The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-22

the demand II now made that they
he subjected to the further penalty
of exclusion from public Office. They
are described as tainted" as social
lepers who should be deprived Of political
privileges which are the birthright OF all
other American citizens. Because they are
richer than the mass Of the people they are
10 be ~plundered by the tax gatherer, and
now It is demanded that they be disqualified
for political Office.
OF course that is logical enough. IT is the
communistic principle on which the income
tax is based. II because a man has an in
come of 8 $4,000 or over he ~forfeits his right
to equality before the law, and is a member
Of a class against which discrimination in
taxation should be made, why should not
his punishment be rendered more complete
A distinct class OF fewer rights than
the rest of the people having been
made, a precedent has been established
which ~justiies the further abridgment Of
the rights of these people, until at last
none at all is left to them. II they
are Disseminated against in taxation, and
thus subjected to a penalty reserved for
them alone, why should not the additional
punishment of exclusion from all the privi-
leges of citizenship enjoyed by the rest be
visited on them'
Under the existing Constitution, to which
even Communism must give obedience,
they cannot be made legally ineligible for
Office simply because other men envy their
greater wealth; but this ridiculous news
paper would shut them out not less eff
fectually by the sentiment Of those who are
not so rich. II would prevent the nomination
for public Office of any man " tainted with
plutocracy - and manifestly, as we have
said, plutocracy must be an income which
deprives a man Of the right to the equality
enjoyed by people who have it not.
II such a rule had been established in this
republic from the beginning, WASHING
o could never have been President.
He was one OF the richest Americans of
his day. JOHN ADAMS and JoHN QUINCY
ADAMS were both "plutocrats." JEFFERSON
would have been debarred from public
office, for he was a large stakeholder n
a rich man. MARTIN VAN buren, was
rich. JAMES BUCHANAN was in exceedingly
prosperous circumstance. SAMUEL j. TIL
DEN was very rich. GROVER CLEVELAND
has accumulated a large fortune. Governor
SEYMOUR Of this State. a name honored by
the whole Democracy, was a man OF wealth.
Governor FLOWER Is a millionaire.
The rule would exclude every Democrat
now prominently mentioned as a candidate
for Governor. Mr.. WILLIAM G. WHITNEY is
very rich. Nj. DANIEL LAMONT, sometimes
spoken of as a candidate for the nomination,
has laid by a tidy fortune during recent years.
Mr.. JOHN BOYD TEACHER. 80 favorably con-
sidered in some quarters, is !" tainted with
plutocracy," as Is also Mr.. DANIEL S. LOCK
WOOD. Mr.. CHARLES S. FARcHnD of Cuckoo
fame is a "plutocrat." Mr.. WILLIAM r.
GRACE is a millionaire. Mr.. FREDERICK
Cook Of Rochester is rich. All of these men
come under the penalty Of the income tax. |
They are all members of the special class
by it and punished by it.
The Democracy Of New York, however,
Is opposed to such class distinction and all
class distinctions. whether established by
an income tax or in any other way. 1t is for
the equality Of citizenship. 1t will obey no
principle in making its nominations like
that on which the income tax is based. 1t
will not punish thrift and enterprise, skill
and ability, business sagacity and executive
power with political Punishment. That
is the principle Of Socialism and Anarchy,
not Of Democracy.