The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1895-04-11
WORDS THAT BURN.
DenunciafiOn of Democratic Income-
Tax and Free-Silver Schemes.

E-oitorlai IN Brooklyn Eagle (Dem.)
Thirty years ago to-day Lee surrendered
to- Grant A rebellion without excuse
grounded it's arms to a nation without
malignity. The result stood for the ele-
Walton of manhood to citizenship and for
the abolition of manhood as property. 1t
signified the triumph of liberty and the
downfall of slavery. 1t represented the
defeat of the South and the victory of the
North
Obligations were incurred as well as
succe ;ses gained. One obligation was the
pensioning of the saviors of the Union and
OF freedom. The money for that was a
debt on all. The fund was a perpetual
reminder of the holiness of the cause that
won and of the Nervousness of the cause
that lost. Whether in the politics of war
or IN the war of politics, whether in the
strife OF armies or of parties, the winners
Degln to lose and the losers begin to win
from the moment that the power of the
nrst and the overthrow of the second seem
complete. Reform in New York city, for in
stance. is weaker and Tammany is stronger
To-Day than when the polls closed last No
VemDer. Ever since the surrender at Ap-
pomattox the hold of the North on the
South over the North has grown from moth
ing to much.
The concentrated effort of the South to
fasten an income tax on the government
mas its motive in Southern resentment
against national pensions for Northern
The South is where these soldier soldiers won won
their pensions. The North is where the
property rs pc rs is which an income tax would
which furnished the benefciaries of pa
triotism was agreeable to the section
The North took it out in pensions. The
south would retaliate on property. The
The North had nearly all; but the south
mad little or no property subject to income
tax, WhlIe the North mad much. Inc chance
to get even or more than even was at
tractive. 1t was improved by making the
exemption rate just high enough to let the
South effectually out
Alone the sectional repr,sal and political
retaliation marking the Southern initia-
tive of the income tax on the North could
enough. The South had to be reinforced
by the West. The ghost of slavery had
cialism. The unpublished survivors and I'M
abated eulogists of the lost cause had to
populism. i' The section Ito that owed the
North hate Joined with the. section that
owed the North money. Malevolence and
population kissed one another. On the
thirtieth anniversary of Lees surrender is
Of the tinted States has evenly divided on
the question of the constitutionality of an
income tax-that phase of the decision be-
ing victory of Confederate and socialistic
pense Of Northern property. Appomattox
only thirty years since Appomattox.
The Eagle has been well nigh alone in
this estimate innate; Of the motive Of this income ,
papers that do not advance it reserve it
from policy. not from conviction; When
themselves. The income tax was the star
achievement for the punishment of North
South, and of Northern adhesion to honest
money by the scalers and repudationists
Of the West It was Of a piece with the
Northern Democrats in Congress and made
the roster of the departments sound like
son and of Kirby Smith The Northern
Democrats could elect Southern speakers
the Gripping of Northern industries and
vote for the confirmation of Southern and
a quorum and eat the leek-and have the
income tax forced on their people. Now
that the tax has been saved by the vote
of the Louisiana man who succeeded Sam
uel Blatchford, the Northern Democrats
will vii. be further permitted to support some
doughface for President a platform of
so cents the dollar-and the devil is
to pay.
The Eagle sees in the confiscation theory
of an unequal and discriminating income
tax and in the Reputation, theory of free
silver a sectionalism more intense and
more bitter and not less dividing than that
which the rebellion illustrated. To punish
property and to outlaw honesty from
money IS to make the fact of government
a tyranny and fraud, and the form of
government minor matter. To unite those
who idle and those who would loot or cheat
over those who would work. save and pay
is to put the bottom on top and to nullify
morality and civilization in the maine of
law The magnanimity of the North in
magnifying clemency, patriotism. aid,
trust and nationhood receives sorry re-
turn from once conquered Southern rebels
and often accommodated Western credit
ors. We take it that the Northern Demo-
Gratis are through, and will accept their
chances under the federal government of
their traditional adversaries, until their
traditional allies learn that the laws of
either to suit the acts of Congress or the
decisions of courts.