Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1900-11-02
NATIONAL HONOR over
COLONIAL QUESTIONS
&--Y.
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.

~ Uav1d b. Hill.
(By Judge William B. Hornblower Of,
New York;
Judge William B. Hornblower Of New
York, who was nominated to the Su-
preme bench Of the United States by
President Cleveland, and whose confirm
alton was beaten in the Senate for pure
" personal causes by David B. Hill, has
made the following statement why he, 4
Democrat cannot support Bryan: /
I have been repeatedly asked during
the past few weeks what, in my judg-'
ment, is the duty Of a Gold Democrat
who is also an Anti-Imperialist, In the
pending presidential campaign. The
question is by no means a simple one,
and l can well understand and appreciate
the position taken by such men as Mr..
Schurz, Mr.. Shepard and Mr.. Olney.,
For my own part, however, I cannot see,
my way clear to reaching theif conclu-
sions. The same reasons which compell-
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 were embodied in the
un-Democratic, c~razy-quilt platform Of:
1895 are readopted without any attempt,
at modification or modification by the
Kansas City platform. The 16 to 1 plank
Ii expressly reafdrmed and redeclared,
and this at the instance Of Mr.. Bryan!
himself. l cannot support a candidate
who still adheres to q proposition which,
10 my mind, is a monstrosity and which,,
Ii carried into effect, would in my judy
ment produce untold disaster to all
classes Of the community and bring dis
honor and humiliation to our nation. The
fact, If 1t be a fact, that recent legisla-
ton has made it difficult for Mr.. Bryan
to carry into practice his avowed princi7
piles does not, it seems to be, make 1t
any the more right to vote for a man
who still maintains these principles. It
il, quite within the possibilities that dur
ing his administration, if he should be
elected, a complete change might be ef-
fected in the political composition Of both
houses Of Congress, and the verdict Of
the people expressed at the pole in favor
Of Mr.. Bryan's election as President
might be carried into effect. 1t will GER
tainly be Mr.. Bryan's duty, according to
his expressed declaration, to do what in
him lies to bring about this result.
It Is not to be forgotten that Mr.. Bryan
Is not only the candidate Of what is left
Of the 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, II ever carried into effect in this
country, would reduce popular govern
ment to a 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 I suppose will be conceded to be-
OF vastly more moment to US and to our
posterity than colonial imperialism. In
decd, the chief objection to colonial i'm
perialism 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
ers Of the Federal government as be-
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
70 me, however, that the most impostaxe
issue before rs at the present moneat 10
whether n domestic affairs ere 10 b
thrown into confusion and exposed to dfs1
aster. The rights and wrongs Of our CO,
lonial possessions must TN this emergency
be subordiaated to the rights and wronea
Of u own affairs.
Furthermore, l Am by no means eats-
fed that Mr.. Bryan would be a safe per-
son to whom to intrast the imperdalistie
questions which will confront us In the
future. In my Judgment he ought to
have made his dght at the time when tho
treaty with Spain was before the Sen
ate. &c should have upheld the hands
Of such dissenting Republicans a. sena-
TOR Hoar, and he should have opposed to
the bitter end the principle Of buying for
eAgn peoples without their consent and In
the midst Of a war for Independence on
their part. BY supporting the treaty Mr..
Bryan made himself a party to Its COM
pact, and i, more than any other one
man. except Mr.. Mckinley, responsible
Tor the situation. The treaty was rat-
He'd, 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,
n that question is whether honesty, in.
oesr1ty 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, aud fall
lacies Of the Populists and Bryanites,
with all the resulting disaster and dis.
honor.
WILLIAM B. HORNBLOWER.
New York, Sept. is.
what l denounce is a Protective
Tar1n. 1t is false economy and tho
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