Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1896-07-16

The income tax is just law. 1t sim
ply intends to put the burden of Gov
ernment justly upon the backs of the
people. I am in favor of an income
tax. (Applause.)
When find man who is not will
ing to pay his share OF the burden of
the Government which protects him
! find man who is unworthy to en-
JOY the blessings of Government like
ours. (Appiause.)
He says that we are opposing the
national bank currency. It is true.
If you will read what Thomas Benton
said you will find that he said that in
searching history he could find but
one parallel to Andrew Jackson. That
was Cicero, who destroyed the con-
spiracy of Cataline and saved Rome.
He did for Rome what Jackson did
when he destroyed the bank conspir-
aey and saved America. (AppIause.)
FUNCTION OF THE GOVERNMENT.
We say in our platform that we be-
lieve that the right to coin money
and issue money is function of gov
ernment. We believe it. We believe
it is part of the sovereignty, and can
no more with safety be delegated to
private individuals than we could af-
ford to delegate to private individuals
the power to make penal statutes, or
levy laws for taxation. (Applause.)
Mr.. Jefferson, who was once re-
garded as good Democratic authority,
seems to have a different opinion
from the gentlemen who have adj
dressed US on the part of the minor
ity. Those who are opposed to this
proposition tell us that the issue of
paper money is a function of the bank,
and that the Government ought to go
out of the banking business. l stand
with Jefferson, rather than with them,
and tell them, as he did, that the is
sue of money is function of the Gov
ernment, and that the banks ought to
go out of the Government business.
They complain about that plank
which declares against the life tenure
in office. They have tried to strain
it to mean that which it does not
mean. What we oppose in that plank
is the life tenure that is being built up
at Washington which excludes from
participation in its benefits the hum
bier members of our society. 1 can
not dwell long in my limited time.
(Cries of "Go on, go on.''
Let me call attention to two or three
great things. The gentleman from
New York says that he will propose
an amendment providing that this
change in our law shall not affect con-
tracts already made. Let me remind
him that there is no intention of af-
fecting those contracts which, ac-
cording to present laws, are made
payable in gold. But, if he means to
say, that we can not change our mon
etary system without protecting those
who have loaned money before the
change was made, want to ask him
where in law or in morals he can find
authority for not protecting the debt
ors when the act of 1873 was passed,
but now insists that we must protect
the creditor. He says he also wants
to amend this law and provide that if
we fail to maintain a parity within a
year we will then suspend the coinage
of silver.
We reply that when we advocate a
thing which we believe will be sue
cessful we are not compelled to raise
a doubt as to our sincerity by trying
to show what we will do if we can. II
ask him, if he will apply his logic to
US, why does he not apply it to him
self? He says that he wants this |
country to secure an international
agreement. Why doesn't he tell US
what he is going to do if they fail to |
secure an international agreement?
There is more reason for him to do that |
than us to fail to maintain the parity. |
They have tried for thirty years-for
thirty years-to secure an interna- |
tional agreement, and they are wait
ing for it most patiently and don't
want it at all. Cheers and laughter,
long continued.)
THE PARAMOUNT ISSUE.
Now, my friends, let me come to the |
great paramount issue. If they ask US |
here why it is that we say more on
the money question than we say upon |
the tariff question, reply that If pro-
lection has slain it's thousands, the
gold standard has slain it's tens of
thousands. If they ask us why we did
not embody all these things in our
platform which we believe, we reply |
to them that when we have restored |
the money of the Constitution all
other necessary reforms will be pos
sible, and that until that is done there
is no reform that can be accomplish
ed. (Cheering.)
Why is it that within three months |
such a change has come over the
sentiments of this country? Three
months ago, when it was confidently
asserted that those who believed in
the gold standard would frame our
platform and nominate our candidate,
even the advocates of the gold stan |
dard did not think that we could elect
a President, but they had good reason
for the suspicion, because there is|
scarcely state here to-day asking for
the gold standard that is not within
nHAlnEn |