The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1896-07-10

! with mingled cheers and Kisses, and the
convention was scene of confusion until
Hill OF New York made his appearance.
David b. Hill mounted the platform to
speak Tor the substitute plank and a scene
that approached in enthusiasm that of
last night, when New York cast her sew
enty-two votes for the minority report of
the credentials committee, began. Dele
gates stood on chairs and waved hats,
fans and handkerchiefs. Mr.. Whitney
rose with the rest and the sight of his
erect figure brought many to their feet.
The galleries seemed to rise as man and
the waving sea of hats, newspapers and
everything at hand that could be made
conspicuous rose and fell all over the hall.
The attempts OF the chair to still the
tumuit were unavailing, and although
most Of the delegates resumed their seats
after several minutes Of cheering, the
galleries would not be quiet and yelled
and shouted with hearty good will.
At this time the object of the demon
stration stood cool. facing his enthusiastic
friends, He showed no feeling in facial
expression, and glanced straight ahead.
Then gradually the tumult ended and
finally silence reigned. Mr.. Hill began in
slow and distinct tones. saying that, fol-
lowing the course OF the Senator from
South Carolina, he would introduce him.
self by saying, 81 am Democrat, but am
not revolutionist." TCheers
Without intending to especially reply to
the remarks of the distinguished Senator
from South Carolina. he would only say
that IL was a waste Of time for him to
assume that we were so ignorant as not to
know that it was South Carolina that in
1850 attempted TO destroy the Union. His
[HilPsl mission here to-day was TO build
up, not to destroy.
He knew he addressed a convention that
did not agree with all the views he held /;
but he knew they would hear him for his
cause. New York made no apology to
South Carolina [Cheers.l She did not
need ii. Need he remind this great con-
vention that it was New York City whose
wealth had been so decried that had al
ways been the Gibraltar of Democracy.
He asserted this proposition: That the
Democratic party stood to-day in favor OF
gold and silver as the money for the con-
stitution, and not for gold or silver alone.
but differed as TO the means that should
be employed to attain their end. One side
favored the cooperation of other nations
1t was not a question of courage. 1t was
question OF business, question of
economics. He believed it was wise to
seek the cooperation of other nations. He
did not assail the honesty of those who
differed with him. He had always treated
the free coinage men respectfully and
would do so to-day.
He did not believe they could ignore the
financial system. 1t fiattered American
pride to say this issue was big enough to
stand alone. But if we carried this out to
its legitimate conclusion we might as we'll
do away with all international CONNER
cial treaties. He further thought it I'm
wise to depend upon single ratio. The
platform should have stopped at demand
ing the reconciliation of silver. Instead
of that. the platform made the test OF
Democratic loyalty hang upon the single
ratio of is to l. He saw before him dis
tinguished free-coinage Senators who had
introduced bills advocating other ratios.
The platform said the gold policy was the
policy OF England. 1t forgot to say that
there was French policy also, German
policy, Spanish policy-that in fact it
was the policy OF the world as represented
by the States of the Latin Union.
He took it for granted that this conyen-
ton was in favor of maintaining the silver
dollar on parity with every other dollar,
but the platform said not a word about
this. Everything was risked on free coin
age. Could the American people, no mat
ter how brave they might be, make copper
or lead the equal of gold2 1t was ques-
ton, as he had said, of economies, and
therefore IN the opinion of the minority
the safest course was to advocate inter-
national monometalism and stop there.
The criticism was made that the minority 5
plank was similar to that of the Republi-
can party. He did Eot think it much the
worse for that The Monroe plank, the
Cuban, the pension and the civil service
planks were all equally like the Republic
ban planks. He did not like many of the
planks in the Democratic platform, and
he thought if the wise counsels of the
| Senator nom Arkansas lJones) had pre-
vailed it would have been different. There
lore, when that Senator said the platform
meant whatit said and said what it means,
he would like some one to explain what
was meant by the plank about the issue
an attempt at this late day to commit the
Democratic party to the suicidal policy of
issuing paper money?
Further he did not believe it wise to
introduce new tests of Democracy. What
was the necessity of making an income
tax a test of Democratic faith7 Had it
come to this, he asked, that the followers
of Tiiden, who all his life opposed this
iniquitous tax, were now required as test
of their Democracy to express their belief
in the constitutionaIity of an income tax
Was it wise, he asked, 20 attack the SUI
preme Court ofyour country? [Cheers.l
"Wili some one tell me-" he continued,
'what that clause means in this platform
If you mean what you say and say what
you mean, that plank means-if it means
anything it is the duty of Congress
20 reconstruct the Supreme Court OF the
country. will not follow any such revo-
lutionary step as that" [Cheers.l
Then he asked if they had not trouble
enough without putting in all these I'M
necessary and foolish things. What more