Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1896-01-15
VESTS VIGOROUS VIEWS.

oilo VI his CHdIaCJeT!stlc soc ecnfS
in the Senate on the It'll. He IT.
raigned the Supreme Court for Il e
income tax decision, and laid the
responsibility for lack of revenue at
their door, when they exempted the
"sordid wealth of the land from
taxation" He contrasted records
of the present and past administra-
tions, and denounced the financial
dependency of this country and of
others upon moneyed influence. He
attacked the President and Secre+
tarv of the Treasury for their prop
osition to retire the greenbacks and
place the circulation in the hands
the national banks; quoted Secre-
tary Carlisle against himself, and !,
in conclusion, declared the conflict
between bimetallism and the gold
standard was irrepressible and that
the sooner it was decided the better
it would be for our public and pri-
vate life. In his reference to the
income tax decision he said:
"That the court should have rem
dered such "A decision was matter Of
surprise to every intelligent lawyer in
the country, and especially to those of
us in Congress who we've engaged in
formulating the legislation. In
my judgment no decision has ever
in the history Of the country been rem
dered which has done so much to de
stroy the influence OF that tribunal
and excite distrust on the part of the
people The country had been used
to rely upon the opinions of this court
because its judgments were supposed
to be above caprice, prejudice and
sudden changes which might charac-
terize decisions Of the lower courts not
SO far removed from outside influences.
That this court should have reversed
ioo O"h aOOioiOis lOi u IuiIuI6u years
on question vitality affecting the in
terests of the entire population and
placed the government in the attitude
of violating the constitution during
the entire history of the Union, must
be matter Of sincere regret" He had
extracts read from dissenting opinions
OF Justices Harlan and Brown saying
If he had made the declarations con-
tanned in these opinions he would be
charged with partisan malice and mis-.
representation, but coming, as they do,
from this high source, they certainly
constituted most powerful arraign
ment of this court of last resort.
Mr.. Vest was most severe in his di-
rect characterization of the conduct OF
the justice who changed his opinion
after the first decision and before the
second was rendered. He would not,
he said, attempt to enter into that
Justices motives, but that Justice
anu AiC dih nv hIlOM VIII IiG WdS-I1du
been mainly responsible in fastening
the sordid despotism of wealth upon
the country by his change of front.
Certainly he had right to change his
mind, but it was matter OF regret
that he had not seen proper to put his
reasons on record for this far reach
ing and terrible decision.
The Justices name was, he contin-
tinued, unknown except to himself
and his associates. The Senate had
been ridiculed and vituperated because
of the secrecy of its executive proceed
ings, but what, Mr.. Vest asked, with
a display of warmth. would be thought
of Senator who would change his
position on a question Of vital general
interest when his position was essen
tial to the success or failure OF cause,
and should not hrve the manhood to
stand before the country and reveal
himself and his reasons for such trans
formation.
Senator Vest said lie did not believe
the terrible effect of this decision Had
yet been apprehended by the people of
the country. alt marks new era"
he said, "and | greatly mistake if
time does not come when neithor soft
words nor honeyed phrases VIII prove
sufficient apology" 1t was, he said
beyond credibility that a Vanderbilt, i
with his hundreds OF millions, should
have to pay no more than the poorest
OF men, in taxes, and that the army T
and navy must be used to support him
in his rights, as must be the case il !
the decision was to stand
STATE OF ONO, CITY OF ToLEDo,l
LUCAS County -