Greenbrier independent. [volume] (Lewisburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1980, 1896-07-30

oPe"n "ouiu never De Wiling 10 put
him in a position where he could
thwart the will of the Democratic
party. say it was not a question
OF persons it was a question of
principle, and it is not with glad
ness, my friends, that we find our
selves brought into conflict with
those who are now arrayed on the
other side.
The gentleman who just preceded
me, Gov. Russell spoke of the old
state OF Massachusetts. Let me as
sure him that not one person i'm all
this convention entertainS the least
hostility to the people of the state of
Massachusetts. When you come be-
fore us and tell us that we shall dis
turb your business interests, we reply
that y on have disturbed our business
interests by your course.
We say to you that you have made
too limited in its application the
definition Of the business man, The
man who is employed for wages is
as much a business man as his en-
ployer. The attorney in a country
town Is as much a business man as
corporation counsel in a great me-
tropolis. The merchant at the cross
roads store is as much a business
man as the merchant of New York.
The farmer who goes forth in the
morning and tolls all day, begins in
the spring and tolls all summer, and
by the application of brain and
muscle to the natural resources of
this country creates wealth, is as
much a business man as the man
who goes upon the board of trade
and bets upon the price of grain.
The miners who 60 thousand feet
into the earth or climb 1000 feet
upon the cliffs and bring forth from
their hiding places the precious
metals to be poured in the channels
of trade are as much business men
as the few financial magnates who
in back room corner the money of
the world.
We come to speak for this broader
class of business men. Ah, my
friends, we say not one word against
those who live upon the Atlantic
coast but those hardy pioneers who
braved all the dangers of the wilder
ness, who have made the desert to
blossom as the rose-those pioneers
away out there, rearing their child
rem near to natures heart, where
they can mingle their voices with
the voices of the birds; out there
where they have erected school
houses for the education of their
young, and churches where they
praise their Creator, and cemeteries
oln hn
are as deserving of the consideration
Of this party as any people in this
country.
1t is for these that we speak. We
do not come as agressors. Our war
is not a war of conquest. We are
fighting in the defense Of our homes,
our families and posterity. We
have petitiOned, and our petitions
have been scorned. We have beg
ged and they have mocked, and our
calamity came. We beg no longer.
We entreat no more. We petition
no more. We defy them.
The gentleman from Wisconsin
has said that he fears Robespierre.
My friend, in this land of the free
you need fear no tyrant who will
spring up from among the people.
What we need is an Andrew Jack
son to stand as Jackson stood against
the entertainments of aggrandized
wealth.
They tell US that this platform was
made to catch votes. We reply to
them that changing conditions ma ke
new issues that the principles upon
which rest Democracy are as ever
lasting as the hills, but that they
must be applied to new conditions
as they arise. Conditions have
arisen, and we are attempting to
meet those conditions.
They tell us that the income tax
ought not to be brought in here.
That Is a new idea. They criticise
us for our criticism of the supreme
court of the United States. NY
friends, we have not criticised; we
have simply called attention TO
what yon know. If you want crit
cism, read the dissenting opinions
of the court. That will give you
criticisms. They say we passed an
unconstitutional law. l deny it
the income tax was not unconstitu-
tional when it was passed. 1t was
not unconstitutional when 1t went
before the supreme court for the first
time. 1t did not become unconsti-
tutional until one judge changed his
mind and we cannot be expected
to know when a judge will change
his mind.
The income tax is a just law. 1t
simply intends to put the burdens of
government justly upon the backs of
the people. l am in favor of an in
come tax. When find man who
Is not willing to pay his share of the
burden of the government which
protects him, / find a man who is
unworthy to enjoy the blessings of
a government like ours.
He says we are opposing the
national bank currency. 1t is true.
If you will read what Thomas Ben
ton said. you will find that he said
that in searching history he could
find but one parallel to Andrew
Jackson. That was Cicero, who
destroyed the conspiracies of Cati-
line and saved Rome. He did for
Rome what Jackson did when he
destroyed the bank conspiracy and
saved America.
We say In our platform that we
believe that the right to coin money
and issue money is function of
government. We believe it. We
believe it Is a part of sovereignty,
and can no more, with safety, be
delegated to private individuals than
we could afford to delegate to
private individuals tho power
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