Great Falls weekly tribune., 1896-07-24

e'"oO VI A"noaCAuhclIs' Leu me assure
him that not one person in all this con-
vention entertains the least hostility to
the people Of the state of Massachusetts.
But we stand here representing people
who are the equals before the law of the
largest citizens in the state of Massa-
chusetts When you come before us and
tell us that we shall disturb your bust
ness interests, we reply that you have
disturbed our business interests by your
course.
We say to you that you have made
too limited in its application the def
milton of the business man. The man
who is employed for wages is as much
q business man as his employer. The
attorney III a country town is as much
a business man as the corporation coun-
sci in great metropolis. The merchant
at the crossroads store is as much q
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 bv
the application of brain and muscle to
the natural resources of this country
creates wealth, is as much business
man as the man who goes upon the
board Of trade and bets upon the price
Of grain. The miners who go 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 finan-
cial magnates who in a back room cor
ner the money of the world.
We come to speak for this broader
class Of business men. All, my friends,
we say not ono word against those who
live upon the Atlantic coast; but those
hardy pioneers who braved all the dan
gers Of the wilderness, who have made
the desert to blossom as the rose--those
pioneers away out there, rearing their
children near to natures heart, where
they can mingle their voices with the
voices of the birds; out there where
they have erected schoolhouses for the
education of their young, and churches
where they praise their Creator, and
cemeteries where sleep the ashes of their
dead, are as deserving of the considera-
tion Of this party as any people in this
country.
1t is for these that we speak. We do
not come as aggressors Our war is not
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 entreated, and our entreaties have
been disregarded. We have begged and
they have Knocked, 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 he fears a Robespiere. 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
jackson to stand as Jackson stood
against the encroachments Of aggran-
died wealth.
They tell us that this platform was
made to catch votes. We reply to them
that changing conditions make new is
sues; that the principles upon which
rest Democracy are as everlasting as the
hills, but that they must be applied to
new conditions as they arise. Condi-
tons have arisen, and we are attempt
ing to meet those conditions.
They tell us that the income tax
ought not to be brought in here. That
is new idea. They criticiso us for our
criticism of the supreme court of the
United States. My friends, we have not
criticised; we have simply called atten-
tion to what you know. II you want
criticisms, read the dissenting opinions
Of the court. That will give you criti.
cisms. They say we passed an unconsti-
tutional law. deny it-thc income tax
was not unconstitutional when it was
passed. 1t was not unconstitutional
when it went before the supreme court
for the first time. 1t did not become un-
constitutional until one judge changed
his mind and we cannot be expected to
know when a judge will change his
mind.
The income tax is just law. 1t sim
ply intends to put the burdens of gov
ernment justly upon the backs of the
noonIa am in favor of an ipco,no +,y