The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1896-08-21

Is theTe any disloyalty in that pledge?
For an hundred years the supreme court
Of the United States has sustained the p-iu-
cipie which underiieS the income tax. Some
twenty years ago this same court sustained,
without dissenting voice, an income tax
law, almost identical with one recently
overthrow; has not future court as much
right to return to the judicial pFecedents
Of country as the present court mad to
depart from them?
''WheR courts allow rehearing they ad-
NIT that error is possible; the late decision
against the income tax was rendered by
a majority OF one after q rehearinE. While
the money question OVershad0Ws all other
questions in Importance, I desire IL dis
t1nctly understood that 1 shall offer 10 apOl-
Ogy for the income tax plank Of the Chi
eagO platform. The last income tax law
sought 10 appOruon the burdens OF gov
eminent more equitably among those who
enjoy the protection Of the government. AT
present the expenses OF the Federal govern
ment. collected through internal revenue
ana import Guu6S5 are especially burden
some upon the poor classes OF society.
"a law which collects from some citizens
more than their share OF the taxes ana col
lects from other citizens less than their
share Is simDiy an indirect means of trans
feTTing one mans property to another man.
pocket. While the process may be quite
satisfactory 10 the men who eScape lust
taxation, 1t can never be satisfactory TO
those who are Overburdened. The last in
tDA4E -u4 law Win lis exemption DIE-
visions, when considered in connection with
other methods of taxation in force was not
unjust to the pOssessOrs of large incomes,
because they were not compelled to pay a
total Federal tax greater than their share.
The income tax is not new nor is II based
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, 50 far as have been able to asceT-
tain, contains an exemption clause. While
the collection or an income tax in other
countries does not make it necessary for
this nation TO adopt this system, yet fl
ought to moderate the language of those
who denOunCe the income tax as an assault
upon the weil-to-dO.
mot only shall I refuse to apologize for
the advocacy Of an income tax law by the
national convention, but I shall also refuse
to apologize for the exercise by ii OF the
right to dissent from a decision of the Su-
pTeme court. In government like ours
every public official is a public servant
whether he holds office by election or by
appointment, whether he serves for a term
of years or during good behavior, and the
people have right to criticise his Officia
acts.
Confidence is everywhere the parent OF
despOtism, Free government exists in jeat
oUsy, and not in eanfidence-these are tbs
words Of Thomas Jefferson, and I submit
that they present a truer conception of pop
ular government than that entertained by
those who would prohibit an unfavOrablt
comment upon a court decision. Truth viii
vindicate itself; only error fears free speech
No public official who conscientiously dis
charges his duty as he sees it will desire tC
deny to those whom he serves the right Z
discuss his official conduct.
Exposition of the Money Issue.
'eNow let me ask you TO consider the par
amount question of this campaign-the
money question It is scarcely necessary
to defend the pFin
A dollar which ciple Of bimetallism
increases in pur- No national party
chasing power is during the entire
Just as dishonest as history OF th'
"a dollar which de- oititeu StateS Iai
cFeases in puFchas- AGAINST # and mr.
ing power. party in this cam
paign has had tn,
temeTity to oppose 1t. Three parties, the Dem
oCFats, the POpulists, the Silver party, no
only declared for bimetallism, but have
outlined the specific legislation necessary t.
restore silver to its ancient position by thu
side Of gold. The Republican platform eX
pressly declares that bimetallism is desira
bic when it pledges the Republican party Il
aid in securing it as soon as the assistance
of certain foreign nations can be obtained
| Those who represented the minority senti
ment in the Chicago convention opposed tn
free coinage of silver by the United States
by independent action on the ground that
i'll their judgment, it would retard o.
entirely prevent the establishment Of inter
national bimetallism, to which the efforts
Of the government should be steadily di
rected.'
when they asserted that the efforts O
the government should be steadily directed
toward the establishment of inteTnatiOna
bimetallism they condemned monomet
allism. The gold standard has been weighed
in the balance and found wanting. TAXI
from it the powerful support of the money
changing classes and it can not stand fol
one day in any nation in the world. 1t wal
| fastened upon the United States withOu
discussion before the people and its friends
have never yet been willing to risk a verde
before the voters upon that issue,
There can be no sympathy or co-opera
| ton between the advocates OF universe
gold standard and the advocates Of hi
metallism Between bimetallism-Whethe
independent or iDternatiOnGl-and the gOl
standard, there is an impossible gulf. i
this QuadFennial agitation in favor of In
| teTnatiOnal bimetallism conducted in goo
| faith, or do our opponents really desire Il
maintain the gold standard permanently
Are they willing to confess the SuperiOTit.
of a double standard, when Joined by tn
| leading nations Of the world, or do thel
still insist that gold is the only metal suita
| Die for standard money among civilized na
tons? If they are, in fact, DESTROYS o
securing bimetallism we may expect then
and defend bimetalHsm as a system.
If on the other hand, they are bending
their energies toward the permanent estab
ment of a gold standard under cover OF
declaration in favor Of international bi
metalliSm, l am 1uSuned IN suggesting ina
| honest money can not be expected at tn
hands of those who deal dishonesty VIII
the American people,
what is the test Of honesty in money
It must certainly be found in the PURCHASING
Of the d0IIaT A n absolutely homes
dollar would not vary in its general pur
chasing power; it would be absolutely stabl
when measured by average prices. dol
lar which increases in purchasing power i
just as dishonest as a dollar which de
creases in purchasing power. Prof, Laugh
lin now of the University OF Chicago ant
one of the highest gold standard~Iuth Oriues
in his work on bimetatlism not only admits
that the gold does not remain absOlutei!
stable in value, but expressly asserts tina
there is no such thing as standard Valul
for future payments either IN gOld or Sll
yer, which remains absolutely invariable.'
HE even suggests that a multiple stand
ard. wherein the unit is based upon tn
selling prices of a number Of articles o
general consumption, would be a NOR
lust standard than either gold or silver, O
both, because a long time contract Wout
thereby be paid at its maturity by tn
same purchasing power as was given in tn
beginning
at can not be successfully claimed tina
monometaiIism or bimetallism or any Othe
system gives an absolutely just standar,
of value Under both recommendation ant
bimetallism the government fixes tn
weight and fineness of the dollar, invests
with legal-tender qualities, and then open
the minis to It's unrestricted coinage, leav
ing the purchasing power of the dollar t
be determined by the number of dollars
/ Bimetallsm is better than mOnOmetalltsn
not because it gives US q perfect dollar
that is, a dollar absolutely unvarying in it
general purchasing pGWeT-but because
makes a nearer approach to stability, Z
honesty, to justice than q gold STANDARD
possibly can. Prior to 1873, when Their
were enough open minis to permit all tn
gold and silver available for coinage Il
md entrance into the worlds volume o
standard money, the United States nigh
have maintained a gold standard with les
injury 70 the people Of this country, bu
now, when each step toward a universe
gold standard enhances the purchasing
power OF gold. depTesses prices and trans
fers to the pockets Of the creditor class az
unearned increment. the influence Of thi
great nation must be thrown upon tn
Side of gold unless we are prepared to &C
ceDt the natural and legitimate cOnse
oupUopG of EuPl an act