, and 1 am always at their service
But am very much afraid that l, in COM
pany win other eastern men, will be pow
erleSS there
".Do things seem settled so far In ad-
vance,
1t is merely question of the carrying
out OF the program of the southern and
western and middle states men. They now
openly declare their ability and intention
to write a platform for free coinage of sill
Yer at IL to l as an independent act of this
country. If they do that the fight is lost.
No Party Could Garry Oh a I6 to
Platform.
"'You think it would be impossible for
the democracy to carry the country on that
platform?
1t would be impossible for any party to
do so. No party can carry this country in
antagonism to the business interests of the
country. The business interests everywhere
will oppose that platform if written. The
great business wi ro1l
dented majorities against it. All Of the
eastern and middle states, and very likely
some of the border southern states will
be found the day after election in the re-
publican column. Maryland, Delaware
W est Virginia and Kentucky, which border
on republican strongholdS, and are making
rapid progress in a business way, will nee
essarily be stoutly fought for by the friends
of sound money. l think the silver men in
the democratic party are blind to the
party's best interests, and l have tried both
In open debate i'll the Senate and elsewhere
to convince them of the fact. But do OF
disguise from myself the fact that, SO
far. have failed to do so. Ii they carry
everything before them at Chicago, as they
assure us low that they intend to do,
many men will be driven away from the
ticket, and many others disabled during
the campaign. Their drift Is toward popu-
llsm, and whatever of populism is taken on
will be that much of load for democracy
to carry"
No Candidates Mentioned.
Did the Senator say anything about can
didates?"
Not a word 1 didn't bring the subject
up. At that time, however, Mr.. Bryan
was not at all prominent in the speculation
Mr.. Teller and Mr.. Bland were, and there
was an impression that one or the other
would be nominated. Mr.. Hill talked at
some length, but confined his remarks to
the principles at stake. 1 made close note
of his remarks, because l valued his judg-
ment about such things, and he spoke with
such earneStnesS. 1t would not have been
proper, of course, for me to have repeated
this conversation at the time, or at any
time during the campaign, but 1t Is not i'm
proper now. The fight is over, and as the
decision has been rendered as Mr. Hill said
1t would be, the prophet should be known
In his own country. His calling the turn
on the four border southern states that
actually did go for sound money was an
unusual exhibition of long head and clear
vision"