The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1895-05-31
CAPITAL NOTES.

answer arguments, those eoptai.iad
in the dlsseLsrng opinions of Justices
Harlan, jackson, Brown and White
who ysted against the decision of the
SupreNse seSeQrt which wiped out the
income tax law, have peen thoroughly
answered. But there are peopie, fOtsofs
them, tOo-wh0 refuse to accept
personal abuse as answers to plain,
common sense argument. These
people believe the position taken by
the dissenting justices to have been
right and will continue to so believe
until somebody answers the arguments
they used to support their opinions in
some other way than by abuse. It is
not the first time that Justice Harlan
has stood up as the special champion
of the great common people and fear
lessly pointed out the danger of the
continued encroachments of wealth,
and it probably will not be the last
time.
~
Certainly the following, from Justice
Harlan's opinion, are not the words of
an anarchist: I'm my judgement-to
say nothing of the disregard of the
former adjudications of this court,
and the practice of the government
for century-this decision may well
excite the greatest apprehensions.
1t strikes at the very foundations of
national authority, in that it denies to
the general government a power which
is or may become vital to the existence
and preservation of the Union. Are
those in whose behalf arguments are
made that rest upon favoritism by the
law making power to mere property
and to particular sections of the
country, aware that they are provoking
a contest which in some countries has
swept away, in tempest of frenzy
and passion, existing social organiza-
ticns, and put in peril all that was
dear to friends of law and order?
The practical, if not direct, effect of
the decision to-day is to give to certain
kinds of property a position of favor
itism and advantage that is inconsist-
ent with the fundamental principles
Of our social organizations, and to
invest them with power and i"flueEce
that may be perilous to that portion of
the American people upon whom rests
the larger part of the burdens of the
government and who ought not to be
subjected to the dominion of aggregat-
ed wealth anymore than the property
Of the country should be at the mercy
of the lawless,''
Apropos of the decision is the gossip
now floating around Washington about
the cost of the legal talent employed
to fight the constitutionality OF the in
come tax. More money was paid to
lawyars in this case than would pay
the salaries of the nine Justices of the
Supreme Court for a period of FIVE
years. One man-Joseph II. Choate
got fee of 5000, 900. These things
furnish significant proof of the truth
of some of Justice Iiarlan's warning
words.
The administration Is being prepared
py its friends for a defeat in Kentucky
on the silver question. Col. O. o.
the Washington representative
of Col. Henry Watterson and close
friend of Secretary Carlisle, has just
returned form Kentucky. He said
when asked what he thought would be
the outcome of the silver fight: "Well,
L have just been making little tour
of the state. Was in fifteen counties.
My belief is that there will he a plank
in the state plat form favoring
the free coinage of silver at the ratio
of 16 to 1. Maybe Secretary Carlisle,
Senator Lindsay and Col. Watterson
can prevent it, but it is my present
impression that it is inevitable" 1t
is, Of course, unnecessary to say that
Col. Stealey is not a silver man.
-
The news from Illinois is about the
same "a that from Kentucky. Senator
Palmer, who has been the leader of the
fight against free silver
and personal representative
of President Cleveland, has abandoned
the fight and Is low i'll Washington
to report the failure of his campaign.
lie insists that the silver craze is
subSiding III the state. but doubts
the accuracy of his Judgment by adding
that the democratic cOnventinn, which
will be held in June, will enthusiast
cally declare for the free Coinage of
silver at Il Is to l ratio. But he saws
the enthusiasm will be manufactured
and that the action of the convention
will mean nothing. The silver men
naturally ask why so much effort was
expended to prevent The election of