The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-20
DAVID BENNETT HILL.
81 Am Democrat Criticises the
Roosevelt Administration.

him, said Mr.. Hill is to-day the recog-
nized leader of his party in New York State
and under his guidance and leadership we
are confident OF victory" Mr. Hill said in
part:
There is especially a deep conviction
among the thoughtful people that there Is
something radically wrong in the foreign
| policy OF the present administration. Mr.
/ Hill here referred TO the recent speech or
! Mr.. Hoar in the Senate on the Philippine
| question and said that il had made pro-
/ found and lasting impression upon the
heart and conscience of the country. This
great and patriotic speech, continued the
| speaker, was not met or answered by the
/ partisan address Of President Roosevelt,
/ delivered on Decoration day in violation OF
the propriety OF the occasion, wherein he
| purposely and inadvertently confused the
we'll recognized distinctions which exist
between the administration and the gov
ernment-between the army and the gov
eminent and between all the other officials
| of the government and the government It
| self, and assumed 10 question the loyalty
of those who have ventured to criticise the
cruel acts of a few officers Of the army,
! who, IL some official reports are correct
/ have undoubtedly disgraced the uniform
''The confusion of the state itself with
the ruler thereof is not new in history. 1t
was Louis XIV who once made the same
mistake when he assumed to be France
and uttered the famous declaration, 1
am the state remark which might nave
| lost him his head in later times OF less
| deSpOtiSm, and President Roosevelt, IN
another sense, seems TO have already lost
his head when he fOrgets that this coun-
try differs from both ancient and modern
France in that here it is not crime TO
criticise the army or the President OF any
other servant or servants of the people,
and he needs to be reminded that it is a
government Of lava government under
| written Constitution wherein the right OF
every citizen to freely express his senti-
ments upon administrative questions is eX-
pressly guaranteed-and that loyalty TO
he put consist LOYALTY
to individuals or TO the policies of those
who happen to hold official positions.
Loyalty to this government consists in
attachment TO our free institutions; in the
faithful observance Of constitutional pro-
visions; in respect for its flag as the en-
blem OF liberty; in support of the authori-
ties of the United States against the at
tacks OF our foreign or domestic foes; but
II does not consist In ostentatious profess
sIons of intense Americanism, nor in In
difference to the preservation or spread Of
republican forms of government every
where, nor in suppressing free speech, nor
in conQuering the free people of other and
distant lands who desire to govern them
selves. nor in unlawfully sending accred-
/ tied representatives of this government
abroad without the consent OF the Senate
TO witness the coronation of a King whose
monarchcal government, to its shame be 1T
| said has just succeeded in crushing the
] two struggling republics of South Africa.
And right here 1 may be permitted to
/ suggest that the administration of Pres
! ident Roosevelt will be particularly noted
/ In history as the one during the existence
/ OF which the republics of those brave and
| gallant people were destroyed-destroye
| without one word of protest. or one effort
| to save them or one kind word of sympa-
| thy for them in their unequal struggle, eX-
/ pressed on the part Of this-the greatest re-
/ public of the world, whose influence should
| always be exerted on the side or free IN
] stitutions."
The ex-senator next took up the subject
! of Cuba, dealing first with the administra-
| ton OF General Wood. whom he bitterly
arraigned. The use of money for partisan
| and lobbying purposes in aid of admins
| trattve measures pending before Congress-,
| he declared, served TO emphasize the ire
| sponsible and dangerous character of arbi-
| trary military rule anywhere. whether tenn
porary or permanent. The subject, he
/ went on. demands the investigation OF
| Congress and the prompt punishment OIL
/ the offending official, If he can be reached
through criminal or military law.
THE history Of the country does not
| furnish a more fragrant breach or official
duty. we'll official propriety than that
presented by the misconduct of Wood. Yet
he has neither been arrested nor rebuked
nor censured, nor called to account by the
administration; but public attention TO tne
scandal was sought 10 be diverted by the
sudden interposition Of special message to
Congress iInperiously demanding the pas
sage of a miserable compromise 2O-per-
cent. measure Of Justice to Cuba. =
Discussing the Cuban tariff question, Mr..
Hill said the present controversy in Con-
gress over that subject served to illustrate
the hypocrisy as well as the unSOundneSS
of the whole Republican position on the
subject of tariffs A reciprocity
measure is a misnOmer which does not con-
template at least 80 per cent. reduction of
the existing tariff burdens. When the peo-
pie of Cuba are asking for bread we should
not offer them stone We are the
true friends OF Cuba to-day, and we are
prepared TO mete out to her not merely a
paltry 30 per cent but the full measure
of justice to which she is entitled and
which the present national administration
refuses to cOncede 10 her.
Mr.. Hill asserted that the logic of events
had demonstrated the soundness of many
Democratic conceptions of recent years.
he recalled that portion of the Kansas
City platform which condemned the Ding
ley law as a trust breeding measure and
said that this measure had not only sue
ceeded in creating more trusts than ever
before in the history of the country, but
il has also succeeded in sitting competition
to greater extent than was ever known.
He declared further that ii had succeeded
In unnecessarily raising the cost of living
and had caused more strikes on the part
of workingmen than at any period of our
history. What the people want is imme-
date relief from the present high prices
extorted from them" he said THAT relief
can be obtained by the application of a
speedy and effectual remedy in the repeal
of all tariff duties upon productions con-
trolled by the trusts"
Upon the subject OF Domestic Unity"
Mr.. Hill said: There is substantial accord
among the Democrats of the country upon
all the timely issues which are now engroSS-
ing public attention. We are all united in
favor of the preservation of constitu-
uOnal liberty wherever our flag floats We
are opposed as the permanent policy of this
government TO maintenance of dependent
colonies. to be governed outside of the pale
of the Constitution. We all agreed that
/ the civil should always be superior to the
military power. We all concur in the prin-
ciple that public taxation should be imposed
for public purposes only.
I'VE all favor freedom OF commerce, and
therefore favor genuine reciprocity with
foreign nations, but all opposed TO
sham Republican reciprocity. which is only
another name for Republican hypocrisy.
We all stand where Jackson, Benton and
Tilden stood, in favor of hard money, as
opposed TO an irredeemable paper currency.
We are al opposed to an immense stand
ing army in time CO peace.
Mr.. Hill concluded his speech with a well
come TO Democrats from other States, say
ing: THE Democracy OF this State vel
come the distinguished citizen OF New
Jersey-the only living ex-President of the
United States-whO testihes by his presence
here tonight and by his remarks 10 which
we have so intently listened, his interest in
the success of Democratic principles. We
should have been glad to welcome that
other distinguished Democrat who halls
from the great WeSt-our honored stan
.dard-bearer in the last two presidential
elections-that able and eloquent Democrat
orator, Mr.. Bryan, of Nebraska--had he
been able TO be present on this occasion.
/
I'VE have no criticisms TO make OF any
Democrat in the land. We are neither as
suming 10 make or 10 unmake national
platforms at this time. We are excluding
no man or set of men from the party coun-
ill - - he 70 ..H HF