Hutchinson gazette. [volume] (Hutchinson, Kan.) 1895-1902, 1896-08-20


to grant titles, gratuities and exclusive priv
ilegcs-to mako the rich richer and the potent
more powerful-the humble members of society
the farmers mechanics and the day labor
ers who have neither the timo nor tine means
of securing like favOrs for Themselves have
right to complain OF the injustice of their gov
ernment'
"Those who support the Chicago platform
indOrse all OF the quotations from Jackson
the latter part Us well as the forme part.
I'VE are not surprised to find arrayed against
us those who are the benefciaries Of govern
ment favoritism-they have read our platform.
Nor are we surprised to learn that We must in
this camplign face the hostility Of those who
find pecuniary advantage in advocating the
dOctrine of interference when great aIgre.
gat ons Of wealth are tFesspassiny upon the
rights Of individuals. We welcome such OPP
positiOn-it is the highest Endorsement which
could be bestowed upon us. We are content
to have the cooperation of those who desire to
have the government administered with out
fear or favor
Laws for An Alike
at Is not the wish OF the general public that
trusts should spring into existence and over
ride the weaker members of society; 1t Is not
the wish of the general public that these trusts
should destroy competition and then collect
such tax as they will from tho Q who are at
their msrcV; nor Is it the fault Of tho general
public that the instrumentalities of the gov
eminent have been so often prostituted to pur-
poses Of private gain. Those who stand upon
this Chicago platform believe that the govern
ment should not only avoid wronZdoinR, but
that it should also prevent wrongdOing and
thay believe that the law should be enforced
alike against all OF the members of tho public
veal. They do not excuse petit larceny. but
they declare that grand larceny Is equally a
crime; they do not defend the occupation
OF the highwayman who rob5 the unsuSpect-
ing traveller, but they include among the trans
gresso those who, through the more polite
and less hazardous means OF legislation, APP
propriate to their own use the proceeds of toll
of Others. The commandment Thou shalt not
steal, Numbered from Sinai and reiterated in
the legislation of all nat.ons is no respecter of
persons. 1t must DO applied to the great as
we'll as the small to the strong as we'll as the
weak; to thu corporate persons created by
law, as well as to the person Of flesh and blood
crelted b. the Almighty. No government Is
worthy of the name which is not able to protect
from every arm uplifted for his injury the
humblest citizen who lives beneath the flag,
1t follows, as q necessary conclusion, that
vicious legislotiOn must DO remedied by the
people who suffer from the effects of such Log
islation and not by those who enjoy its benefits.
The Income Tax Plank.
"The Chicago platform has boen condemned
by some, because it dis:ents from an opinion
rendered by the Supreme court declaring the
income tax law unconstitutional Our critics
even go SO far as to apply tho name anarchists
to those who stand upon that plank OF the
platform. 1t must be remembered that we ex-
pressly recognize the binding rorcs Of that de-
cision so long as it stands as part of the law
Of the land. There is in tho platform no sug-
gestion of an attempt to dispute the authority
Of the Supreme court The party is simply
pie lged to use all tho constitutional power
which remains after that decision or VIII CHI
may como from its reversal by the court it
may hereafter be constitut d. Is ther9 any dis
loyalty in that pledge7 For huadred years
the Supreme court of the United States has
sustained the prin,ip's which uaderlies the
income tax. Some twenty years ago this sams
court sustained, without dissenting voice, an
income tax law almost id lntic Il wi the one
recently overthrOwn. Has not future court
as much right to return to judicial pr,cedents
as the PRESENT court had to depart from them2
When courts allow rehearingS, they admit
that error is possible. ,Ths late decision
against the income ia was rendered by ma
jority OF one after rehcaring.
while tho money question Overshadows all
1
tinctly understood that shall offer no apology
for the income tlx plank of thu Chicago plat
form Not only shall refuse to apologize for
tho advocacy OF an income tax law by tho ma
tional convention, but l shall also r,fuse to
apologize for the exercise by it of the right to
dissent from a decision of the Supreme court
In a government like ours ever2 public official
is public servant, whether ho holds Office by
election or appointment; whether ho erves for
a term of years or during good behavior, and
the people have right to criticise his official
acts.
"Confiden'e is everywhere tho parent Of
despotsm. Free government exists in jeal ousy
and not in confidence These are the words
of Thomas Jefferson, and | submit that they
present q truer conception of popular govern
ment than that entertained by those who
would prohibit all unfavorab comment upon
court decision. Truth will Yindicate itself /;
only error fears FREQ speech No publ, Of
fetal who conscientiously dis, harges his duty
as he Sees it will desire to deny to those whom
he serves the Eight to discuss his official con-
duct
The Money Question.
"Now let me ask you to consider the para
mount question of this campaign-the money
question. 1t IS scarcely necessary to defend
the principle of bimetallism. No national
States has ever declared against it, and no
party in this campaign has had the temerity to
oppose it.
The gold standard has been weighed In the
balance and found wanting. Take from 1t the
powerful support of the money-owning anil
monoy-changing class S and it cannot stand
for one day in any nation in the world. It was
fastened upon tbs United States without dis
cussion before the people, and its friends have
never yet boon willing to risk verdict before
the voters upon that issue
What is tho test of honesty in money! II
must certainly DO found in tho purchasing
power Of the doll r. An abb olutely honest dol
lar would not vary in its general purchas ng
power; it wouli DO absolutely stable when
measured by average prices A dollar which
increases in purchasing power is just as di:-
honest as dollar which decreases in pur-
chns ny power.
ANY legislation which lessons the worlds
stock of standard money incre1sos the ex-
chango able value of the dollar Therefore the
crusade against silver must inevitably raise the
purchasing power of money. and lower the
money value OF all other forms of property.
Our opponents sometimes admit that it was a
mistake to demonetize silver but insist that we
should submit to present conditions rather
than return to the bimetallic system They orr
in supposing that we hlve re lchei the end of
the evil results of gold standard we have not
reached the end Tue injury is a continuing
one, and no person can say how long the world
IS to suffer from the attempt to make gold the
only standard money. Tho Same influences
which are now operating to destroy silver in
the United States will, if su 'cessful here, be
turned against other silver using countries
and zach new convert to tho gold standard will
m kbo 4 G., A.