The herald., 1896-08-13

rendered by the supreme court declar-
ing the income tax law unconstitutional
Our critics even go so far as to apply the
name anarchist to those who stand upon
the planks of the platform. j must be
remembered that we expressly recog-
riZe the binding forces of that decision
so long as it stands as part of the law
OF the land. There Is in the platform no
suggestion OF an attempt to dispute the
authority of the supreme court. The
party is simply pledged to use "all the
constitutional power which remains af-
ter that decision or which may come
from this reversal; the court as it may
hereafter be constituted" Is there any
disloyalty in that pledge? For hundred
years the supreme court of the United
States has sustained the principle which
underlies the income tax. Some twen-
ty years ago the same court sustaoned
without dissenting voice an income tax
law almost identical with the one re-
Gently overthrown; has not a future
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 rehearing they admit
that error is possible. The late decision
against the income tax was rendered by
majority of one after a rehearing.
MONEY AND TAXES.
While the money question overshad-
ows all others questions of Importance
1 desire it distinctly understood that
shall offer no apology for the income tax
plan of the Chicago platform. The last
income tax law sought to apporton the
burdens of the government more eduit-
ably among those who enjoy the pro-
lection of the government. At present
the expenses OF the federal govern
ment collected through internal revenue
and import duties are especially burden
some upon the poor 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
another mans pocket and while the pro-
cess may be quite satisfactory to the
man who escapes just taxation it can
never be satisfactory to those who are
overwhelmed. The last income tax
law with its exemption provisions, when
considered III connection with other
methods of taxation in force, was un-
Just to the possesors of large incomes
because they were compelled to pay a
total federal tax greater than their share.
NO UNTRIED SCHEME.
The income tax is not new, nor is 1t
pased 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, as far as I
nave been able to ascertain, contains an
exception clause. While the collection
OF an income tax in other countries does
not make it necessary for this nation to
adopt the system, yet it ought to mod
crate the language of those who de-
nounce the income tax as an assault
upon the well-to-do. Not only shall ]
! refuse to apologize for the advocacy ot
an income tax law by the national con.
vention, but shall also refuse to apollo
| gize for the exercise by it of the right tc
dissent from decision of the supreme
court.
THE PUBLIC'S SERVANTS,
In government like ours, every pub
lie official is public servant, whether he
holds office by election or by appoint
ment. whether he serves for a term of
years or during good behavior, and peo-
pie have a right to criticise his official
acts. Confidence is everywhere the pa
rent of despotism.
Free government exists in jealousy
and not in confidence-these are the
words of Thomas Jefferson, and 1 sub
init that they present truer conception
of popular government than that enter
tained by those who would prohibit an
unfavorable comment upon a court de-
cision. Truth will vindicate itself; only
error fears free speech. No public Of
ficial who conscientiously discharges his
duty as he sees it will desire to deny to
those whom he serves the right to dis
cuss his official conduct
THE MONEY QUESTION.
Now let us consider the paramount
question of this campaign-the money
question. 1t is scarcely necessary to de-
fend the principle of bimetallism; no
national party during the entire history
of the United States has ever declared
against it, and no party in this cam
paign has had the temerity to oppose it,
Three parties, the Democratic, the Pop
ulist and the silver party, not only de-
clared for bimetallism, but have out
lined the specific legislation necessary
to restore silver to it's ancient position
by the side of gold. The Republican
platform expressly declares that bimet-
allism is desirable when it pledges the
Republican party to aid in securing 1t
as soon as the assistance of certain for
egn nations can be obtained. Those who
represented the minority sentiment in
the Chicago convention opposed the
free coinage of silver by the United
States by Independent action. on the
ground that in their judgment it
would retard or entirely prevent the
establishment of international bimetal-
lism to which the efforts of the govern
ment should be steadily directed"
THE SINGLE STANDARD.
When they asserted that the efforts
of the government should be steadily
directed toward the establishment of
international bimetallism they con-
demned monometallism. The gold stand
ard has been weighed in the balance
and found wanting. Take from it the
powerful support of the money owning
and the money changing claIses and it
cannot stand for one day in any nation
in the world. 1t was fastened upon the