The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1896-08-20

of talents. education, or of wealth can
not be produced by human institutions.
In the full enjoyment of gifts of heaven
ana the fruits of superior industry.
eecnonomy and virtue every man is equal
ly entitled to protection by law
I'VE yield to none in our devotion to the
doctrine just enunciated. Our cam
paign has not for its object the recon-
struction of society. We can not insure
to the vicious the fruits of virtuous
life; we would not invade the home of
the provident in order to supply the
wants of the spendthrift; we do not pro-
pose to transfer the rewards of industry
to the lap of incidence. Property is and
will remain the stimulus to endcavor and
the compensation for toll. We believe
MS asserted in the declaration of indie
pendence, that all men are created equal
but that does not mean that all men can
nave equal possessions positions or
| merit, ii means that all shall stand
equal before the law and that govern
ment officials shall not. in making. CON
STRUNG or enforcing the law discriminate
between citizens.
Il assert that property rights as well
MS the rights of persons are safe in the
hands of the common people.
Abraham Lincoln in his message
sent to congress in December, 1861, said:
No men living are more worthy to be
| trusted than those who toll up from pow
erty; none less inclined to take or touch
aught which they have not honestly
| earned
II repeat his language with unqualified
approval and join with him in the warn
ing, he added: Let them beware of sur
rendering political power which they
already possess and which power, If
surrendered, will surely be used to close
the doors of advancement against such
as will fix new burdens upon them until
all of liberty shall be lost These words
of the injunction: In the sweat of thy
face shalt thou earn bread are now as
they have ever been the bulwark of law
and order: the source of our nations
greatness in time of peace and its surest
defenders in time of war. But | have
read only n part of Jackson's utterances
let me give you his conclusions But
when the laws undertake to add to those
natural and just advantages artificial dis
tinctions-to grant titles, gratuities and
exclusive privileges-tO make the rich
richer and the powerful more powerful;
the humble of society-the farmers,
mechanics and the day laborers-who
have neither the time nor the means of
securing like favors for themselves have
n right to complain of the injustice of
their government. Those who support
the lHlCuSO pHitIOTHl pHuOTSe all OI tne
quotations from Jacksonville latter part
as well as the former part.
1--WE are not surprised to find arrayed
against us those who are the beneficiaries
of government Notwithstanding have
read our platform. Nor are we surprised
to learn that we must in this campaign
face the hostilities of those who find
pecuniary advantage in advocating the
doctrine of non-interference when great
upon the rights of individuals. We well
come such opposition-it is the highest
endorsement which could be bestowed
upon us. We are content to have the CO.
operation of those who desire to have
the government administered without
fear or favor. 1t is not the wish of the
great public that trusts should spring into
existence and override the weaker mem
bers of society; it is not the wish of the
general public that these trusts should
destroy competition and then collect such
taxes ms they will from those who are
at their mercy. nor is it the wish of the
general public that the Observation-Disclosures
of government have been so often prosti-
tuted to purposes of private gain Those
who stand upon the Chicago platform be-
lievc the government should not only
avoid wrong-doing, but that 1t should
also prevent wrOng-dong, and they be-
against all enemies of the public veal.
They do not excuse petit larceny, but
they declare that grand larceny is equal
ly crime. They do not defend the &C.
cupation of the highway:
"The commandment. Thou shalt not
steal Numbered from Sinai and re-
iterated in the legislation of all nations,
is no respecter of persons. 1t must he
applied to the great ms well as to the
On IN
weak; to the corporate person created by
law as well as to the person of flesh and
blood created by the Almighty. No
government is worthy of the name which
is not able to protect from every arm
uplifted for his injury the humblest citi-
zen who lives beneath the flag. 1t fol
lows as necessary conclusion that
vicious legislation must be remedied by
the people who suffer from the effects
of such legislation and not by those who
enjoy its benefits.
THE INCOME TAN.
1.-THE Chicago platform has been con-
demned by some because il dissents
from an opinion rendered by the siI-
preme court. declaring the income tax
law unconstitutional. Our critics even
go so far as to apply the name anarchist
to those who stand upon that plank Of
the platform. 1t must be remembered
that we are forced to recognize the bind
ing force of that decision so long as il
stands II part of the law of the land.
For hundred years the supreme
court Of the United States has sus-
tanned the principle which underlies the
income tax. Some twenty years ago
this same court sustained without n dis
senting voice an income tax law almost
identical with the one recently over
thrown: has not Il future court as much
right to return to the judicial precedents
of century as the present court has to
depart from them? When courts allow
rehearings they admit that error is pos
sible; the late decision against the in
come tax was rendered by Il majority of
one after a rehearing.
while the money question over
shadows all other questions in impor-
lance | desire it distinctly understood
that | shall offer no apology for the in
come tax plank of the Chicago platform.
The last income tax law sought to appor-
ton the burdens of government more
equitably among those who enjoy the
protection of the government. At pres
ent the expenses of the federal govern
ment, collected through internal revenue
taxes and import duties, are especially
burdensOme upon the poorer classes of
society. A law which collects from some
citizens more than their share of taxes
and collects from other citizens less