Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1896-08-19

toll Of others. The commandment, Thou
shalt not steal, 1" thundered from Sinai and
reiterated 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 the weak, to the cor
porate person created by law as 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. It follows as necessary conclusion
that vicious legislation must be remedied
by the people who suffer from the effects Of
such legislation and not by those who en-
joy its benef1ta
The Income Tar Decision.
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 90 20 fur as to ap-
ply the name anarchist to those who stand
upon that plank Of the platform. 1t must
be remembered that We expressly recog-
nize the binding force Of that decision 80
long as 1t stands az apart Of the law of
the land There Is In the platform no sug-
gestion of an attempt to dispute the au-
thority of the supreme court. The party Is
simply pledged to use "all the constitu-
tional power which remains after that de-
cision or which may come from Its reversal
by the court as it may hereafter be consti-
tuted." Is there any dis1oyalty In that
pledge9 For O hundred years the supreme
kLo TIolk,<3 Gkoko1 hos {ro
the principle which underlies the income
tar. Some 30 years ago this same court
sustained without dissenting voice an in
come tax law almost identical with the
one recently overthrown. Has not future
court as much right to return to the judi
cial precedents Of q century as the present
court had to depart from themp When
courts allow rehearings, they admit that
error Is possible. The late decision against
the income tax was rendered by O majority
of one after rehearing.
While the money question overshadows
all other questions in importance, desire
it distinctly understood that I shall offer
no apology for the income tax plank OF the
Chicago platform.y The last income tax
law sought to apportion the burdens OF
government more equitably among those
who enjoy the protection Of the govern
ment. At present the expenses Of the fed
oral government, collected through internal
revenue taxes and import duties, are espe-
cially burdensome upon the poorer classes
Of society. A law which collects from some
citizens more than their share Of the taxes
and collects from other citizens less than
their share is simply an indirect means
of transferring one mans property to an
other mans pocket, and while the process
may be quite satisfactory to the men who
escape just taxation 1t can never be salts
factory to those who are overburdened
The last income tax law, with It's exemp-
ton provisions, when considered IN con-
nection with other methods Of taxation In
force, was not unjust to the possessors OF
large incomes, because they were not COM
PEELED to pay total federal tax greater
than their share. The income tax is not
new, nor is 1t based upon hostility to the
rich. The system Is employed in several
of the most important nations Of Europe,
and every income tax law now upon the
statute books in any land, 80 far as I have
been able to ascertain, contains an e1emp-
ton clause. While the collection OF an In
come tax in other countries does not make
1t necessary for this nation to adopt the
system, yet 1t ought to moderate the Ian
guage Of those who denounce the income
tax as an assault upon the we'll to do.
Not only shall refuse to apologize for
the advocacy of an income tax law by the
national convention, but shall also refuse
to apologize for the exercise by 1t OF the
right to dissent from decision Of the su-
preme court. In government like ours
every public official Is public servant,
whether he holds office by election or by
appointment, whether he serves for term
Of years or during good behavior, and the
people have right to criticise his official
acts. Confidence is everywhere the parent
of despotim. Free government exists IN
jealousy and not In confidence. These are
the words Of Thomas Jefferson, and sub
NIT that they present truer conception OF
popular government than that entertained
BY those who would prohibit an unfaror-
able comment upon o court decision.
Truth will vindicate itself. Only error fears
free speech. No public official who con-
scientiously discharges his duty as he sees
1t will desire to deny to those whom he
serves the right to discuss his official con-
duct.
The Paramount Question.
Now let me ask you to consider the para.
mount question Of this campaign - the
money question. It is scarcely necessary to
defend the principle Of bimetallism. Nc
national party during the entire history OF
the United States has ever declared against
it. and no party in this campaign has had
the temerity to oppose 1t. Three parties
the Democratic, Populist and Silver par
ties-have not only declared for bimetal-
lism, but have outlined the specific legisla-
ton necessary to restore silver to Its an
cient position by the side Of gold. The
Republican platform declares that bimetal-
ism is desirable when 1t pledges the Re'
publican party to aid in securing 1t as soon
as the assistance Of certain foreign nations
can be obtained. Those who represented
the minority sentiment In the Chicago con.
vention opposed the free coinage OF silver
by the United States by independent ao'
tion on the ground that, in their Judgment,
1t "would retard or entirely prevent the
establishment Of international bimetal'
lis1n, to which the efforts Of tho govern
ment should be steadily directed" When
they asserted that the effol Is Of the govern.
ment should be steadily directed toward
the establishment Of international bimetal'
lism, they condemned monometallism.
The gold standard has been weighed In the
balance and found wanting. Take from II
the powerful support Of the money owning
and the money changing classes, and 1t can
not stand for one day In any nation In the
world. 1t was fastened upon the United
States without discussion before the peo'
pie, and Its friends have never yet been
willing to risk verdict before the voter;
upon that issue
There can be no sympathy or co-opera.
ton between the advocates Of universal
gold standard and the advocates Of bimet-