The Hope pioneer. [volume] (Hope, N.D.) 1882-1964, 1900-11-22
NATIONAL HONOR over
COLONIAL QUESTIONS
WHY JUDGE HORNBLOWER DE-
CLINES TO SUPPORT BRYAN,
opinion of a Leading New York
Jurist, Whose Elevation to the
Supreme Bench Was Beaten
by David b. Hill.

Wy DAV1O h. HILL
(By Judge William B. Hornblower OF
New York;
Judge William B. Hornblower Of New
York, who was nominated to the Su-I
preme bench of the United States by
President Cleveland, and whose confirm
alton was beaten in the Senate for pure
H personal causes by David B. Hill, has
made the following statement why he, a
Democrat, cannot support Bryan:
~, have ibeen repeatedly asked during
the past few weeks what, in my judg.I
nreht, ts the duty OF Gold Democrat
who, ID also an Anti-1mperialist, In the
pending presidential campaign. The
question Is by no means a simple One,
and I can well understand and appreciate
The position taken by such men as Mr..
Sthhrz, Mr.. Shepard and Mr.. Olney.
For my own part, however, cannot see
my way clear to reaching their conclu-
ed me to oppose Mr.. Bryan In 1896 com7
bel me to oppose him in the present cam
baign. All the heresies, financial and
Populisuc, which were embodied In the
un-Democratic, craEy-uuilt platform Of
1905 are readopted without any attempt
at modification or Modification by the
Kahsas City platform. The 18 to 1 plank
is expressly 1aafarmed and redeclaredr
and this at the instance of Mr.. Bryan
htfnhelf. I cannot support a candidate
Mho still adheres to q proposition which,
MImy mind, u q monstrosity and which,
k, carried Into effect, would In my judg1
npht produce untold disaster to oil
classes Of the community and bring dis,
honor and humiliation to our nation. The
fact, IL 1t be fact that recent legisla3
eion has made 1t difficult for Mr.. Bryan
to carry into practice his avowed prlpci1
piles does not, It seems to be, make u
any the more right to vote for a man
who still maintains these principles. II
ID quite within tho possibilities that duri
lug his administration, If he should ba
Hectcd, a complete change might be att
3ected In the political composition Of botl
houses Of Congress. and the verdict Of
the people expressed at the polls In favot
of Mr.. Bryan's election as President
might be carried into effect. 1t will cer1
tainiy be Mr. Bryan's duty, according I'd
his expressed declaration, to do what ir3
him lies to bring about this result.
It Is not to be forgotten that Nr. Bryan
IA not only tho candidate of what 10 left
Of tho Democratic party, but he is the
candidate also of the Populist party, and
has accepted the nomination on their plat
form. The radical notions of the Popu-
lists, If ever carried into effect in this
county, would reduce popular govern
meut to position where We should be
the laughing stock Of the nations, and
would produce a reaction In the minds Of
the voters which would carry US far in
the direction Of domestic imperialism,
which suppose will be conceded to be
Of vastly more moment to us and to our
poBtsrity than colonial imperialism. In
deed, the chief objection to colonial i'm
periallsm is Its probable effect upon our
domestic institutions, and its tendency to-
wards enlarging the powers Of the execu-
tive as between the executive and the
legislative departments of the govern
ment, and towards increasing the pow-
tween itself and the States.
The question as to what Is the para
mount issue" in this campaign Is one on
which men may honestly differ. It seems
to me, however, that the most important
issue before US at the present moment is
whether our domestic affairs are to be
thrown into confusion and exposed to dis
aster. The rights and wrongs Of our COS
lonial possessions must in this emergency
be subordinated to the rights and wrongs
of our own affairs.
Furthermore, I am by no means satis-
fed that Mr.. Bryan would be safe per-
son to whom to intrust the imperialistic
questions which will confront US in the
future. In my judgment he ought to
have made his fight at the time when the
treaty with Spain was before the Sen
ate. He should have upheld the hands
Of such dissenting Republicans as Sena-
tor Hoar, and he should have opposed to
the bitter end the principle of buying for
"ign peoples without their consent and in
the midst Of a war for independence on
their part. BY supporting the treaty Mr..
Bryan made himself party to its COM
pact, and IT, more than any other one
man, except Mr.. Mckinley, responsible
for the situation. The treaty was rati-
fed, the purchase money was paid, the
Islands are in our possession. In my
judgment, the question Of their future
and Of our future, as determined indi-
rectly By their future, must wait until we
have settled the question Of the present,
and that question is whether honesty, in
tegrity and common sense shall be ap-
piled to the financial affairs of the United
States, or whether popular approval shall
be given to the vagaries, whims, AID faI-
lacies Of the Populists and Bryanites,
with all the resulting disaster and dis.
honor.
WILLIAM B. HORNBLOWER.
Now Ynrl, Snnt 1S