The River Falls times. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1894-1933, 1896-08-18

spector of persons. 1t must be applea 70
the great as well as to the small; 10 tue
strong as we'll as the weak; TO the cofpo-
rate person created by law q SVEN as 10 tue
nerson of flesh and blood created by the
Almighty No government is worthy OF the
name which is not able to protect Iioiu
Avery arm uplifted for his injury the hum
blest citizen who lives beneath the nag.
1t follows a necessary conclusion tnat
vicious legislation must be remedied Dy the
neonre who suffer from the effects of such
legislation, and not by these who enjoy It's
benefits. The Chicago platform has been
condemned by some because 1t dlssents
from an opinion rendered by the supreme
court declaring the income tax law uncon-
stitutional. 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 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 "al the
constitutional power which remains after
that decision or which may come from IFS
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
twenty years ago this same court sustained
Without dissenting voice income tax
law, almost Identical with tue one recently
overthroWn; has not future court as much
right to return to the judicial precedents
of 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 4 majority of one after
rehearing. While the money question over
shadows all other questions in" Importance
/ desire it distinctly understood that 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 government
At present the expenses of the federal
government, collected through internal
revenue taxes and import duties, are es-
pecially burdensome upon the poor 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 simply an indirect means Of
transferring one mans property to another
mans pocket, and while the process may
be quite satisfactory to the men who escape
just taxation It can never be satisfactory
to those who are overburdened.
The last income tax law, with its exemp-
ton provisions, when considered in connec-
ton with other methods Of taxation in force,
incomes because they were not compelled
to pay total federal tax greater than their
share.
The income tax is not new, nor is it based
upon hostility to the rich. The system is
employed i'll several 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 ascer-
tain, contains an exemption clause. While
the collection of an income tax in other
countries does not make it necessary for
this nation to adopt the system yet it ought
to moderate the language of those who de-
nounce the income tax as an assault upon
the weli-to-do.
Not only shall 1 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 it of the
right to dissent from a decision of the SUI
preme court In a government like ours
every public official is public servant
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 criticise his official
acts. Confidence is everywhere the parent
of despotsm; free government exists IN
jealousy and not in confidence These are
the words Of Thomas Jefferson. and l sub
nit that they present truer conception
of popular government than that enter
tanned by those who would prohibit an IN
favorable comment upon a court decision
Truth will vindicate itself; only error fears
free speech. No public official who con-
scentiousiy discharges his duty as he sees
1t will desire to deny to those whom he
serves the right to discuss his official con-
duct
Now let me ask you to consider the para
mount question of this campa gn-the
moner question. 1t is scarcely necessary TO
defend the principle of bimetallism. No
national party during the entire history Of
the Tn; cd States has ever declared against
1t and 10 party in this campaign has had
the terarity to oppose it. Three parties
the Democratic, populist and silver parties
have net only declared for bimetallism,
but have outlined the specific legislation
necessary to restore silver to its ancient
position by the side of gold.
The Republican platform expressly de-
clares that DInetallism is desirable when it
pledges the Republican party to aid in Sc
curing it as soon as the assistance Of GER
train foreign nations can be obtained.
Those who represented the minority SEN
timent in the Chicago convention opposed
the free coinage of silver by the United
States by Independent action, on the ground
that, in their judgment, it 'would retard
or entirely prevent the establishment Of IN
ternational bimetallism, to which the eff
forts Of the government should be steadily
directed When they asserted that the eff
forts Of the government should be steadily
directed toward the establishment of inter-
national bimetalism they condemned mono
metallism
The gold standard has been weighed In
the balance and found wanting. Take from
it the powerful support Of the money
owning and money-changing classes and it
cannot stand for one day in any nation in
the world. 1t was fastened upon the United
States without discussion before the peo
ple and its friends have never yet been
willing to risk a verdict by the voters
upon that issue. There can be no sympathy
or cooperation between the advocates Of
a universal gold standard and the adYo-
Gates OF bimetallism. Between bimetallism
whether Independent or international
and the gold standard there is an impassa-