Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-02-01
COCKRAN'S APPEAL.
The Eloquent New Yorker Predicts
Evil of Income Tax
THINKS IT DECIDEDLY UNJUST.
A NE Has Pleaded for the Poor So He
Now Pleads for the Rich He Calls
Upon History to As
sist Him.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 9i.-Yesterday was
field day in the house. Opponents of
the income tax had their chance.
Messrs Covert and Bartlett, of New
York, and johnson, Of Ohio, all demo-
Gratis, presented their opposition along
with the republicans 10 the proposition
10 impose special tax on wealth But
II remained for Bourke Cochran, the
great Tammany orator, to eclipse with
his eloquence against the measure all
the speeches he has ever made in con-
gress. Mr.. Bryan, of Nebraska, closed
the debate for the day In defense of the
income tax and he, too, made an elo-
quent speech. Cochran said;
He had hoped that the tariff bill would o al
lowed 10 come 10 . vote unvexed, undisturbed,
and fee from all danger Of embarrassing side
issues He had hoped that the democratic par.
" would irst redeem It's pledges before 1t be-
gan to indulge the vagaries Of It's members
Those who opposed this proposition were to be
subjected to a new test Of loyalty VIII will
ing to vote for the tarl1 bill we are now asked,
at the behest Of q party caucus, 10 vote for
special tax on g. 90 out OF g. 900 O01 OF people
When a proposition goes further than mere
taxation, and ia deliberately designed to tax
class, those who believe IN equality before the
law must array themselves against II
II breaks all the fundamental principles Of
democracy ct the very root Of the government
II In the entering wedge In the shape of retalia'
tory legislation In this country. What reason
Ia assigned for bringing forth such PROPOSE
tionf Why should harmonious militant
party be plunged into dlsoord by this PROPOSE
ton 1t is brought In upon the assumption
the Wilson bill will produce deficit upon
the assumption that ex sting conditions OF bus
mess on unparalleled stagnation, will con
tnue have said before, and say now, that
~ believed the Wilson bill would produce a
deficit in the revenues II would not receive my
support The whole experience Of the human
race demonstrates the idea the reductions car.
ried by this bill will produce q deficit is UNI
founded, false In theory and q libel on tho dem
ocratio party.
As l oppose Determinations against the poor,
so l oppose determinations against the rich
II you will put an income tax on every man,
woman and child In the United States I will
support H. You think this q popular move
You are mistaken. There IL less demagogy
among the people than among the politicians
| have never found laboring man who wanted
anything except equality before the law. Some
| Of you tell us this tax upon the rich will re-
press anarchy Great heavens, do the gentle.
men understand what that means do they not
see II means we are about 10 outstrip them In
| the race for anarchy Again they tell US II
will increase the interest In politics by taxing
| 5000 people and allowing o. 0o1 100 TO go un.
taxed. This is all wrong The rich will not
| feel IT, They will welcome It because It will
make them class In this country.
| Look at the whole history Of the world and
see the growth OF one nation aud the decay OF
| another and everywhere you will ind that
| where institutions have been created that viii
| preserve property, they have grown, prospered
and fourished until they ceased to give secur.
! ity for human industry and then they deeayed
| and fell Why was It that Burgundy and
/ t.,,I n Lat. upAa nrtNt Oh
one OF them more important than the estab
| lishment Of the king himself, we're absorbed by
| the crown? Do you suppose II was on account
Of the action Of Louis aLf Do you suppose II
| was on account Of the necessities of settle
| mentf No: 10 was the firm belief OF those who
created property, the small owners OF moneys.
| that the feudM system was hostile TO them,
| and the crown friendly, and the rise Of the
crown was due to the belief It would operate
for the protection Of property.
| II on will look back To the sixteenth cen ury
| after the time OF Louis XII and rdinal dam
boise when all the great houses had dsap'
| pcircd and the bes were shruuk into insly.
| nlucllce. he U gcoiss and the small acoum.
| ulNtOrs Uf property, the toiling mas YES, upheld
the crown. TIE king was their protector and
| cVrrS man Tor the King The kinyship
was based on the confidence OF the common
| people. thaJ he would b, ready Ia reduce the
| taxes and insure property; and the king
ship grew and lived Tor centuries. until
| Il In tuT became oppressive, ind distributed
! the burdens OF life unfairly when the pruluc-
| tive masses bore u lh" taxes, universal bank
| ruptcy existed. and until there were no persons
from whom tixes could be collected no more
| production, no moro industtill growth then
revolution swept the crown and hngship away
AID lrty bound Tor ages, struggled TO It's
| feet ildifercntly lighted the castles I OBJ
pressors with the torch had klndled TO gul ie
rs own steps, until stsgg ring and blinded by
tue very light II tad created II fell dying int
the hands OF Bonaparte, Tremendous APP
plause
Mr. Cochran went on in a glorious
burst of eloquence to appeal TO his
democratic colleagues not to commit
this fatal error lie warned them moi
TO throw away New York, the strong.
hold of democracy, as some hot-headed
members had counseled them 20 do
lie pointed 10 the result Of disaffectiol
in Scotland when the highlands apd
the lowlands were at war. He quoted
tho language Of jefferson, of Tilden
OF Thurman, OF Bayard, of Stevens, the
sacred saints and apostles of democra
cy. Are we to go TO the country" ht
asked, with the evolution Of this
new faith, under the leadership Of Nc
Millin, Fithian and Livingston, anC
lhoN tho PeoPio now we nave grown
tLaughter.l Protest against thii
change" he concluded. at is treason
10 the party and its faith. believe
every man should DO as equal before
the law as before his God; before the
ballot as before the altar, and so
stand here now appealing for equality
for one country, one God, one demo
cratic party, without distinction o
class, wealth or race
, =-===---
steel Plant Resumea Work.
" Louis. Inn. Al-Tha Nnllnu Slnn