The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1896-07-22
"The gentleman from Wisconsin

1.-THE gentleman from Wisconsin
has said that he fears a Robespierre
NV friend, in this land of the free you
need fear no tyrant who will spring
up from among the people. What we
need is an Andrew Jackson, to stand,
as Jackson stood, against the encroach
ments of aggrandized wealth.
''They tell us that this platform was
made to catch votes. We reply tt
them that changing conditions make
new issues; that the principles upon
which rest Democracy are as everlast
ing as the hills, but that they must bt
applied to new conditions as they
arise. Conditions have arisen, and W.
are attempting to meet those condi
tions.
"They tell us that the income tax
ought not to be brought in here, tha
it is new idea. They criticise US fo
our criticisms Of the Supreme Cour
of the United States. My friends, WI
have not criticised. We have simply
called attention to what you know. l
you want criticisms read the dissent
ing opinion of the court. That viii
give you criticisms.
''They say we passed an unconstitu
tional law. 1 deny it. The income
tax was not unconstitutional when II
was passed. 1t was not unconstltu
tional when it went before the Su
preme Court for the first time. 1t did
not become unconstitutional until ont
Judge changed his mind, and we can
not be expected to know when judge
will change his mind.
INCOME TAX JUST.
"The income tax IS a just law. II
simply intends to put the burdens ot
government justly upon the backs ol
the people. l am in favor of an in
come tax. When / find a man who
is not willing to pay his share of the
government which protects him I fnt
a man who is unworthy to enjoy the
blessings of a government like ours.
HE says that we are opposing the
national bank currency. It is true. II
you will read what Thomas Benton
said you will find that he said that in
searching history he could find but
one parallel to Andrew Jackson. That
was Cicero, who destroyed the con-
spiracy of Catiline to save Rome. He
did for Rome what Jackson did when
he destroyed the bank conspiracy and
saved America.
1--WE say in our platform that we
believe the right to coin money and
issue money is a function of govern
ment. We believe it is part of SOW
ereignty and can no more with safety
be delegated to private individuals
than we could afford to delegate to
private individuals the power to make
penal statutes or levy laws for taxa,
ton.
"Mr. Jefferson, who was once re-
garded as good Democratic authority,
seems to havea a different opinion from
the gentleman who has addressed us
on the part of the minority.
''Those who are opposed to this pro-
position tell us that the issue of paper
money Is function of the bank, and
that the government ought to 60 out
Of the banking business. stand with
Jefferson rather than with them in
holding, as he did, that the issue of
money is a function of the govern
ment, and that the banks ought to 60
out of the government business.
''They complain about that plank
which declares against the life tenure
in Office. They have tried to strain il
to mean that which it does not mean.
What we oppose in that plank is the
life tenure that is being built at Wash
ington, which excludes from partici-
patton in the benefits the humber
members of our society. 1 cannot
dwell on this longer in my limited
time.
''Let me call attention to two or
three great things. The gentleman
from New York says that he will pro.
pose an amendment providing that
this change in our law shall not affect
contracts already made. Let me re-
mind him that there is no intention of
affecting those contracts which, &C.
cording to the present laws, are made
payable in gold. But if he means to
say that we cannot change our none.
tary system without protecting those
who have loaned money before the
change was made, I want to ask him
where, in law or in morals, he can find
authority for not protecting the debt
ors when the Act of 1873 was passed,
when he now insists that we must
protect the creditor.
''He says he also wants to amend
this law and provide that if we fail TO
maintain a parity within a year we
will then suspend the coinage of sill
yer. We reply that when we advo-
cate q thing which we believe will be
successful, we are not compelled to
raise doubt as to our own sincerity
by trying TO show what we will do if
we can.
QUESTION OF PARITY.
II ask him. if he will apply his log
ic TO us. why he does not apply it to
himself. He says that he wants this
country to try to secure an interna-
tional agreement. Why doesn't he
tel us what he is going to do if they
fail to secure an international agree
ment2 There is more reason for him
to do that than for us to fail to main
tain the parity. They have tried for
thirty years-for thirty years-to Sc
cure an international agreement, and
those who are waiting for it most pa
tiently don't want it at all.
"Now, my friends, let me come to
the great paramount issue. If they
ask us here why it is that we say more
on the money question than we say
upon the tariff question, reply that