Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-07
MILLIONS FOR BOODLE-NOT A CENT
FOR THE TREASURY.


1t is said that Mark Hanna, who bought
McKinley's nomination, and now pro-
poses to bride his election is succeeding
amazingly in extracting his corruption
fund from the panic breeders of New
York and elsewhere. According to one of
his henchmen, he has already secured
more money, or promises of money, than
was contributed for the Blaine and Har-
rison campaigns all put together with
the prospect of still more.
His method is to- hold out as a menace
to the money mongers the prospect of an
income tax law in the event of Mr.. Bry-
ans election, with the possibilities of
such changes of heart or head or persons
on the supreme court bench as may cause
that tribunal to uphold such a law as
constitutional. Upon this he predicates
levy upon them respectively for as
much money for his campaign uses as
the income tax law of 1894 would have
exacted from them; and it is said that
these fellows, without regard to the party
names they have borne hitherto, are ac-
cedlng to his demands
Here we have a fair illustration of the
utter Venality and moral rottenness of
those who have been so noisy for many
months past about maintaining the hon
or of the country" Sound money" dis
honest dollars" and the like The in
come tax law of 1894 could not be bur-
densome to any one, because it bore only
on the superabundance of the wealthy.
1t is a mode of raising revenue recog-
nized almost everywhere as one of the
farest and most equitable forms of tax
alton, and nowhere more than in Eng
land, to which these gentry wish to as
simulate this country in every way-that
does not antagonize their interests. Such
a tax had been recognized by the SUI
preme court for nearly a century as en-
tirely consistent with the constitution,
and the people had paid it whenever inn
posed without serious contest until the
last time.
The congress in 1894 thought such a
tax just and necessary to raise the rev.
enue required by the government They
imposed it. No sooner was this done
than combination was formed among
the plutocrats to defeat it. A large
sum was raised, and the ablest counsel
engaged to attack it in the courts. The
first assault was only partially success
full, the law being upheld in some of its
features. Not satisfied with this the law
was again assailed. A change of heart
was somehow induced in one of the JUS
tees, who had upheld the law on the
former hearing; and finally, by a bare
majority of the court, the whole law was
declared unconstitutional and void. The
justice who was born over in his opin-
ions while these causes were pending is
named Shiras, and halls from Pittsburg,
as do many corporations and individuals
whom the law would have affected.
These men are lavish of expenditures
in order to evade or resist their just
share of public burdens; in exhibiting
themselves and their ill-gotten pelf in
foreign lands; in playing the lackey to
adventures coming hther to trade off
pretended names and titles for parvenu
wives and fortunes; in raising funds to
buy votes, debase the people and fit them
to be obedient slaves to the money
power; but they will not, If they can
avoid it, bear their part in supporting
the government from which they have
fiched much of their wealth, and which
protects them in its enjoyment. Their
design and policy Is to get all they can
from 1t and to return as little as possible
to 1t. The republican party from its be-
ginning, has been their plant tool and
done their dirty work, and at st. Louis
delivered itself up to them more fully
than ever, to be used at will for their
purposes. 1 is not, therefore, to be WON
dered at that they are ready and free in
their efforts to restore to it the power 1t
has never failed to pervert and misuse
for their profit.
The issue now before the country Is a
plain one. 1t is whether this country
shall be governed by it's people or by
few money mongers; by mammon or by
its manhood. We cannot doubt as to how
it will be settled.