The advocate., 1896-07-22

| the people. What We need Is an Andrew jack
SON. to stand as Andrew Jackson stood, against
the encroachments of aggrandiEed wealth.
They tell US this platform was made to catch
votes. We reply 20 them that changing con-
ditions make new issues: that the principles
upon which rest democracy are as everlasting
as the hills, but that they must be applied to
new conditions as they arise Conditions have
arisen and we are attempting to meet those
conditions They tell us that the income tax
ought not to be brought In here; that 1t is q
new idea. They criticise us for our criticisms
OF the supreme court OF the United States My
friends we have not criticised. We have sim
ply pointed attention to what YOU know. II
You want criticisms, read the dissenting opin-
ion of the court That will give you critl-
cisms.
They say we passed an unconstitutional law.
deny it The income tax was not uncOnStitu-
tlonal when It was passed 1t was not unconsti-
tutlonal when IL went to the supreme court the
first time 1t did not become unconstitutional
until one Judge changed his mind, and we cam
not be expected to know when a judge will
change his mind The income tax is o just
law. 1t simply intends to put the burden OF
government Justly upon the backs OF the peo-
pie. Rm in favor OF an income tax.
When find man who is not willing to pay
his share Of the burden Of the governments
which protects him, find man who Is un-
worthy to enjoy the blessings Of government
like ours He says that we are opposing the
national bank currency. It Is true II you
win read what Thomas Benton said you will
find he said that In searching history he could
find but one parallel to Andrew Jackson That
was Cicero, who destroyed the conspiracy OF
Catalin and saved Rome He did for Rome
what Jackson did when he destroyed the bank
conspiracy and saved America We say In our
platform that we believe the right to coin
money and issue money Is Q function Of gov
ernment We believe It We believe 10 Is
part Of sovereignty, and can no more with
safety be delegated to private corporations
and individuals than we could AFFORD to dele
gate TO private individuals the power to make
penal statutes or levy laws for taxation
Mr.. Jefferson, who was once regarded as
good democratic authority seems to have o
different opinion from the gentlemen who have
addressed US on the part OF the minority.
Those who are opposed to this proposition tell
US the issue OF paper money Is function OF
che bank and that the government ought to go
out Of the banking business. stand with JEFF
ferson rather than with them, Rndtell them. az
he did, that the issue Of money ls q function Of
the government and that the banks ought to
go out OF the governments business.
They complain about that plank which de-
clareS about the life tenure In oflca. They
have tried to strain It to mean that which IL
does not mean. What we oppose in that plank
Is the life tOnure that Is being built up at
Washington, which excludes from partloipa-
tiOn In the benefits the humber members Of
our society.
Let me call attention to the two or three
great things The gentleman from New York
says that he will propose an amendment pro-
V1dlng that this change In our laws shall not
anect contracts already made Let me remind
him that there Is no intention Of affecting
those contracts, which, according to the pres-
ent laws, are made payable In gold But II he
means to say that we cannot change our mOne-
tary system without protecting those who have
loaned money before the change was made, I
want TO ask him whore, in law or In morals,
can he find authority for not protecting the
debtors when the act Of 1873 was passed, but
now insists that we must protect the creditors.
He says he also wants TO amend this law and |
provide that IL we fail to maintain parity |
within year that we will then suspend the |
Ooinsge OF silver. We reply that when we ad- |
voOate q thing which we believe will be suc-
cessfpl we are not compelled to raise q doubt |
Ss to our sincerity by trying TO show what We |
will do II We can ask him II he will apply /
his logic TO US, why he does not apply IL to |
himself He says what he wants Is for the
country to try to secure an international agree
ment. Why doesen't he tell US what he Is go
Ing TO do II they fail TO secure an international
agreement There Is more reason for him to
do that than for US to fail TO maintain the par
lty. They have tried for 30 years--for 30 years
to secure an international agreement, and
they who are waiting for it most patiently
don't want IL at all
II lak f, kha |
paramount issue. II they ask US here why 10
Is We say more on the money question than We
say upon the tariff question, reply that II
protection has slain its thousands, the gold
standard has slain Its tens OF thousands II
they ask as why we did not embody ell these
shings In our platform which we believe, We
reply to them that when We have restored the