Evening star., 1896-08-13

- ilOl the WISH VI tie S,eUeIdl pubic tndl
trusts should spring into existence and
override the weaker members of society;
1t is not the wish of the general public
that these trusts should destroy compe-
tition and then collect such tax as they
will from those who are at their mercy.
nor is 1t the fault of the general public
that the instrumentalities CT government
have been SO often prosttuted to pur-
upon the Chicago platform believe that
the government should not only avoid
wrongdoing, but that it should also pre-
vent wrongdoing, and they believe that
the law should he enforced alike against
all enemies of the 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
traveller, but they include among tho
transgreSsors those who, through tho
more polite and less hazardous means of
legislation. appropriate to their own use
commandment. Thou shalt not steal.'
thundered from Sinai and reiterated In
the legislation of all lands, is no respecter
or persons. 1t must be applied to the
as well as the weak; to the corporate per
son created by law as well as to the per-
son of flesh and blood created by the
Almighty. No government is worthy of
from every arm upllfted for his injury
the humblest citizen who lives beneath
the flag. 1t follows as a necessary con-
clusion that vicious legislation must be
remedied by the people who suffer from
the effects Of such legislation aad not
by those who enjoy its benefits.
Income Tax.
''The Chicago platform has been con-
demned by some because 1t dissents from an
opinion rendered by the Supreme Court de-
claring the income law unconstitutional
n1r nrit ioa fa.. foo 81
name anarchist to those who stand upon
that plank of the platform. 1t must be re-
membered that we expressly recognize the
binding force of that decision SO long as it
stands as part of the law Of the land.
There is In the platform no suggestion of an
attempt to dispute the authority of the
Supreme Court The party is simply pledged
to use all the constitutional power which
remains after that decision, or which may
come from its reversal by the court as it
may hereafter be constituted Is there any
disloyalty in that pledge? For a hundred
years the Supreme Court Of the United
States has sustained the principle which
underlies the income tax. Some twenty
years ago this same court sustained with
out a dissenting voice an income tax law
almost Identical with the one recently over
thrown. Has not future court as much
right to return to the judicial precedents of
a century as the present court had to de-
part from them? When courts allow re-
hearings 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
all other questions in Importance, desire it
distinctly understood that I shall offer no
apology for the income tax plank of the Chi
cago platform. The last income tax law
sought to apportion the burdens of govern
ment moce equitably among those who enjoy
the protection of the government. At present
the expenses of the federal government,
collected through internal revenue taxes and
import duties. are especially burdensome
upon the poorer classes of society. A law
which collects from some citizens more than
their share of the taxes and collects from
other citizens less than their share is SIM
ply an indirect means of transferring one
mans property TO another mans pocket,
and while the process may be quite salts
factory to the men who escape just taxation,
1t can never be satisfactory to those who are
oyerburdened. The last income tax law
with Its exemption provisions, when con-
sidered in connection with other methods of
taxation in force. was not unjust to the pos
SCISSORS of large incomes, because they were
not compelled to pay a total federal tax
greater than their share The income tax is
not new, nor is 1t based upon hostility to
the rich The system is employed in several
OF the most important nations Of Europe
ard every income tax law now upon the
statute books in any land, far as have
been able to ascertain, contains an exemp-
tioH ClduSe. w nile the correction OF In
come tax in other countries does not make
it necessary for this nation to adopt the
suggestion, it suggests the moral Ian
guage Of those who denounce the income
tax as an assault on the well-to-do.
Not only shall I refuse to apologize for
the advocacy of an income tax law by the
national convention, but shall also refuse
to apologize for the exercise by 1t Of the
right to dissent from a decision Of the
Supreme Court In government like
nnhlic official &c
ant. whether he holds office by election
or by appointment; whether he serves for
term Of years or during good behavior
and the people have a right to criticise
his official acts. Confidence is everywhere
the parent Of despotism; free government
exists in jealousy and not in confidence
these are the words of Thomas Jefferson,
and 1 submit that they present a truer
conception of popular government than is
entertained by those who would prohibit
an unfavorable comment upon a court de-
cision. Truth will vindicate itself; only
error fears free speech. No public official
who conscientiously discharges his duty
as he sees 1t will desire to deny to those
whom he serves the right to discuss his
official conduct.
The Paramount Question IL Money.
Now, let me ask you to consider the
paramount question of the campaign-the
money question 1t Is scarcely necessary
to defend the principles of bimetallism. Nc
national party during the entire history
of the United States has ever declared
against it. and no party in this campaign
has had the temerty to oppose it. Three
partfes-the democratic. populist and silve1
parties-have not only declared for bimetal
lisrn, but have outlined their specific 1egis
lation necessary to restore silver to its an
cient position by the side of gold. The re-
publican platform expressly declares tha
bimetallism is desirable when it pledges
the republican party to aid in securing II
as soon as the assistance of certain foreign
nations can be obtained. Those who rep
resented the minority sentiment In the Chi
cago convention opposed the free coinage
of silver by the United States by independ
ent action on the ground that, in theil
Judgment, 1t would retard or entirely pre-
vent the establishment of International bi
mesaliism, to which the efforts of the gov
ernment should be steadily directed Wher
they asserted that the efforts of the gov
ernment should be steadily directed toward
the establishment of international bimetaI
lisrn they condemned Inonometallism The
gold standard has been weighed in the bal
ance and found wanting. Take from 1t tn.
powerful support of the money-owning ant
the money-changing classes, and It canno
stand for one day in any nation in tn.
world 1t was fastened upon the United
States without discussion before the peo
pie, and Its friends have never yet beer