Griggs courier. (Cooperstown, Griggs Co., Dak. [N.D.]) 1885-1902, 1900-10-11
NATIONAL HONOR OVER
COLONIAL QUESTIONS.
Why Judge HornbIower De-
cl;nes to Support Bryan.
Opinion of a Leading New York Jurist
Whose Elevation TO the Supreme
Bench Was Beaten by
D. B. Hill.

(By Judge William B. Hornblower of
New York;
Judge William b. Hornblowcr of New
York, who was nominated to the SUI
preme bench of the United States by
President Cleveland. and whose confirm
ly personal causes by David B. Hill, has
made the following statement why he, d
Democrat. cannot support Bryan:
l have been repeatedly asked during
the past few weeks what, in my judg
ment is the duty of Gold Democrat
who is also an AntiImperialst, in the
pending presidential campaign. The
question is by no means a simple one,
and l can we'll understand and appreciate
the position taken by such men as Mr..
Schurz, Mr.. Shepard and Mr.. Olncy.
For my own part, however. l cannot see
my way clear to reaching their conclil
Sions. The same reasons which compcll-
ed me to oppose Mr.. Bryan in 1896 COM
pei me TO oppose him in the present cam
paign. All the heresieS. financial and
populistic. which We're embodied in the
un-Democratic, crazy quilt platform of
1896 are r"adoptel without any attemp,
at modification or modification by the
Kansas City platform. The 1G TO plank
is expressly rea!lirmed and redeclnrcd,
and this at the instance of Mr.. Bryan
himself. cannot support a candidate
who still adheres to proposition which.
to my mind. is Il lnonstro>ity and which.
if carried into effect. would in my judg-
mrn1 produce untold disaster to all
classes of the community and bring dis
honor and humiliation to our nation. The
fact, if it he Il fact. that recent lrgi>la
ton has made it difficult for Mr.. Bryan
80 carry into practice his avowcd prinri-
piles does hot. it seems to be, make ii
any the more ri Ght to vote for Il man
%ho still maintains these principles. l;
Is quite within the possibilities that dur
ing his administration. if he should he
elected. a complete change might he CT
fectcl in the political composition of both
houses of Congress. and the verdict OF
he people expressed at the polls in favor
IF Ny. Bryan's election as President
might he carried into effect. 1t will Ger
'ainly be Mr.. Rryan'S duty. according to
MS expressed declaration. to do what in
him lies to bring about this result.
1t is net to be forgotten that Mr.. Bryan
is not only the candidate of what is loft
of the Democratic party. hut he is the
candidate ais" of the lopu!ist party. and
has accepted the nomination on their plat
form. The radical notions of the Popu-
lists. if ever carried into effect in this
country. would reduce popular govern
mcnt to position where We should he
the laughing stock Of the nations, ard
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
posterity than colonial Imperialism. In
deed. the chief objection to colonial inn
perialism is its probable effect upon our
domestic institutions. and its tendency to-
wards charging the powers of the cxecu
tive as between the executive and the
legislative departments Of the govern
ment. and towards increasing the pow
ers of the Federal government as be
tween itself and the States.
The question as to what is the ''para-
mount issue" i'll this campaign Is one on
which men may honestly differ. 1t seems
to me- however. that the most important
issue before us at the present moment is
Il brown into confusion and exposed to dis
| tstrr. The rights and wrongs of our CO.
lonial possessions must in this emergency
be suhcrdinatcd to the rights and wrongs
of our own affairs
Furthermore. | am by no means salts
fed that MIR. Bryan would he Il safe per-
son TO whom 10 intruSt the imperialiStic
questions which will confront us in the
future. Iii 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 us Scna-
tor Hoar, and he should have opposed to
the bitter end the principle Of buying for
clgn peoples without their consent and in
the midst of 4 war for independence on
their part. by supporting the treaty Mr..
bryan made himself a party TO its conn
pact, and is. 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 iuGi-
rectly by their future must wait until we
have settled the question of the present.
and that question is whether honesty in
tegrlty and common sense shall be an
piled to the financial affairs of the United
States. or whether popular approval shall
he given to the vlgarieS. whims. aad fall
lacies of the Populists and Bryantes.
with all the resulting disaster and dis
| honor.
WILLIAM q. HORSEPOWER
| New York, Sept. is.