The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1896-08-15
FLANK on TuE INCOME TAX.
Emphatically Endorsed aud Criticism of
supreme Court Approved.

Il 'NNth -tPPiNftN.
The Chicago platform has been con
| dcmncd boy some because il dissents from
| an opinion rendered by the supreme court
declaring the income tax law unconstitu-
| tional. Our critics even go so far as 10
apply the name anarchist 10 those who
stand upon that plank of the platform.
IL must be remembered that we ex
prcSsly recognize the binding force of that
decision 50 long as it stands as part of
the law of the land There i I'm the plat
form no suggestion OF an attempt to dis
pute the authority Of the supreme court.
The party is pledged To- use "all the con
stitutional power which remains after that
decision. or which may come from its re-
versal by the court "a IL may hereafter be
constituted. l. there any disloyalty in
that pled-eg For hundred years the SUI
prcmc court of the United States has sus.
tanned the principle which underlies the
income tax. some twenty years ago this
same court sustained without dissent
ing voice an income tax law almost identi-
cal with the one recently overthrown; has
not "A future court as much right 10 re-
turn TO the judicial precedents of "a century
"a the present court had 10 depart from
themt When courts allow rehearings they
admit thut error is possible; the late de
clsion against the income tax was rendered
by a majority Of one after "a rehearing.
While the money question overshadows
all other questions in Importance l desire
IL distinctly understood that l shall offer
no apology for the income tax plank of
the Chicago platform. The last income
tax law sought to apportion the burdens
Of government more equitably among
those who enjoy the protection of the gov
crnmCnt At present the expenses of the
federal government collected through in.
ternal revenue taxes and import duties,
are especially burdensome upon the poor
classes Of society. A law which collects
from other citizens less than their share
i simply an indirect means of transfer
ring one mans property TO another name
pocket and while the process may be quite
satisfactory to the men who escape just
taxation il can never be satisfactory TO
those VINO are OVerburdencd.
The last income tax law, withits exemp-
ton provisions, when considered in con-
nectiOn with other methods Of taxation in
force was not unjust 10 the possessors Of
large incomes, because they were not com
PEELED TO pay "a total federal tax greater
than their share. The income tax is not
new, nor is 1t based upon hostility To the
of the most important nations of Europe,
and every income tax law now upon the
statute books in any land, so far as | have
been able to ascertain, contains an exemp-
ton clause While the collection of an
income tax in other countries does not
make il necessary for this nation TO adopt
the system, yet IL ought TO moderate the
language of those who denounce the in.
come taxas an assault upon the well-to-do
Not only shall | refuse to apologize for
the advocacy of an income tax law by the
national convention, but / shall also re-
fuse TO apologize for the exercise by IL OF
the right to dissent from decision of the
supreme court. In government like
ours every public official is a public SER
want, whether he holds Office by election
or by appointment, whether he serves for
a term Of years or during good behavior,
and the people have right to criticize his
official acts. Confidence is everywhere
the parent of dcspotism; free government
exists in jealousy and not in confidence
these are the words of Thomas jefferson.
and / submit that they present "A trucr
conception of popular government than
that entertained by those who would pro-
hibit an unfavorable comment upon a
court decision. Truth will vindicate it.
sclf only error fears free speech. No pub
lie official who conscientiously discharges
his duty as he sees IL will desire to deny to
those whom he serves the right To discuss
his official conduct.