The Butler weekly times., 1896-08-13

cUurt sEStGIhtU,
income tax law almost identical with the one
recently overthrown. Has not 4 future court
as much right to return to judicial preceGent
as the present court had 10 depart from them
When courts allow rehearings, they admit that
error Is possible. The late decision against
the income tax was rendered by majority of
one after rehearIngy
While the money question overshadowS Al!
other questions in Importance, desire II dis
tinctly understood that shall offer no apology
for the income tax plank OF the Chicago plat
form. The last income tax law sought 20 APP
portion the burdens OF government more equit-
ably among those who enjoy the protection
Of the government At present the expenses
OF the federal government, collected through
internal revenue and import duties, are es-
pecially burdensome upon the poor classes OF
society. A law which collects from some CIT
iZens more than their share OF the taxes
and collects from other citizens less than their
share, is simply an indirect means of transfer
ring one mans property 10 another man
pocket and while the process may be quite
satisfactory to the men who escape Just taxa
ton, IL can never be satisfactory 20 those who
are oyerburdened The last income tax law
with it's exemption provisions, when consld-
cred in connection with other methods or TAX
alton in force, was not unjust TO the possess
ors OF large incomes, because they were not
compelled to pay u total federal tax greater
than their share.
The Money Question.
Now let me ask you to consider the para
mount question OF this campaign-the money
question. II Is scarcely necessary TO defend
the principle Of bimetallsm. No 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 it Three parties the democrats, the
populsts and the silver party, not only de-
cIared for bimetallism. but have outlined the
specific legislation necessary to restore silver
to its ancient position by the side of gold
The republican platform expressly de-
clares that bmetallism is desirable when
it pledges the republican party to aid
in securing il as soon as the assistance OF GER
tain foreign nations can be obtained Those
who represent 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 1t
would retard or entirely prevent the estab-
!ishmen. OF international blmetallism, to
which the efforts OF the government should be
steadily directed" When they asserted that
the efforts of the government should be stead
| lily directed toward the establishment OF inter-
national bimetallism they condemned mono
metallism.
This Gold Standard Found Wanting.
The gold standard has been weighed in the
| balance and found wanting. Take from it the
powerful support OF the money-owning and
money changing classes and it cannot stand
| for one day In any nation in the world 1t was
| fastened upon the United States without dis
cussion before the people, and its friends have
| never yet been willing to risk verdict before
| the voters upon that issue
| There can be no sympathy or cooperation
| between the advocates OF a universal gold
| standard and the advocates of bimetallism.
| Between Observation-Disclosures independent
or international-and the gold standard there
| is an impossible gulf. Is this quadrennial
| agitation in favor of international bimctallism
| conducted in good faith or do our opponents
really desire to maintain the gold standard
| permanently. Are they willing to confess the
| superiority of "a double standard, when Joined
| by the leading nations of he world, dc
| they still insist that gold is the only metal
| suitable for standard money among civilized
| nations: If they are, in fact. desirous OF Sc
| curing bimetalism may expect them to
point out the evils OF Il IL gold standard and de-
| fend bimetalliSm as n system. IT, on the other
| hand, they are bending their energies toward
| the permanent establishment Of u gold stand
ard under cover Of Il declaration in favor OF in
| ternatiOnal biuIetalism am justified in sug-
| gesting that hoaest money cannot be expected
| at the hands OF those who deal dishonesty
| with the American people.
| Honest Money.
| What is the test OF honesty in money? l,
must certainly be found In the purchasing
| power OF the dollar. An absolutely homes,
| dollar would not vary in its general purchas.
ing power; it would be absolutely stable wher
measured by average prices, A dollar which
increases the purchasing power is just as dis
honest as dollar which decreases in pur.
| chasing power.
| 1t cannot be successfully claimed that mono
metallism or bmetallism or any other system
gives an absolutely just standard OF value
| Under both recommendation and bimetallsm
| the government fixes the weight and finenes,
| OF the dollar, invests 1t with legal tender quail
tiles, and then opens the mints to its unre
stricted coinage, leaving the purchasing power
OF the dollar to be determined by the mum bel
Of dollars.
| The Advantages OF Bimetallism.
Bimetallism is better than monometalliSm
not because it gives US a perfect dollar-tha
is. a dollar absolutely unvarying in it's genera
purchasing power-but because it makes ;
nearer approach to stability. to honesty to jus
tice, than gold standard possibly can Prio
| to 1873, when there were enough open mints Il
permit all the gold and silver available for coin
age to find entrance into the worlds volume
| OF standard money, the United States nigh
have maintained a gold standard with less in
jury to the people Of the country: but now
| when each step toward a universal gold stand
depresses prices and transfers to the pocket
OF the creditor class an unearned increment
the influence OF this great nation must not b
thrown upon the side OF gold unless we are pre-
pared to accept the natural and legitimat
consequences OF such an act
ANY legislation which lessons the world
stock Of standard money increases the ex
changeable value OF the dollar Therefore, tn
crusade against silver must inevitably rails
the purchasing power OF money and lower tn
money value OF all other forms OF money. Gu
opponents sometimes admit that it was mis-
take to demonetize silver, but insist that "
should submit to present conditions rather tha
return to the bimetallic system They err i
supposing that we have reached the end q
the evil results OF gold standard: "
have not reached the end. The injur
is continuing one, and no person can say ho,
long the world Is to suffer from the attempt t
make gold the only standard money. Tn
same influences which are now operating t
destroy silver in the United States will. IL sue
cessful here, be turned against other silve
using countries. and each new convert to tn
gold standard will add to the general distress
So long as the scramble for gold continue.
prices must fall, and . general fall In prices
but another definition OF hard times.
Gold Standard Ruinous to Traders.
Our opponents have made a special appeal
those who hold FIRE and life insurance policie.
but these same policy holders know that sine
the total premiums received exceed the tots