The Kootenai herald. [volume] (Kootenai, Idaho) 1891-1904, 1896-08-15

that the law should be enforced alike
against all of the 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 highwaymen who rob he
unsuspecting traveller. but they include
among the transgressors those who.
through more polite and less hazardous
methods of legislation appropriate TO
their own use the proceeds of the toll
of others
No Respector of Persons.
THE commandments. Thou shalt not
steal Numbered from Sinai. and reiter-
ated in the legislation of all nations, is
no respecter of persons. 1t must be APP
piled to the great as we'll as the small
to the strong as well as to the weak, to
the corporate person, created by law,
well as to the person of flesh and blood
created by the Almighty. No government
is worthy of the name which is not able
to protect from every arm uplifted for
his injury the humblest citizen who lives
beneath the flag. 1t follows as a neces-
sary conclusion that vicious legislation
must be remedied by the people who suf-
fer from the effects of such legislation.
and not by those who enjoy its benefits.
Income Tax LAW.
1.-The Chicago platform has been con-
demned by some because it dissents from
an opinion rendered by the supreme court,
declaring the income tax law unconstitu-
tional. Our critics even go so far as to
apply the name of anarchist to those
who stand upon that plank of the plat
| form. 1t must be remembered that we
expressly recognize the binding force of
!
a part of the law of the land. There is
| in the platform no suggestion of an at
tempt to dispute the authority of the
supreme court. The party is simply
pledged to use all the constitutional
power which remains after that decision
to accomplish its reversbility 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
principles which underlie the income tax.
Some 20 years ago the same court sus-
tanned. without a dissenting voice, an in
come tax law almost identical with the
one recently overthrown. Has not a flu
ture 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 a rehearing they ad-
nit that error is possible. The late de
cision against the income tax was ZEN
dered by a majority of one after a re-
! hearing. While the money question over
shadows all others of Importance, | de-
sire it distinctly understood that l shall
offer no apology for the income tax plank
of the Chicago platform. The last In
come tax law sought to apporton the
burdens of the government more equita-
bly, among those who enjoy the protec-
tion of the government. AT present the
expenses of the government, collected
through internal revenue and import du-
ties, are specially burdensome upon the
people or classes of society. The income
tax is not new, nor is it based upon hos
tility to the rich. Not only shall l refuse
to apologize for the advocacy of an in
come tax taw by the national conven-
ton. but shall also refuse to apologize
for the exercise by it of the right tc
dissent from a decision of the supreme
court. In a government like ours every
public official is a public servant, whether
he holds office by election or by appoint
ment. whether he serves for a term ot
years or during good behavior and the
people have a right to criticise his Off
cial acts. Confidence is everywhere the
|
exists in jealousy. and not in confidence
These are the words of Thomas jefferson
and / submit that they present a truei
conception of popular government than
that entertained by those who would pro
hibt an unfavorable comment upon d
court decision.
Paramount Campaign Question.
Now let me consider the paramount
question of this campaign. 1t is scarce
ly necessary to defend the principle of
bimetallism. No national party during
the entire history of the United States
has ever declared against Il, and no par
~ in this campaign has mad the temerity
TO oppose it. Three parties. The demo-
Gratis. the populsts and the silver party
not only declared for bimetaliism but
have outlined the specific legislation nee
essary to restore silver TO its ancient
position by the side Of gold. The re-
publican platform expressly declares that
bimetaiism IS desirable when il pledges
the republican party to aid in securing
ii as soon as the assistance Of certain
foreign nations can be secured. Those
who represented the minority sentiment
in the Chicago convention opposed thc
free coinage of silver by the United
States by indeDendent action on the
ground that in their judgment it would
retard or entirely prevent the establish
ment of international bmetallism, to
which the efforts of the government
should be steadily directed. When they
asserted that the efforts of the govern
ment should be steadily directed toward
the establishment of international bmet-
allism. they condemned monometallsm
The gold standard has been weighed