Custer weekly chronicle. [volume] (Custer City, S.D.) 1890-1931, 1896-08-22

distinctions I'm society Will always
exist under every just form OF govern
ment. Equality OF talents. OF education
or Of wealth cannot be produced by hu-
man institutions. In the full enjoyment
Of the gifts OF heaven and the fruits OF
superior industry. economy and virtue,
every man Is equally entitled to protec-
tlon by law"
We yield to none In our devotion to the
doctrine just enunclated. Our cam
paign has not for Its object the recon-
OF society. We canno insure
to the vicious the fruits of a ~vlrtuous
life; we would not invade the home of
the provident in order to supply the
wants of the spendthrlft; we do not pro-
pose TO transfer the rewards of
industry to the lap OF Incidence.
Property Is and will remain the slim
III to endeavor and the compensa-
ton for thrift. We believe, as asserted
in the declaration of independence. that
all men are created equal, but that
does not mean that all men are or can
be equal In possessions, in ability or
merit. 1t simply means that all shall
stand equal before the law, and that
b'NN A u DliiNiolb oilhlt llDNg III u
ing, constructing or enforcing law, dis
criminate between citizens. l assert
that the property rights as well as the
rights Of persons are safe in the hands
Of the common people. Those who dali
~ follow the injunction, I'm the sweat
OF thy face shalt thou eat bread" are
now, as they ever have been, the bull
wark of law and order, the source Of u
nations greatness In time Of peace and
it's surest defenders in time of a
But / have read only a part Of jack
sons u%tterance. Let me give you his
conclusion:
but when the laws undertake to add
to those natural and Just advantages
artificial distinctlons-to grant titles,
gratuities and exclusive privileges;
t. make the rich richer and che potent
ppore powerful, the humble members Of
society, the farmers. mechanics and the
day laborers, who have neither the time
nor the means OF securing like favors
for themselves, have the right to com
plain of the injustice OF the govern
ment."
Those who support the Chicago pat
form indorse all the quotation from
Jacksonville latter part as well as the
former part. We are not surprised TO
find arraycd against US hose who are
the beneflciaries of government favori-
tiSm. They ave read our platform.
Nor are we surprised to learn that we
must in this campaign face the hostil-
ity Of those who find a %pecunllCy ad-
vantage in advocating the doctrine OF
non-interference when great aggrogd
lions of wealth are ~trespassing upon
the rights Of individuals. We welcome
such opposition. 1t Is the hlghos. in
dorsement which could be bestowed
upon us. We are content to have the
cooperation Of those who desire t. have
the government administered without
fear or favor. 1t is not the wish Of the
general public that trusts shout spring
into existence and override 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 those
who are at their mercy. Nor i3 1t the
fault of the general public that the In
strumentalities of government have
been so often pr%ostituted to purposes of
private gain. No government is worthy
OF the name which Is not able to pro-
tect from every arm uplifted for his in
jury the humblest citizen who lives be-
meath the flag. 1t follows as a necessary
conclusion that vicious legislation must
be remedied by the people who suffer
from the effects of such legislation, and
not by those who enjoy It's benefits.
Income Tax Attitude.
The Chicago platform has been o
demncd by some because it dlssents
from an opinion rendered by the SUI
preme court declaring the income tax
law unconstitutional. We expressly
recognize the binding force of that de-
clsion SO long as II stands as a part of
the law of the land. There is i'm the
platform no suggestion Of an attempt to
dispute the authority of the supreme
court. The party.is simply pledged to
use "an the constitutional power which
remains after that decision or which
may come from Its reversal by the court
as Ii 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 undcrlies the income
tax. Twenty years age the same court
sustained without a dissenting voice
an income tax law almost identical with
the one recently ~overthrown. Has not
a future court as much right to return
To- the judicial precedents of a century
as the present court had to depart from
them? When courts ALLOW rehearings
they admit that error is possible. The
late decision against the income tax was
rendered by a majority OF n after a
rrhearing.
While the money question overshad-
ows all other questions in Importance,
I desire 1t distinctly understood that |
shall offer no apology for the income tax
plank of the Chicago platform. At
present the expenses of the federal gov
eminent, collected through Internal e V
enue taxes and import duties, are espe-
Cially burdensome upon the poorer
classes of society. The last income tax
law, with Its exemption provisions,
when considered in connection with
other methods of taxation In force, was
not unjust to the possessors of large
Incomes. because they were not COM
pelled to pay a total federal tax greater
thar their share. Not only shall l re-
fuse TO apologize for the advocacy of
an income tax law by the national con-
AtAlllNln. Ill u sNllbll "it h''''N ~
ogIze for the exercise by 1t of the right
to dissent from "A decision OF the SUI
preme court. In a government lik ours
every public official is a public servant
whether he holds by election or by APP
nnintment, whether he serves for a term
nf wears or during good behavior, u
the people have a right to criticise his
official acts.
The supreme Issue,
Now. let me ask o to consider the
question of this campaign,
the money question. 1t Is scarcely nee
essary to defend the principle OF bimet-
allism. No national party during the
entire history of the United states has
ever declared against it, and no party in
this campaign has had the temerlty To
oppose it. Three parties-the demo
cratic. populist and silver partles-haVe
not only declared for bimetallism, but
have outlined the specific legislation
necessary to restore silver to its ancient
position by the side of gold. The repub-
lican platform expressly declares mat
bimetallism is desirable when Ii pledges
the republican party to aid in securing
II as soon as the assistance OF certain
foreign nations can be obtained. Those
who represented the minority sentiment
in the Chicago convention opposed the
free coinage of silver by the United
States by independent action on the
ground that in their judgment II 'wouid
retard or entirely prevent the
ment of international bimetallism, 10
which the efforts Of the government