The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-09-19
More Money Talk.

SONS unsophisticated or malignant indi-
vidunls nrc seriously proposing to make this
yea what il called an anti money bag "
contest under Democratic party coiors in
New York because Mr.. MORTON, the Repub-
licnn candidate for Governor, is rich. 1t is
said that he is to he opposed rs n million
aire candidate and that the nomination Of
n man Of scanty means by n credulous Con
vention denominnted Democratic in Sara
tuga next week, would be a master stroke of
wisdom and diplomacy. A similar stand
has heretofore been taken by individuals
who have thought this to be a matter of
Importance, but so far as the political record
shows, the voters have taken very little
stock in such communistic arguments.
The possession and lawful enjoyment of
wealth is not a crime under the Constitu-
ton Of the State or of the Nation. Some
of the most distinguished Governors Of New
Sork have been men Of large wealth, and
this has not operated to their injury as can
didates. HAMILTON FISH was one of them.
Edwin ID. MORGAN, twice Governor of New
York, occupied n somewhat similar relation
to the Republican party that Mr.. MORTON,
another banker, does today. SAMUEL j.
TILDEN represented, when elected. large
pccuniary interests; and to his providence
and thoughtfulness ~ n public-spiritcd citi.
zsii, the princely bcqucst which he left for
the Tilden Library in the hands Of his
executors is "A tangible monument. .IoHS A.
DIX and LrCIUs ROBINSON were both men of
large wealth and both closely identified with
the great railroad corporation which owed
its origin to the contributions of the State:
the Erie Railway Company. Roswell =.
FLOWER, the present popular Governor, is
identified with many of the largest none
tary and commercial interests Of the state,
and the effort To defeat him made in 1891
on the ground that he possessed large wealth, |
failed entirely of its purpose, while the insin-
certify of such opposition was shown by the
fact Chat ALFRED {. CHAPLIN, another we'll
TODD citizen. was the only candidate In the
Convention against Mr.. FLOWER. The vot-
ers of New York. Democrats and Republi-
cGns, do not give their support to n candi-
date because of his wealth, actual or sup
posititious; they do not withhold their sup
port on that account from him, either.
There is, moreover, n special reason this
tcar-peculiar, exceptional, abnormal, and
indeed unprecedented-why the Democratic
barty in the State of New York. even if its
IfoA ''''ii f'iia ii'N 'H'l 'llN'
permitted such n course, would beprecluded
from entering into such an anti-moncy-
bag canvass. Congress adopted, before adj
journing, the bill assaulting by the uncon-
stitutional income tax of 2 per cent. the
earnings Of every citizen in excess OF $4,000
n year. This measure, abhorrcnt to all
Democratic notions of equality and fairness,
was opposed with viGOr and frankness by
the representatives OF New York on the
Democratic side in Congress, 1t is true that
the nominal head of the party, holding the
Office of President, by the vote of the De-
mocracy, had it within his power to save the
people Of New York from the imposition Of
this hateful tax by the interposition of his
veto, but his failure to do this is in no wise
binding on the Democracy OF the State,
which will no doubt explicitly disavow in
any completely with this ~furtive,
but none the less cowardly and sinister CON
cession 10 the Populist-Socialist spirit.
The evil brought by this error of adopt
ing as Democratic this Populist tax would
certainly he aggravated aud enlarged by
embarking in an anti-rich-men's campaign.
No! The Democrats of New York have
10 do with the odious income tax
except to pay u~njuStly and unconstitution
ally and under protest their unfair share of
be a refuge for Cuckoos, smoked out, but
never for Democrats, who stand up for prin-
ciple and the fulhlment of pledges, without
evasion. or impOsture.