The Weiser signal. [volume] (Weiser, Idaho) 1890-1904, 1896-08-20

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 the
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 commandment, 'Tnou shalt not |
steal Numbered from Sinai, and reiter- |
ated in the legislation Of all nations. is
no respecter of persons. 1t must be ap-
piled to the great as well as the small, |
to the strong as we'll as to the weak, 10
the corporate person. created by law, ea
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 uplfted for
his injury the humblest citizen who lives
beneath the flag. 1t follows as 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.
''The Chicago platform has been con-
demned by some because 1t 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
that decision, SO long as it stands as
a part of the law of the land. There is
| in the platform no suggestion Of an st-
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 reversibility by the
| court as it may hereafter be constituted.
Is there any disloyalty in that pledge?
For q 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 fu-
| 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 rehearng they ad-
nit that error is possible. The late de-
clsion against the income tax was len
dered by a majority OF one after re-
hearing. While the money question over
shadows all others Of Importance. de-
sire it distinctly understood that shall
offer no apology for the income tax plank
of the Chicago platform. The last in
come tax law sought to apportion the
burdens Of the government more equ'ta-
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 1t based upon hos
tjlty to the rich. Not only shall l refuse
TO apologize for the advocacy of an In
come tax taw by the national conven-
tion. but shall also refuse to apologize
for the exercise by it of the right to
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 term o.
Years or during good behavior, and the
people have a right to crticise his ON
cial acts Confidence is everywhere the
parent of despotism. Free governmen
exists in jealousy and not in confidence.
These are the words of Thomas Jefferson
and / submit that they present true
conception of popular government thai
that entertained by those who would pro
, hibit an unfavorable comment upon
= court decision.
Paramount Campaign Question.
Now let me consider the paramount
question of this campaign. 1t Is scarce
ly necessary to defend the principle o
, bimetallism. No national party durin
the entire history of the United State
> has ever declared against it, and no par
ty in this campaign has had the temerit
to oppose it. Three parties, the demo
I Gratis, the populists and the silver party
D not only declared for bimetallism, bu
] | have outlined the specific legislation nee
!, essary to restore silver TO its ancier
I | position by the side Of gold. The re
> publican platform expressly declares tha
T. bimetallism Is desirable when II pledge
g the republican party to aid In securin
= it as soon as the assistance of certa'
+ foreign nations can be secured. Tho'
f who represented the minority sentimer
e in the Chicago convention opposed u
h free coinage of silver by the Unite
d States by independent action, on II
= ground that in their Judgment 1t wou
retard or entirely prevent the establish
l, ment of international bimetallism,
d which the efforts of the governmei
l, should be steadily directed When th'
e asserted that the efforts of the COVER
e ment should be steadily directed towa
e the establishment of international bime
allism, they condemned monometallisI
E "The gold standard has been weigh
is in the balance and found wanun
r Take from 1t the powerful support of t
ST money owning and the money changil
1T classes, and it can not stand Cor o
te day in any nation in the world. 1t W
ie fastened upon the United States witho
lie discussion before the people, and
e. friends have never yet been willing
We risk q verdict before the voters upon tn
ig issue. There can be no sympathy
NJ cooperation between the advocates of
y universal gold standard and the adN
Gates of bimetallism. Between bimet
lism, whether independent or inter-
tional, and the gold standard, there
" an impossible gulf. Is this quadrenn
n agitation in favor of international
~, metallsm conducted in good fai
or do your opponents really
- | sire to maintain the gold stal
- ard permanently? Are they willing
m confess the superiority of a dou
standard when Joined in by the lead