The sun., 1894-03-15
I. Senator McPherson q Mas or Jelly
Ftah

By an accident Of politics. the Hon. JoHS
RoDER1cK McPHIRsoN Of New Jersey is the
only Democrat in the Finance Committee
of the Senate who represents any State
east Of Indiana and north OF the Carolinas.
The other Democrats in the committee are
vooRHEEs OF Indiana. vEsr II Missouri.
VANCE Of North Carolina. Harms Of Ten
nessee. and JoxEs OF Arkansas.
Supposing that all OF these Southern and
Western statesmen are strongly in favor of
the income tar. II would nevertheless be in
the power Of Senator MCPHERSON to defeat
that iniquitous measure In the committee.
BY adding his vote to those OF the I've Re-
pubiicans.
McPHERsox stands In the committee for
ali that part Of the Union at which the In
come tar II aimed by It's Populistic authors
and their pssudo-Democratlc accomplIces.
He ought 10 stand like . rock for the inter-
ests Of the section which he has the honor
to represent. What is the Hon. JOHN ROD
ERIcK doing7
According to credible in,orma alton. SEN
ator MCPHERSON does not hesitate to ex-
press. in q mild and theoretical way. his
disapproval Of the income tax: but he has
not yet announced his intention to back
up his disapproval with his vote. either In
committee or In the Senate.
Reports about the Hon. JOHN RoDERIcK's
spineless attitude at his post Of duty and
tine point Of danger. 60 so FAR as to assert
that when squarely invited by Senator AID
RICH In the Finance COMMITTEES on Tues
day last TO lend the one vote needed to cut
tho income tax out OF the Tariff bill. the
Jerseymsn hesitated. and then replied that,
while personally opposed to the tax. he
would be obliged to vote for II with the other
Democrats on the committee.
Obliged to vote for the income tar as a
party measure? Obliged by whom From
wbs. source comes the mandate TO the
Hon. JOHN RoDERIcK McPHERsoy TO sur
render his personal convictions and betray
the interests OF his constituents in order to
preserve party discipline There is no
mystery OF present times deeper than that
which surrounds the origin OF this vague.
awful. and irresistible pressure forcing
Democrats In Congress to disregard their
own party platform. and at the same time
to carry out the promises Of the Populists.
registered In their Omaha platform. Who
made the income tax part OF the Demo-
cratic programme? Was IL the Populist
Committee on Resolutions at Omaha? Was
1t the President OF the United States when
he adopted In part the Populist PROPOSE
ton. and recommended q tax on incomes
derived from certain corporate invest
ments? Was II Professor WILSON when
heswallowed the Populist idea wholef
These are questions which Senator Nc
PHKRsoS ought to consider very seriously
while stiffening up his moral and political
fibre during the next few days. What
Democrat. or what body OF Democrats. is
In position TO dictate his course concerning
the income tax, Whose orders will he 10
obeying II he turns jelly fish instead Of man.
and surrenders his own convictions in
order TO load his own constituents with the
share Of the South and West in the burden
Of taxation for national purposes
II happens. through circumstances al
ready noted. that Senator MCPHERSON OF
New Jersey occupies Q very conspicuous
position with reference to the further for
tunes Of this infamous measure. His atti-
tude and his doings are In the strong light
OF publicity. II il prove true that the fate
Of the income tax turns upon his vote. and
be merely lets his tongue wag In q sort OF
academic protest. we pity the plant and
eloquent gentleman from New Jersey. He
will have rendered to his friends and neigh
bors. not only In New Jersey. but in all of
the New England and Middle States. to Dem
Ocrats everywhere who are opposed to the
income tax. . left-handed service which
they will be slow to forget. The admira-
tion Of Omaha and applause from ArkAdel-
phia will be small compensation.
1t will be an infinitely greater misfortune
20 the Hon. JOIN RoDERIcK MCPHERSON OF
New Jersey to be caught wabbling on the
income tar than to be caught short on q
thousand shares OF one OF his fAvorite spec
ulatfvs I'm atm an Ia i'm Wall strest