The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-11-03
HILL SPEAKS AGAIN.
His Audience Aroused by ~ Letter
from Grover Cleveland.

from Grover Cleveland.
NEW YORK, Nov. 2.-Every seat in Car
negie Hall was filled tonight soon after the
doors were opened, and a great crowd filled
the vast hall before the mass meeting of
the Business Mems Democratic Association
was called to order by Theodore ~ Myers,
former controller of the city of New York.
Ex-senator David b. Hill was the speaker
of the night and throughout his speech was
greeted with applause. The gathering was
a very enthusiastic one and the entrance
of Richard Croker while Mr.. Hill was
speaking was the occasion for one of the
heartiest demonstrations of the evening. The
platform was crowded with prominent busi-
ness men and there was a goodly sprinkling
of ladies in the boxes. The reading of
letter to the Business Mems Association
from former President Grover Cleveland
was followed by deafening applause. The
letter, which is dated Princeton, N. j., Oct.
26. follows:
II acknowledge with thanks the receipt of
your invitation to attend the mass meeting
to be held of the evening of Nov. for
the purpose of ratifying the Democratic
nominations for the State of New York I
regret that l am unable to accept your in
vitation but as / recall the useful labors
of the Business Mems Democratic Assoca-
tion in the past may perhaps be permitted
to express my qualification to find that your
organization is still in the field, striving
to save the State of New York from Re-
publican maladministraton and extrava-
ganee."
Mr.. Hill was introduced by the chairman
and at first spoke with some effort. AS he
went along, however, his voice became dis
tinct and ringing and could be heard in
every part of the hall. Mr.. Hill said in part:
''This terrible anxiety. largely affected, of
our Republican friends for fear that the
war may be renewed in case of a Demo-
cratic victory, is really pitiful. 1t is also
difficult to appreciate the apprehension of
our opponents that the Democrats may en-
barrass the President in perfecting his plans
for securing permanent peace. Senator
Lodge, of Massachusetts, in a speech in this
city last week, in one of his flights of fancy,
said, in substance that if his audience was
not in favor of placing the people of the
Philippine islands back under the rule of
Spanish tyranny they should vote for the
Republican state ticket, canal frauds,
Raines law, force bill and all. 1 beg to sug-
gest to the distinguished senator that
neither he nor anybody else knows what
the policy of the present administration
may be as 10 the Philippine islands. That
policy has never been declared; on the con-
trary, it has been carefully concealed. The
only expression heard from any member of
the administration from the late secretary
of state, M. Day, now one of our peace COM
missioners at Paris, who some time ago
publicly announced that he did not favor
the retention of those islands. Perhaps he
spoke the Presidents own views-who
knows?
''The truth seems to be that the DEM
ocratic hostility which is apprehended
springs from a Republican fear that some
unduly liberal or over generous terms of
peace, involving a base surrender of some
of the conquered territory, may be approved
by the administration to which the Dem
ocratic opposition would naturally be ex-
pected. The suspicious delay in the peace
negotiations which will undoubtedly not be
permitted to be concluded until after cleo
tion. confirms this view of the situation
Democratic hostility to a humiliating COM
promise with Spain which may be accepted
by a weak and vacilating administration
is what Republican leaders fear rather than
Democratic friendship or sympathies for
anything that is Spanish"
Taking up the financial question ex-Sen-
ator Hill said: Our opponents seem much
disturbed because in this State campaign
we prefer to regard State issues as para
mount We have not repudiated nor aban-
doned any national issues but they have
simply been held in allegiance until a more
convenient season. IT is safe rule not to
cross any bridges until we reach them
and the national campaign of 1900 can easily
take care of itself.
THE Republican anxiety about the silver
question is very painful indeed They
seem to be borrowing trouble because of
some anticipated or suspected danger to the
country arising out of the apprehended coin
age of silver dollars at some future time
They are constantly harping about fifty
cent dollars as though they did not know
that the silver coinage question has been
partially settled-at least for the time being
through the action of the last Republican
Congress, with the approval of President
Mckinley himself. 1t seems to have es-
capped the attention of the average Repub-
lican orator that in June last bill was
passed by Republican Congress and ap-
proved by Republican President which
among other things provided as follows:
Sec. "a. That the secretary Of the treas
ury is hereby authorized and directed to coin
into standard silver dollars as rapidly as
the public interests may require. 10 an
a.