Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-04-05
Bryan on Hill.

From The Commoner
Hon. David B. Hill, like ex-President Cleve-
land was invited to the dinner given short
time ago by the Crescent Democratic Club Of
Baltimore, and, like Mr.. Cleveland, he sent his
regrets The letter which he wrote for that
occasion contains several sentences which in
dcate that Mr.. Hill is on dangerous ground.
He seems to confess the criticisms made against
the Democratic party by the Republicans and
by the Democrats who opposed the ticket.
He says "Labor and capital should be equal
ly respected, but neither should be unnecessa-
rily assailed." The Democratic party has
never been accused of assail1ng labor, but it is
favorite pastime with the Republicans to ac-
cuse it of assailing capital The Democratic
party distinguishes between legitimate accumu-
lations and predatory wealth but whenever pred
atory wealth is attacked it tries to shield itself
behnd honest capital
Mr.. Hill says "Opposition to dangerous cor
porate combination should not be allowed to de-
generate into indiscrimlnate attacks upon char
tered rights" That is almost identical with the
language used by the Republicans in defending
the trusts. They are always careful to assure
the public that they condemn "hurtful, Gin
furious" and dangerous" combinations, but
thev are soicitous about vested rights, and are
fearful lest the attacks may be "indiscriminate."
The language used by Mr.. Hill is generally
empoyed by those who have no remedy to pro-
pose for the trusts, but oppose any remedy sug-
gested.
Bu. he gets even nearer to the Republican
line, if possible, when he says, "The people
want safe, conservative administration of
public affairs" That is just exactly what the
Republicans always promise. ''Safe and con-
servative" e"-everybo wants safe admins
tration, and conservatism is an almost universal
trait. But the Republicans pirate so much
about "safety" and "conservatism" that
Democrat ought not to use the terms without
explaining what he means by them. An ad
ministraton that would be 'safe" for the mo-
nopolies would not be satisfactory to those who
are the victims of every private monopoly, and
an administration so conservative that it would
not undo anything that the Republican party
has done would be no better than Republican
administration
Mr.. Hill adds: "There must be no question
of our intention to feerlessly maintain the ma
tonal credit under any and all circumstances.
As the Democratic party has never attacked the
national credit, that advice is gratuitous unless
Mr.. Hill means to condemn the Chicago and
Kansas City platforms; and if such is his in
teuton, he ought to make the attack openly
and boldly.
In another part of the letter, he says, "We
should concliate rather than antagonize the
great business interests of the country" How
is this Cancellation to be accomplished? The
policies advocated by the Democratic party are
as good for the ordinary business man as they
are for the laborng man or the farmer, but the
great railroad interests are opposed to the Dem
ocratic party because the party opposes extoi-
tionate rates, rebates and destinations; because
it opposes watered stock and fictitious capital