The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1896-08-13

the1r faith upon the foundations laA By
the Z. skers Andrew Jackaon has stated
with admirable clearness and with an enn-
phaxs which can not Be surpassed both
The au.v and the speciality OF government
lie said: Distinctions In society viii al
ways exist under every Just government
Equality OF talentA OF education or Of
wealth can not be produced By human
institutions In the full enjoyment OF the
gifts OF heaven and the fruits OF superior
Industry. ec0neny and virtue. every man
l. equally entitled TO protection by law
We We'd 70 none In our devotion 90 The
doctrine Just eaanciatsd- Our campaign
has not for is object the Reconstruction
OF society. We car no. insure TO the yic-
ious the fruits Of q virtuoEs life: We would
not Invade the home OF the proyident IA
order TO supply the wants OF the spend
thrift We do not propose 20 transfer the
rewards Of industry 10 the lap Of Incidence.
Property IL and VIII remain the stimulus
70 endeavor ard the compensation for tell.
We believe. az asserted IN the declaration
OF independence. THAI al men are created
equal: but that does not mean that al
men are or can be equal IN possessson, IN
ability or IN merit; Ii simply means that
ali shall stand equal before the law, ard
that government officials shall not. IN max
ing, constituting or defining the law. dis
criminals between citizens. I asse-t that
property rights as wei as the rights OF
person are safe Ia the hands OF the COM
mon people. Abraham Lincoln n his mes
sage sent TO congress n December. iSs1.
said: No men living are more worthy
10 be trusted than those who toll up from
poverty, none less inclined 10 take or
touch aught which they have not honest
~ earned repeat his language
with unqualified approval and join
with him in the warning which
he added. namely: Let them be-
ware OF surrenderfng political
power which they already possess. and
which. IL surrendered. win surely be used
10 close the doors OF advancement against
such as they. and to tx new disabilities
and burdens upon them, till al OF liberty
shall be lost
Those who daily follow the Injunction.
In the sweat OF thy face shalt thou earn
bread are now, az they ever have been,
the buiwark OF law and order. the source
OF our nations greatness In time Of peace.
and its surest defenders In time of war.
But / have read only a part OF Jackson's
utterance. Let me give you his ccnclu-
sion: But when the laws undertake to
add to these natural and just advantages
artificial distinctions-to grant titles, gra-
tuities and exclusive privileges, to make
the rich richer and the potent more power
ful-the humble members of society. tina
-
who have neither the time nor the means
OF securing like favors for themselves
have right to complain OF the injustice
or their government Those who support
the Chicago platform endorse all OF the
quotations from Jackson, the latter part
as well as the foremost part.
I'VE are not surprised to find arrayed
aginst US those who are the benefciaries
of government favoritism: they have read
our platform. Nor are we surprised 10
learn that We must in this campaign face
the hostility of those who find pecuniary
advantage IN advocating the doctrine OF
non-interference when great aggregations
Of wealth are trespassing upon the rights
OF individuals. We welcome such opposi-
ton: 1t Is the highest endorsement which
could be bestowed upon us. We are con-
tent TO have the cooperation OF those who
desire TO have the government admins
tered without fear or favor. II Is not the
wish of the general public that trusts
should spring into existence and override
the weaker members OF society: II Is not
the wish OF the general public that these
lect such tax as they will from those who
are at their mercy: nor Is II the fault of
the general public that the fundamentally
OF the government has been so often pros
tituted 10 purposes OF private gain. Tho5e
who stand upon the Chicago platform be-
lieve that the government should not only
avoid wrongdoing. but that IL should also
prevent wrongdoing, and they believe that
the law should be enforced alike against
all OF the enemies of the public veal They
do not excuse petty larceny. but they do
clare that grand larceny Is equally q
crime: they do not defend the occupation
OF the highwaymen who rob the unsuspect-
ing traveller. but they include among the
transgressors those who through the more
H.,
lation appropriate to their own use the
proceeds of the toll OF others. The COM
mandment. Thou shalt not steal thun-
dered from Sinai and reiterated In the leg
islat.on OF all nations IL no respector OF
persons. II must be applied to the great
as well as the small: 10 the strong as
well as the weak; TO the corporate person
created by the law well as 10 the person
of flesh and blood created by the Almighty.
No government In worthy OF the name
which Is not able 10 protect from every
arm uplirted for his injury the humblest
citizen who lives beneath the flag. II FOL
lows as necessary conclusion that vicious
legislation must be remedied By the people
who suffer from the effects OF such lssis-
iation. and not by those who enjoy its
benefits.
The Attack on the Supreme Court.
The Chicago platform has been con-
I
opinion rendered by the supreme court de-
claring the income tax law uncons;itution-
al. Our critics even 60 so far as 70 apply
the name anarchist 10 those who stand
| upon the rlanks OF the platform. II must
be remembered that we expressly recog-
nize the binding force OF that decision so
| long as Il stands as q part of the law OF
/ the land There is IN the Platform no
suggestion Of an attempt 10 dispute the
| authority of the supreme court. The
/ party Is amply pledged 10 use al the con-
I etitutional power which remains after that
/ decision or which may como from its re-
/ versal by the court as IL may hereafter
/ be constituted Is there any 8sloyalty
I in that pledge7 For a hundred years the
supreme court Of the United States has
! sustained the principle which un9eriies the
/ income tax. Some twenty years ago the
I same court sustained without a dissent
ing voice an income tax Jaw almost iden-
/ teal with the one recently overthrow.
/ Has not a future court as much right 20
/ return 20 the judicial presidents Of a cen-
fury as the present court had to depart
from them7 When courts allow a rehear-
/ ing they admit that error is possible. The
late decision against the income tax was
rendered BY . majority OF one after a re-
hearing.
] The Income Tax Plank.
While the money question overshadows
all other questions IA importance. desire
* distinctly understood that / shall offer
no apology for the income tax plank OF
che Chicago platform. The last income
tax ,aw sought 30 appo-t!oa the burdens
OF the government more equitably among
thoSe who enjoy the protection OF the
s government Al present the expenses Of
the Federal government collected through
internal revenue ana import duties are ss-
+ pectaliy bur1elscne upon the poorer
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