The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-02-22

which he represents today and say that
sssuch change has taken place in my
judgment on this question that l may
no longer honestly vote for what 1 said
believed and advocated; and, of
course, cannot misrepresent you by
taking the other side; return you The
commission which you intrusted to
me"-if he did that and went back to
that splendid constituency in his new
role as an instructor and advocate of
what all his life long, until the shadow
of the treasury fell over him, he has
condemned, if he did he would hardly
be his own successor. (Applause.)
These people have not changed That
would be sublime act of courage; that
would be the courage which parts with
something, and not that courage which
seems TO part with something that is
going anyhow. daughter ana ap-
plause.)
Mr.. Chairman, there is another thing
might mention while 1 am at 1t. One
ought, in appearing before his constit-
uency, especially if he has that lofty
code for his own guidance which makes
him the exemplar and teacher of his
people to be exceedingly careful always
not to ask credit of them or take credit
from them beyond his real deserts. For
sr,of II tn hnfn ho
people whom 1 represent and claim
that I was the author of the income
tax bill, we will say, and that 1 was the
man to whom credit ought to be given,
and il they should conclude that was
right about it, that was talking ac-
cording to the "Record," they would
give me credit to which 1 am not
entitled. I simply was one of hundreds
here in favor of that measure. 1t had
not been discovered lately. The nations
knew about 1t. 1t was in the law of
OR own country years ago on the same
basis. Likewise if my colleague from
Missouri were to pose or were to allow
hImseH 70 be posed, as the author of
the income tax bill, knowing that he is
not, he world be taking or receiving
credit whore Il l. not due. If he were
to appear before his people as the mid
wife present when he income tax law
was born, as the wet purse that cared
for it in the hours Of It's pulling infancy
as the godmother that was present at
its christening as the stesdfast guardian
and protector of it in all the years that
followed and if people were TO give him
credit for that sort of thing, he would
get credit beyond his deserts, because,
like the rest of US, all except the gen.
tleman who really drafted that bIll, be
simply supported it, he SIMPLY voted
for it. All these things and q great
many suggest themselves to our minds
to stop and reflect a moment-all these
things suggested to US that perhaps we
may make q mistake when we assume
to be so much better than the people
that perhaps we may drop into error
when we assume to have acquired WIS.,
which the people who chose US did not
possess, and take course contrary to
that which they directed us to take.
Speaking of the income tax might
say further that perhaps as long as
judicial history shall last, as long as
men shall read of the decisions and of
those who made them, only one little
thing connected with that income tax
law and with its overthrow will drift
down and carry lthe name of at least
one man to the far distant future to be
querled about and commented upon
when the names of greater and better
men shall have long since sunk beneath
the floods of oblivion. That law, Mr..
Chairman, was to compel wealth to
bear its share of taxation and to give to
poverty q measure of relief from unjust
burdens. That law had behind it the
wish. the prayer and hope of millions
of struggling men and women in this
land. 1t had against it the concentrated
power of wealth. 1t had for it when it
was first passed upon by the courts one
of those who occupies a place upon
that exalted bench. 1t had against it
few weeks later, upon the same ques-
ton when the vote was decisive, the !
same persen.
We all ought to be charitable in this
matter, I think, of judging people on
account of a change of opinion. l have
cited some instance from history, some
remote, some recent, to show as far as
one can show in this casual way that
merely because q man has changed in
opinion or in conduct, merely because
he has come to face in a different |
that we ought not, if the
matter is of much consequence, to con-
elude out of hand. rlght away, and Of
course that he has risen above the level
of ordinary mortals, when perchance he
has dropped below that common level
upon which so many men pass through
this life.
! recur to the original proposition,
having been somewhat discursiVe in my
remarks. Mr.. Chairman, what will
your party do with the question now
before itP Gan the party so handle
this matter as to stand in the east for
the single gold standard and in the
west for that much abused and little
thing, bimetallismP l
hardly think so. The party can declare
now where it stands The party can
vote for something and against some-
thing. Neither party can preyent it
FROM doing it. 1t has absolute power
here 10 do it.
! think though am pot the adviser
Of the party, | am not assuming this
role of instructor-my colleague may
do it-I say that it seems to me that
the party has a duty to discharge to