The Van Buren press., 1896-08-15

ne the rights of persons, are safe IN the
hands Of the common people. Abraham
Lincoln In his message sent 10 congress
in December. 1861. said: mo men living
oro more worthy to be trusted than those
who foil ND from poverty; none less IN
clinad 70 take or touch aught which
they have not honestly earned
reneat his language with unqualihed
annroyal and join with him in the warn
inc he added: LET them beware OF sur
rendering q political power which they
already possess and which power II sur
rendered. will surely be used to close the
doors of advancement against such as
tbev and TO fix new disabilities and bur-
dens upon them until all of liberty shall
be lost"
Those who daily follow the injunction
sin the sweat of thy face shalt thou
eat bread" are now. as they ever have
been. the bulwark of law and order-the
source of our nations greatness In time
of neace and its surest defenders in time
of war
Rut | have only read a part of jack
sons utterances-let me give you MS
conclusion: "But when the law under
takes to add to those natural and just
advantages artificial distinctions-to
grant titles, gratuities and exclusive
privileges, to make the rich richer and
the potent more powerful-the humble
members of society, the farmers, me-
chancs and the day laborers who nave
neither the time nor the means OF g.
curing like favors for themselves, have
a right to complain of the injustice of
their government"
Those who support the Chicago plat
form endorse all of the quotations from
Jacksonville latter part as well as the
former part.
Thrust at the Trusts.
We are not surprised to find arrayed
against us those who are the beneficial
ries of government favoritism-they
have read our platform. Nor are we sur
prised to learn that We must in this cam
paign face the hostility of those who
find a pecuniary advantage in advocat-
ing the doctrine of non-interference when
great aggregations of wealth are tres
passing upon the rights of individuals.
We welcome such opposition-it is the
highest endorsement which could be be-
slowed upon us. We are content to have
the cooperation of those who desire 10
have the government administered with
out fear or favor 1t is not the wish OF
the great public that trusts should
spring into existence and override the
weaker members of society; it is not the
wish of the general public that these
trusts should destroy competition and
then collect such tax as they will from
those who are at their mercy, nor is 1t
the wish of the general public that the
insrumental.ties of government be
prostituted to the purpose of
private gain. Those who stand upc
the Chicago platform believe that the
government should not only avoid wrong
d0ing,b but that 1t should be enforced alike
against all enemies of the public veal
They do not excuse petit larceny, but
they declare that grand larceny is equal
ly crime; they do not defend the occu-
patton of the highwayman who robs
the unsuspecting traveller. but they in
cluGe among the transgressors those
who, through the more polite and less
hazardous means of legislation, appro-
pirate to their own use the proceeds of
the toll OF others. The commandment,
Thou shalt not steal" Numbered from
Sinai, and reiterated in the legislation Of
all nations Is no respecter of persons. 1t
must be applied to the great as well as
the small; to the strong as well as the
by law as well as to the person of flesh
and blood created by the Almighty. No
government should live which is not able
to protect from every arm uplifted for
his injury the humblest citizen who lives
beneath the flag. 1t follows as a neces-
sary conclusion that vicious legislation
must be remedied by the people who suf
Ter from the effects of such legislation
and not by those who enjoy its benefits.
Income Tax Law
The Chicago platform has been con
demned by some because it dlssents
from an opinion rendered by the Su-
preme Court declaring the income tax
law unconstitutional. Our critics even
go so far as to apply the name anarchist
to those who stand upon that plank of
the platform. 1t must be remembered
That we expressly recognize the binding
force OF that decision so long As If
stands as part of the law of the land.
There Is in the platform moi a suggns.
ton OF an attempt to dispute the authol-
lty OF the Supreme Court. The party is
simply Pledged to use 'aI th constilu
tlonal power which remains after that
decision or which may come from lis
reversal by the court as it may here
after be constituted"
ls there any dlsloyalty in that pledge?
For hundred years the Supreme Court
OF the United States has sustained the
principle which underlies the iuoome
tax. Some twenty years ago this same
court sustained without a dissenting
voice an income tax law almost iden,lca,
with the one recently overthrown. Has
aot future court as much right to ,e-
turn to the judicial presidents of a cen.
fury as the present court has to depart
from them? When courts allow rebear
lngs they admit that error is possible.
the late decision against the income tax
was rendered by majority of one after
a rehearing
while the money question overshadows
an other questions in Importance. | de-
sire II distinctly understood that shall
oner no apology for the income tax plank
OF the Chicago platform The last in
come tax law sought to apportion the
burdens OF government more equitably
among those who enjoy the protection
oI the government. At present the ex-
penses OF the Federal government. col
lected through internal revenue taxes
ana import duties, are espct ally burden.
some upon the poorer classes of society.
law whichc collects from some citizrns