Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1896-08-28
III e&'Ao AGO PLATFORM AND THE
SUPREME COURT.

= 70 fsI&
1HH C1'Ao AGO PLATFORM AND THE
SUPREME COURT.
NeA to Mr.. Bourke Cochran's horror of
'ne 'irreconciled slave holder' was his ap-
~ france in a state of mental paralysis,
ne result Of the comment of the Chicago
| platform on the Supreme Courts decision
/ Of the income tax. Let us first give
give the calm, conservative language of
the platform itself with reference to the
income tax decision OF the court:
"Until the money question is settled we are
opposed to any agitation for further changes
| in our tariff laws, except such as are necess-
airy to meet the deficit caused by the adverse
decision of the Supreme Court on the income
| tax. But for this decision by the Supreme
Court there would be no deficit in the revenue
| under the law passed by the democratic Con
gress in strict pursuance of the uniform de-
cisionS of that court for nearly 100 years, that
court having in that decision sustained con-
stitutional objections to its enactment which
had previously been Overruled by the ablest
Judges who had ever sat on that bench. We
ueCldTe GlldI III Is liit uuby VI SoHslo9' w "oe
all the constitutional power which remains
after that decision, or which may come from
its reversal by the court as 1t may hereafter
be constituted, SO that the burdens OF taxation
may be equally and impartially laid, to the
! end that we may all bear our proportion OF
the expenses Of the government"
Is changed Supreme Court any novelty
in the United States? Let us go back to
the action of that Republican party fol-
which Mr.. Cochran is now working, with
reference to the Supreme Court, on the
greenback question. The court in 1870,
then composed Of eight judges, by five to
three, held the greenback issue to be uncon-
stitutional. One of the five left the bench,
whereupon the court was increased to nine,
and two judges-Strong and Bradley-who
favored the constitutionality Of the green
back issue were appointed to it by the
President. In new case, involving the
| same legal principle, the court decided by
constitutional. In the Tilden-Hayes con-
troversy in 1876, each Supreme Court judge
Oh the Commission, voted according to his
political party. The Supreme Court de-
cided National bank to be constitutional,
but President Jackson paid no attention to
the decision and gave constitutional
grounds for vetoing bill establishing one.
So the U. S. Supreme Court has not been
kept under glass case in the way of not
being moulded to suit poi. sical situation,
OF not being criticised. AS to resisting the
court, no such idea ever entered anybody's
head except perhaps that Of Republican
OF his side partner. a bolter, and even in
that case it is only an aifectation for polit-
ical effect. But we should like the reader to
read the following criticisms Of the courts
income tax decision, nv thIe Glssentlnl
Judges, IT. THE court itself:
Justice Harlan said:
"In my judgment, to say nothing of former
adjudicating of this court, and of the practice
of the government for a century, this decision
may we'll excite the graoest Gpprehensioms.
\ There is no tax which in its essence i
more just and equitable than an income tax
which, allowing proper exemptions, reaches
out to every person who enjoys the protection
of the lew, protecting the largest number o
the American people from the domination o
aggregated aoeaIth."
Justice Jackson uttered these words:
1.-THE practical operation Of the decision i:
not only to disregard the great principles o
equality in taxation, but the further prInctpL
that in the imposition of taxes for the benef
of the government the burdens thereof should
be imposed upon those having the most ability
to here them
Justice Brown said
Even the spectre Of socialism is conjured NJ
to dissuade Congress from laying taxes upor
the people in proportion TO their ability Il
pay them, ana hope tliIs decision Will nc
prove the first step toward the submergence O
the liberties of the people in solid desp0tism
Of aoeaLh.
! Justice White said:
1.-THE injustice of the conclusion points to
the error of adopting it. 1t takes invested
wealth and leaves the occupation of the law
YER doctor, minister, professor, inventor, and
all the various forms of human activity upoI
which the prosperity of the people must de
pend, subject to taxation without apportion
ment. The grievous results sure to follow
|
that if tax on invested personal property
were imposed, and there were no other mean:
of preventing its enforcement, the red spectr
of reu0Lution ac0uld shake our institutions tt
their gerry tour1datsons.'
Now having read these utterances Of
Judges of the Supreme Court itself, will you
turn back for moment to the mild, calm
section Of the Chicago platform. The ad
ministration of Mr.. Cleveland expected
Congress expected. and the people of the
United States expected, that the United
States Supreme Court would stand by its
decisions OF hundred years and decide the
income tax constitutional. and the Chica-
90 platform in calm, conservative words
simply voiced the disappointment Of al
three.
TWO EXPLANATIONS OF THE Low
| PRICE OF WHEAT.
The News says that Ex-Gov. Cameron in
his speech Monday after saying that our
country once had the monopoly ct wheat
added:
| "Now came Argentina in South America
] that can supply the home demand and furnish
| wheat at profit at 81 cents bushel. India
and Russia sent to market cheap wheat. The
great railroads of the West have opened up
immense new wheat fields. syndicates. operat-
ing farms of hundr eds of thousands
of acres, with all the latest improved