The weekly intelligencer. [volume] (Lexington, Mo.) 1891-1901, 1896-07-18

new idea. They critlcise us for ou
criticism of the supreme court of th'
United States. My friends, we have
not criticised we have simply calleC
attention to what you know. If yoI
want criticism read the dissenting
opinions of the court, that will Civ,
you criticisms. (Applause.) They say
we passed an unconstitutional law.
deny it. The income tax was not nm
constitutional when it passed. 1t wa:
not unconstitutional when it wenl
before the supreme court for the first
Time.
1t did not become unconstitutional
until one judge changed mis- mind, and
we cannot be expected to know when a
judge will change his mind. (Applause
and n voice, "IIit 'em again.'0 The
income tax is a just law. 1t simply
intends to put the burden of govern
ment justly upon the backs of the
tax. (Applause.)
When / find a man who is not
willing to pay his share of the burden
of the government which protects him
| find man who Is unworthy to enjoy
the blessings of Il government like ours.
(Applause.)
He says that we are opposing the
national bank currency. 1t is true.
If you will read what Thomas Benton
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 con-
spiracy of Cataline, and saved Rome.
He did for Rome what Jackson did
when he destroyed the bank conspiracy
and saved America. (Applause.)
We say in our platform that we
believe that the right to coin money
and Issue money is a function of gov
ernment. We believe it. We believe
it is part of the sovereignty, and can
no more with safety be delegated to
private individuals than we could afford
to delegate to private individuals the
power to make penal statutes, or levy
laws for taxation. (Applause.)
Mr.. jefferson, who was once regard
ed as good democratic authority, seems
to have a different opinion from the
gentlemen who have addressed us on
the part of the minority. Those who
are opposed to this proposition tell us
that the issue of paper money is func
ton of the bank, and that the govern
ment ought 10 go out of the banking
business. | stand with Jefferson, rather
than with them, and tell them, rs he
did, that the issue of money is func-
tion of the government, and that the
banks ought to go ont of the govern
ment business.
They complain about that plank
which declares against the life tenure
in office. They have tired to strain it
to mean that which it does not mean.
What we oppose IN that plank is the
life tenure that is being built up at
Washington which excludes from par
ticipation in its benefits the humber
members of our society. | can not
dwell long in my limited time. (CrieS
of ''Go on, go on.')
Let me call attention to two or three
great things. The gentleman from
New York says that he will propose an
providing that this change
in our law shall not affect contracts
already made. Let me remind him
that there is no intention of affecting
lnOSe COHLIdclS WHICH, "CCOiulhS W
the present laws, are made payable in
gold. But, if he means to say that we
cannot change our monetary system
without protecting those who have
loaned money before the change was
made, | want TO ask him where in law
or in morals he can find authority for
not protecting the debtors when the
act of 1873 was passed, but now insist
that we must protect the creditor. He
says he also wants to amend this law
and provide that if we fail to maintain
n parity within II year we VIII then
suspend the coinage of silver.