Mississippi leader. (Jackson, Miss.) 1892-1895, 1892-09-15


doubtless destined 70 undergo constant
and numerous revisions By Congress in
the impossible efforts 20 equaliEe all its
burdens and benefits.
Our National Convention wisely justi.
fes tariff as q defensive measure, which
practically can but mean Reciprocity
In q country Of such vast and varied
resources as ours, such a tariff system
could not fail to yield considerable rev.
enue.
A further provision of the platform
contains q measure of revenue of such
transcendent Importance as to commend
itself to the favor Of all classes and
especially the masses, In these words:
The residue Of means necessary to an
economical administration of the Govern
ment should be raised by levying bur
den on what the people possess instead OF
upon what they consume"
The platform fairly and, as think with
great wisdom, embraces the policy of lay
ing the burden Of public revenue where it
justly belongs and precisely where the
ability lies TO pay, namely, ION what the
people possess" in other words, on their
wealth-the value OF which will generally
be measured in dollars By the the revenue
or net income IL yields to the possessor.
An income tax can do no injustice,
work no opposition; for where there is no
income there will be nothing to pay; the
rich will pay most and the poor least or
nothing. This mode of revune is no ex-
pertinent in this country. During the
great rebellion when every source OF
revenue wss strained to sustain the armies
of the Union an income tax was resorted
to and 1t worked hke a charm.
It helped then to save the Union and
will help to save the nation now in an
other rebellisn-the classes against the
masses
Some men Of course will always try to
evade the payment Of their just taxes.
But no honest man, think, can ever
make any reasonable objection to a well
regulated income tax.
The effect of this mode of raising ma
tional revenue cannot fail to be benef.
cent. 1t will relieve the poor without
expressing the rich. Perhaps no other
measure possible to be devised will work
greater reform or give greater impetus &c
general prosperity than wisely regulated
income tax. One of its results would be
to favor the equal distribution of wealth
It would go far to heal the growing dis
cord between labor and capital
A further important effect to flow from
q revenue system based on "What the
people possess instead of upon what they
consume" would be that 1t would at once
become the interest Of all, rich and poor
alike, to align Themselves on the side of
the strictest economy in all branches Of
the public service.
There Is perhaps no one issue In all the
broad array of Prohibition principles
embraced in our national platform of
more vital concern 10 the material
prosperity Of our whole country, than that
Of transportation. Hence we declare in
favor of government control OF railroad,
telegraph and other public corporations,
in the interest of all the people. If rail
ways cannot otherwise be so controlled
then 1t becomes the imperative duty OF
government to acquire and exercise abso
trunk lines, for we mean p raclical anC
efficient eontrol-nothing less.
So essential u this instrumentality to
our national Hfs aud prosperity in this
stage Of rapid transit, that whatever
powers own and control the railways oil
tho United States, intimately associated
a. they are with other great monopolistic
interests, will have it within their sway
virtually to own and control the govern
ment
Il Is well known that railways and thei
natural Affiliations (the great moneyeC
and other corporate powers) have alread!
q most dangerous influence in all election
and In every department of the govern
ment. They are absolutely corrupting
We boast that ours is the frecst and bes
government, and SO 1t is.
But the question comes home 30 every
thoughtful mind; Is 1t safe for the peopl
to surrender their rights into the hands o
great corporations
The transportation question has anC
will ever have IN important effect in add
ing strength to the bonds of the nationa
union, by multiplying the facilities fol
travel and the eommingling Of the peopl'
of all sections, thereby dissipating preju
dices, forming and connecting friendships
unifyiAg the people la language, in ma
tional spirit and love Of country through
the constant medium of more intimate
social and business relations.
For these considerations transportation
must be controlled-owned If necessary
BY the government OF the United States.
The general diffusion of morality and
intelligence Ia essential to the preserva
tion Of the rights and liberties of the peo
pie. One State constitution has it in
these words:
IA general diffusion of knowle dge aud
intelligence being essential to the preser-
walton of the rights and liberties of the
people, the Legislature shall encourage by
all suitable means the promotion of in
tellectual, scientific, moral and agricul-
tural improvement"
Another State constitution has the same
declaration, thus: knowledge and learn
ing, generally diffused throughout the
community, being essential to the preser-
vation of q free government, 1t shall bt
the duty of the General Assembly to en-
courage by all suitable means, moral, in
tellectual, scientific and agricultural inn
provement.
We have. therefore, ample reason for
the conclusion that this free popular gov
ernment-this mighty empire of sovereign
States can only be preserved on the basis
Of morality and intelligence.
The demand is therefore imperative
that ample means Of education upon such
basis be provided ut the public expense anC
placed within the reach of every child il
The nation.
The transeendsat Importance of tn.
common school oannos be too firmly en-
phasized.
Our National Convention has therefore
wisely made prominent In its platform
the American public school, which should
be, II possible, the most prevalent anC
conspicuous object In the nation. Ovel
Il the flag OF freedom should ever be un.
furled, for Ii should be school of patrio-
tism a. we'll rs Of intelligence and mo
rality. The teachings Of the American