Birmingham state herald. (Birmingham, Ala.) 1895-1897, 1896-07-10
NUMBER EOS


rest are as everlasting as the hills, but
they must be applied to the new condf-
tions as they arise.
New conditions have arisen, and we
are attempting to meet them. They tell
us that the income tax question ought
not to be brought in here: that 1t is a new
idea. They find fault with us for our
criticism of the supreme court of the
United States. We have not criticised 1t.
We have simply called attention to 1t.
If you want a criticism of the court in
the matter of the income tax read the
dissenting opinions of the judges. They
say that we. passed an unconstitutional
law. l deny it.. The income tax was not
unconstitutional. When 1t went before
the supreme court for the first time 1t
cid not become unconstitutional until the
one judge changed his mind. And we
cannot be expected to know when a Judge
will change his mind. Cheers and laugh
ter). The income tax Is a just law. / am
in favor of it, (Applause). And when
find man who Is not willing to pay his
share of the burdens of the government
which protects him find a man who Is
unworthy to enjoy the blessings of a gov
ernment like ours. cloud cheers).
They say that we are opposing the
national bank currency. 1t Is true.
Thomas Benton said that in searching
history he could find
But One Parallel to Andrew Jackson.
| That when Cicero destroyed the con-
| spiracy of Catiline and saved Rome he
| did for Rome what Jackson did when he
| destroyed the bank conspiracy and saved
| America. We say in our platform that
| the right to coin and issue money is a
| function of government. We believe that
power of sovereignty can no more with
safety be delegated to private corpora
tions than the power to enact penal
statutes or to levy taxation. Mr. Jefef-
son, who was once regarded as good DEM
ocratic authority, seems to have had d
different opinion than the senator from
New York. They tell us that the issuance
of the paper money is the function Of the
banks, and that the government ought to
go out of the banking business. l stand
with Jefferson and tell them as he did,
that the issue of money is function Of
the government, and that the banks
ought to go out Of the governing busi-
ness. Cheers and laughter).
'The senator from New York says he
will offer an amendment providing that
the proposed change of laws shall not af-
feet contracts already made. Let me re-
mind him that this is not the intention,
where under the present law contracts
are made payable in gold. But IL he
means to say that we cannot change our
monetary system without protecting
those who have loaned money before the
change Is made want to ask him where,
In law or in morals, he can find authority
for not protecting the debtors when the
act of 1873 was passed?
1.-The senator from New York also asks
maintain parity My reply is that We
cannot couple the platform with doubt
as to our own sincerity. He says he
wants this country to try to secure an in
ternational agreements Why does he not
tell us what he is going to do II they faiD
to secure it? (Applause.) They have
tried for twenty years to secure an in
terna tional agreement for bimetallism;
and those are waiting for 1t most patient
ly who do not want it at all. applause
and laughter)
IF they ask us why it is that we say
more ON the money question than on the
tariff question we reply that II protection
has slain It's thousands the gold standard
has slain Its tens of thousands. (Cheers)
If they ask us why not embody In the
platform all those things that we be-
1ieve my reply Is that when we have re-
stored the money of the constitution All
other necessary reforms will be possib =,
and that until that Is done there Is no re-
form that can be accomplished Why Is
1t that in three months such
A Change Has Come Over the Sentiment
of this country? Three months ago 1t
was confidently asserted that those who
believed In the gold standard would form
platform and nominate and elect can
didate. And they had good reason for
the assertion, because there Is scarcely
a state here today asking for a gold
standard that Is not within the absolute
control of the republican party. Mr.. Nc
h1Hley was nominated at St. Louis q
platform which declares for the MAIN
tenance Of the gold standard until 1t
shall be changed into bmetallism by in
ternational agreement. Mr.. Mckinley
was the most popular man among the
republicans and three months ago ev-
erybody in the republican party prophe-
sled his election How Is 1t today? He
who used to boast that he looks like Ma
poleon Qaughter) shudders today when
he thinks that he was nominated ON the
anniversary of the battle of Waterloo.
(Cheers) He can fancy that he hears in
the distance the sound of the waves as
they beat on the lonely shores of st. Hell
ena (Cheers)
'Why this change? All, my friends,
the change Is evident to any one who
looks at the matter 1t is because no
private character, however pure, no per-
sona1 popularity however great, can pro-
tect from the avenging wrath of an in
dignant people. The man who would de-
clare that he Is In favor of foisting the
gold standard on this people. or who Is
willing to surrender the right of self
government and to place legislative con-
troll In the
Hands of Foreign Potentates
and powers, cannot hope for an election
to the presidency of the United States.
(Cheers) We go FORTH" said the orator,
confident that we will win. Why? Be-
cause there Is not spot of ground upon
which the advocates of the gold standard
can meet US.
"You tell US the great cities are In ia
vor of the gold standard. Burn down
your cities and leave your farms and
your cities will grow up again But de-
stroy our farms and the grass Will grow
in every city Of the union" Great ap-
plause)
my friends" he continued 1--WE shall
declare that this nation Is able to legis-
late for Its people on every question
without waiting for the consent of any
other affnp rfb nd haf
issue we expect to carry every state In
this nation.
1T is the issue of 1776 over again. Our
ancestors, when only 100000 declared
their independence of every nation on
earth. Shall we, when grown 10 70,000,-
000 have less courage? If they say we
cannot have bimetallism until some
other nation assists we reply we will re-
store bimetallsm and let them adopt Ii
because the United States has led the
way. (Chesrs) We shall answer their
demand for the gold standard by saying
to them: