The Ely miner., 1900-10-12
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
D. B. Hill.


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
ly personal causes by David B. Hill, has
made the following statement why he, a
Democrat, cannot support Bryan;
I have been repeatedly asked during
the past few weeks what, in my judg-
ment, is the duty Of Gold Democrat
who is also an Anti-Imperialist, in the
pending presidential campaign. The
question Is by no means 4 simple one,
and can we'll understand and appreciate
the position taken by such men as Mr..
Schurz, Mr.. Shepard and Mr.. Olney.
Fer my own part, however, cannot see
my way clear to reaching their conciu-
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, crazy-quilt platform Of
at modification or modification by the
Kansas City platform. The 16 to plank
is expressly reafirmed and redeclared.
and this at the instance Of Mr.. Bryan
himself. 1 cannot support a candidate
who still adheres to q proposition which,
to my mind, is monstrosity and which.
If carried into effect, would in my judg-
ment produce untold disaster to all
classes of the community and bring dis
honor and humiliation to our nation. The
fact, if it be a fact, that recent legisla-
ton has made it difficult for Mr.. Bryan
to carry into practice his avowed princi-
pies does not, it seems to be, make it
any the more right to vote for man
who still maintains these principles. II
is 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 polls 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.
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, if 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, ard
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
deed, the chief objection to colonial Inn
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
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 CO.
lonial possessions must in this emergency
be subordinated to the rights and wrongs
of our own affairs.
Furthermore, 1 am by no means salts
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 fhe hands
of such dissenting Republicane as Sena-
tor Hoar, and he should have opposed to
the bitter end the principle of buying for
eign 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 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 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
he 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.