The times., 1898-11-03
Hill ON 4 VOTERS Rights
-F-9a -ss-s-f 50 r.
He Would Knock Down an In
terfering McGullagh Man.
ROUGH RIDERS RIDICULED
The Former Senator Says Their
PrOwess liz Overestimated-Wa
GI0rien to Cover Canal Frauds-
Vnn Wyck. He Declares, lis Not the
Tool of ANY Boss or COterie of Men.

New York. Nov. 2.-Former Senator
ID. b. Hill spoke before the Business
Mems Democratic Association at large
and enthusiastic meeting under the aus
pices of that organization at Carnegie
Hall tonight. The feature of the former
senator's speech was a reiteration of his
views respecting the right of the voter
TO take the law into his own hands at
the polls and knock down any officer of
Supt McCullagh's who attempted to in
terfere with his right to vote He de-
scathing language. His remarks were
very direct and unmistakable. He said:
1.-The personal rights of citizens are in
volved in this election. The other night
in Brooklyn. in discussing the infamous
features of the recently enacted metro
politan election law. generly known as
the force BILL / stated 1t Mccul-
lagh deputy had no right arrest with
out warrant any citize1 fully regis
tering or voting. and If id so inter
fere the citizen had gal right 10
knock him down.
- neither apologize, hat statement
nor retract it, but u gshere to relter-
ate and defend it. The right to vote is
a sacred right. 1t is the highest preroga-
tive vested in an American citizen. 1t
does not depend upon any mans will.
nor upon the bare permission of election
officials. II is not conferred by mere
statute. Its authority rises above ard
is superior to any legislative enactment.
1t is right conferred by the Constitution
itself, which neither Republican laws nor
Republican hirelings can interfere with
or destroy"
The former senator then entered Upon
long argument in defense of mis- stand
and said he was no more advising v'o-
lence than TO tell citizen that he mas a
perfect right TO resist robber.
1T was an Endorsement of the elemen-
tary principles of self-defense," was the
way Mr. Hill put it.
He hoped there would be no disturb
ance on election day, but warned his
hearers that IL trouble did come, the
responsibility would rest on the partisan
mercenaries of the Republican party. He
saw in the entire law nothing but a
..damnabie scheme" to deprive honest
citizens of their votes.
The speaker said the Republican anxiety
about the silver question was painful"
He touched upon the Teller resolution
for the payment of gold or silver for the
Governments obligation, saying 1t was 4
Republican ''bugaboo."
Discussing wide open" New York, Mr..
Hill said: What do these people want?
Would they prefer to have this city shut
up and closed like a deserted village,
or a Chinese town with a wall around ii,
or like Senator Platt's national bank in
Owego?'
The former senator next quoted statis-
tics on State taxation. He ridiculed the
Rough Riders and spoke OF their eX-
ploits at Santiago as much exagGer-
ated" The alleged Republican attempt
TO dazzle the eyes of the people with the
glories of the war that they might not
see the frauds in the canals and alleged
abuses in the State government We're d.
lated upon. Mr.. Hill spoke as follows in
reference TO the Democratic candidate
for governor:
If | thought for moment that Judge
Van Wyck, If elected, would be the gov
ernor of any one man or one organization
or coterie of men | should not be here
tonight to advocate his election. He is
no mans man, but is the candidate de-
liberately presented by one of the most
intelligent Democratic conventions 1t has
ever been my lot TO attend, and l assure
you. If elected. he will be the governor
of the whole people. Our opponents have
the audacity to talk about bosses when
everybody knows that the acknowledged
easy boss named every man or the Re
publican ticket, from its brassy talking
head to its wriggling tail"