Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-09-19

may be equally and impartially laid, ia
the end that wealth may bear It's due
proportion OF the expenses Of the govern
ment."
MEANING OF THE INCOME-TAX
PLANK.
The meaning OF this Is plain. The
court Is constantly changing in its per-
sonal composition. Judge Jackson has
died since the decision was made. One
or more Of the judges has now the right
to retire because OF his age. In the in
evtable course OF nature the court may
at any day. and must at an early day,
become differently constituted indeed,
now Is differently constituted from what
II was when the income-tax decision was
rendered. And no packing has taken
place. and no evil thing has been i'm
agined.
This was just what the Democratic
platform contemplated, and why peer
under the surface Of plain words. and
beyond the natural and orderly course
Of things. to impute mean motives, and
imagine some occult couched and dan
gerous thing? The proneness to do IL Is
not the mark OF justice or wisdom. as
censorious and carping speech Is not the
mark OF candOr or courage After all,
the Governor says that he. too. is IN
favor Of a proper income tax. How In
the name Of sense can he possibly get
1t except In one or the other Of the two
ways pointed out by the Democratic plat
form-that Is %. by using the constitu-
tional power that remains after the de-
cision. or O. by which may come from
It's reversal by the court as hereafter con-
stituted? And If he would. and. indeed.
must, pursue one of these paths. why
imagine that others will pursue it less
Morthily than he? Democracy has never
packed the Supreme Court. Ii never
Will To impute the suggestion is 20
SANDER as reputable men as the nation
has in 1t. and not one Of them is less
capable Of wongful deed than William
j. Bryan.
CRITICISM THE WEAPON OF TRUTH.
/ have been trained from my youth
TO respect courts. My father and
were both honOred judges
Of this State, and that respect was
mingled with reverence for them
have been member of the bar from
early manhood, and respect my profess
sion and its members. But / think the
Governor oversteps the mark when he
says / commit more than an impro-
priety' i'm holding that Judges are not
beyond the pale OF criticism. No good
man desires to be beyond it. 1t is no
honor to any man, but an aspersion Of
him. to try to put him beyond It. Crlt-
ism is the weapon of truth. 1t is neces-
'ary to free speech, and as such. under
protection, no freeman
viii ever lay down his right to exercise it.
All public servants must be open to It, |
whether they be judges or otherwise. and |
hey always wish to be open TO II If they |
ra hnnacf nd "a Tho 1ferngfffon
o avoid it is the brand of suspicion.
rhe judges freely criticise themselves. |
nd give evidence of sincerity and inGe-
,endence i'm so doing. 1t increases. II
oes not lessen. respect for them for all
o criticise freely. They would shudder
o hear that they were TO be encased |
n an atmosphere of isolation where free
peech could not penetrate. At any
ale, no American freeman and no true
'irginlan will ever put his face in the
ust before frail mortality, even though
is robed and called judge. This is not
turkey, and our Governor cannot make
imsef Grand Vizier We are not TO be
lught obsequiOusness under plea of
The true conservatism is
My TO be found in freedom A iig for
lcb propriety as the Executive COM
lends. 1t is propriety ft only for slaves
s a freeman it is my right. as senator
is my duty, TO er!ticise public officials
NJ pyblic laeasures, as : deem -ight ]
1all enGeavor 10 observe that circum-
oection, decorum, and moderation in
ping so which good sense. public respect,
I'D genteel manners dictate; but L do
1t think / shall be improved In these
ldeavors by any example which may be
,und in the recent emanations from
overnor O'Ferral.
TRIPLES" AND |
TARIFF PLATFORM.
The Governors Washington interview
ave his reasons for boiling the candi-
,tes OF the Democratic party in 1896.
oremost of those reasons he assigned
10 erroneous statement that the Chi
700 convention had abandoned the
principle Of tariff for
venue ONLY which had been eiuhciated
=, EVERY Democratic convention from ]
10 TO 1892" and he eXcoriated this as
4 "inexcusable and deliberate depar-
re-"
I pointed out in reply that the plat
rms of 1854 and 1888. upon which Clcve-
nd received his first and second nomi-
tions for the presidency, had not con- {
ined the tariff for revenue only priTr {
,le and that IT was inserted in 1892.
,en he was the third time nominated. :
ainst the stout resistance OF many OF !
= supporters, including the entire
olive Cleveland delegates from Virginia. :
,ese delegates had the active support
Governor O'Ferran Il
{ was evidently inconcelvable that so a
eat a revulsion of feeling and conduct n
Md have been induced by the absence o
a principle or phrase from a platform &
zen. with the like absence, he had
ice supported the nominee.
,ut so serious misstatement OF Demo
tic history, and even the charge OF L.
,excusable" offence. based upon 1t,
1inst the Bryan Democracy, does not
turb the Governor i'm the least. Now u,
nes the letter of September llth, from 70
, Governor, with the fiippant retort: II
This is special pleading, and the snap c,
70 M of unconsidered tribes" And m
N. having studied the platform In the :.
an time between the interview and -
rejoinder 10 my reply, and discovered -
4 his recital contained more errors 80,
IN | took the trouble TO cite he adds ~ y.
knows that the phrase. tarrs "a "a
revenue only, has not been in every, - -
tform." ay
q they, indeed? They have found 1t eA
then. Notwithstanding the misin- Oh on
nation supplied them by the Cover ~ ~
and l seem TO have assisted at VI
Il one OF them TO ascertain it.
special pleading" is it? A Judge III ~,
nld know that a special plea is good II
rue. and my plea is true. But 8 .
ge should also know that my plea W
lot special, but a plain, general de- G:
and exposure of misstatement. FL
The swapping up of unconsidered su
es." Is it? 1t may be that the matter ca
'unconsidered" by the Governor. as
frequently takes position first and IA
;iders afterwards, but if a tribe" 20
Ma ba assIpned n as the leading en-
on for turning against the party +
oH ,r.s, | .ri