The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1896-01-15
VEST ON THE SUPREME COURT

VEST ON THE SUPREME COURT
Senator Vest. of Missouri is smart.
He can smell public opinion a mile off.
Every month he talks more and more
like Populist. Here are some ex-
tracts from his speech in the United
States Senate last week, on the de-
cision Of the United States Supreme
Court, declaring the Income tax un-
constitutional:
'That the court should have render
ed such decision," he said, twas
matter OF SurpriSe-Of surprise to
every intelligent lawyer in the cOun-
try, especially those of us in Congress
vino were engaged in formulating the
legislation" I'm my Judgment" he
continued, "no judgment has ever, in
the history Of the country, been rem
dered which has done SO much to de-
stroy the influence Of that high tri-
bunal and excite distrust on the part
Of the people Of this country"
The country had been used to rely
on the Opionions OF this court because
its Judgments were supposed to be
above the caprice, prejudices and sud
den changes which might characterize
the decisions OF lower courts not so
far removed from outside influences.
That this court should have reversed
its own decisions for hundred years,
in question vitality affecting the in
terests of the entire population, and
placing the government in the att
tude of violating the constitution
during the entire history of the
union, must, he declared be matter
Of sincere regret.
Mr.. Vest declared that he would not
trust himself in the senate to say
what he would be tempted to say of
this opinion, but would leave it to the
members of the court to Stigmatize it
as it deserved. With this introduce
ton, he had extracts read from the
dissenting opinions of Justice Harlan
and Brown. saying that if he had made
the declaration contained in these
opinions he would be charged with
partisan malice and misre presenta-
ton, but coming. as they do, from this
nigh source, they certainly constituted
most powerful arraignment of this
court of last resort. Mr.. Vest wa,
most severe in this direct characterize
alton OF the conduct OF the justice
who changed his opinion after the
first opinion before the second was
rendered. He would not, he said, at
tempt to enter into that Justices mo-
tiveS, but that justice-and he Vest
did not know who he was-had been
mainly responsible in fas tening the
sordid despotIsm Of wealth upon the
country by his change Of front. Ger
tainly he had the right to change his
mind, but it was matter Of regret
+ 1,Df a nd NJ f l,;.,
reasons on record for this far-reach-
ing and terrible decision. The JUS
tees name was, he continued, un-
known except to himself and his as
sociateS. Tue senate had been ridi-
culed and vituperated because of the
secrecy of its executive proceedings;
but what. he asked, with display of
warmth, would be thought of sena-
tor who would change his position on
question Of vital general interest,
and when his position was eSSentia to
the success or failure of case, and
who should not have the manhood to
stand before the country and reveal
himself and his reasons for such
transformations? He could not in
such an event imagine the storm of
opprobrium, the hirtling wrath of the
press and the charges Of corruption
which would follow.
Mr.. Vest said he regretted that the
court had not only permitted, but en-
couraged, the indulgence by counsel
Of scurrilOuS references to the mo-
tives of those who had participated in
framing the income tax legislation
for granting exemptions to certain in
terests, and proceeded to explain the
reasons for those exceptions. Rcsum-
ing the thread OF his discourse, he
said he did not believe that the ter
rible effect of this decision had yet
been apprehended by the people of the
country.
st marks new era" he said, "and
come when neither soft words nor
honeyed praises will prove sufficient
apology"
1t was beyond credibility that
Vanderbilt, with his hundreds of mil
lions, should have to pay no more
than the poorest of men, and that the
army and navy must be used to sup
port him in his rights, as must be the
case if the decision was to stand. He
predicted that the time would come
when the truth of Justice Browns
opinion would be everywhere recog-
niZed, that that decision of the SUI
preme court, had fixed for all time the
freedom from federal taxation of the
''SOrGid wealth of the land'
This is terrible Indictment of that
corrupt tribunal; and we believe every
word of it to be deserved 1t is, how
ever, only one Of a thousand evidences
of the control of the government by
the Money-power.
But while Senator Vest comedies
that all this villainy is in operation
he will, doubtless, stand by the
Democratic party, which is the left
arm Of Plutocracy. while the Republic
can party is the right arm: and to-
gether they will hold the people in
subsection until their properties and
liberties are stripped from them for
ever.
Accused be these 'knaves that
preach God and serve the devil. With
their mouths full Of truth they are
living lie.
Men are apt to believe what they don't
understand -p1inv