Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1896-08-27

lty OF the supreme court: The party Is SIM
ply pledged to use all the Constitutional
power which remains after that decision, or
c whlGh may come from from its its reversal by the
Is there any disIoyalty in that pledge?
=. F ih an an hun6red years the supreme court
ciple which underlies the income tax. Some
without disaenting ing Voice an income sin tas
law, almost identical with one recently
right to return to the judicial precedents
OF country as the present court had to
when courts allow rehearing they ad-
nit that error is possible; the late decision
a majority of one after a rehearing. While
the money question overshadows all other
tinctiy understood that shall offer no apoi-
ogy for the Income tax plank of the Chi
sought to apportion the burdens of gov
eminent more equitably among those who
present the expenses Of the Federal govern
ment, collected through internal revenue
some upon the poor classes of Society.
"A law which collects from some citizens
lects from other citizens less than their
share is simply an indirect means of trans
ferring one mans property to another man 8
satisfactory to the men who escape just
taxation, 1t can never be satisfactory to
those who are overburdened- The last in
come come tax law. with its exemption pro-
other methods of taxation in force, was not
unjust to the possessors of large incomes.
total Federal tax greater than their Share
The income tax is not new. nor is it 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. so far as I have been able to ascer-
tain contains an exemption clause: While
countries does not make it necessary for
this nation to adopt this system, yet it
ought to moderate the language of those
who denounce the income tax as assault
upon the welI-to-do.
n mil a II fTISn To rrfz f0r
the advocacy of an income tax law by the
national convention, but shall also refuse
right to dissent from a decision of the Su-
P PTpH 6 S0STt o In D6o like ours
whether he holds office by election or by
appointment, whether he serves for term
people have right to criticise his official
acts:
despotism. Free government exists in jeal-
words of Thomas Jefferson, and I submit
that they present truer conception of pop
ular government than that entertained by
those who would prohibit unfavorable
comment upon a court decision. Truth will
vindicate itself; only error fears free speech.
No public official who cOnScientiously dis
charges his duty as he sees it will desire to
deny to those whom he serves the right to
discuss his official conduct.
Exposition of the Money Issue.
"Now let me ask you to consider the par
amount question of this campaign-the
money question. 1t is scarcely necessary
to defend the prin-
A dollar which ciple of bimetallism.
increases in pur- No national party
chasing power is during the entire
just as dishonest history OF the
| IA dollar which de- Odieeu e.ates MAJ
creases in purchaS- AGAINST ~ ana mn
ing power. party in this cam
temerity to oppose 1t. Three parties, the Dem
ocrats, the Populists, the Silver party, not
only declared for bimetallism, but have
outlined the specific legislation necessary to
restore silver to its ancient position by the
pressIy declares that bimetaiiism is desira-
| Bile when it pledges the Republican party to
aid in securing 1t the assistance
of certain foreign nations can be obtained.
en in TdH co the
free coinage Of silver by the United States
tbeP eGon on wo9 Gefard
entirely prevent the establishment of inter
of the should be seadly Dis
rected.'
when they asserted that the efforts of
the government should be steadily directed
toward the establishment of International
as The g6d taGGard ha Been %eg
in the balance and found wanting. Take
changing classes and it can not stand for
one day in any nation in the world. 1t was
discussion before the people and its friends
have never yet been willing to risk a verdict
before the voters upon that issue.
ton between the advocates of a universal
mn met BetWeen bimetailism4wh Their Ter
independent or internationaI-and the gold
this quadrennial agitation in favor of in
ternational bimetailism conducted in good
maintain the gold standard permanently !?
Are they willing to confess the he superiority
leading nations Of the world, or do they
stu fms insist that gold is the only metal sqta
tons? # they are in fact DESTROYS Of
securing bime tai n,, we may e eTpeet them
and defend bimetalHsm as system.
their e Gn e toward the permanent eStab
ment of a gold standard under cover OF a
metaiiism, am justified in suggesting that
honest money can not be expected at q the ne
what is the test of honesty in money?
power of the dollar. An absolutely honest
dollar would not vary in its general pur-
when hasaHf measured aWn by average Prices dol
lar which Increases in purchasing power IS
creases in purchasing power. Prof, Laugh
lin, now of the University of Chicago. and
in his work on bimetallism not only admits
that, the gold does not remain absolutely
there is such thing as standard value
TeT WcS II
He even suggests that t a multiple stand toa
Selling prices of number. of articles of
general consumption, would be a more
both. because a long time contract would
thereby be paid at its maturity by the
same purchasing power as was given in the
beginning.
'It can not be successfully claimed that
monometallism or bimetallism or any other
system gives an absolutely just standard
of value Under both recommendation and
bimetallism the government fixes the
weight and fneness of the dollar. invests it
with Iegal-tender qualities, and then opens
the mints to its unrestricted coinage, leav-
ing the purchasing power of the dollar to
be determined by the number of dollars.
Bimetallism is better than monometalliSm
mot
that is, a dollar absolutely unvarying in its
general purchasing power-but because it
makes nearer approach to stability, to
honesty. to justice than a gold standard
possibly can. Prior to 1873, when there
were enough open mints to permit all the
gold and silver available for coinage to
lind entrance into the worlds volume of
standard money, the United States might
have maintained gold standard with less
injury to the people of this country, but
now. when each step toward universal
gold standard enhances the purchasing
power of gold, depresses prices and trans
fers to the pockets of the creditor class an
unearned increment. the influence of this
great nation must be thrown upon the