The Black Hills union. [volume] (Rapid City, Pennington County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1889-1904, 1898-04-08


the bread they earn, and are not anx-
ious to eat the bread that someone else
earns 1t appeals to the old men, who,
in leaving this life, want to leave a
heritage worth more than gold or sill
yer to their children. 1t appeals to
| all parts of the country. 1t appeals to
all occupations and conditions. 1t ap-
I peals to that sense of Justice that is
never appealed to in vain
"Ah, my friends. it is sense of JUS
! tice in the human heart that makes it
possible to have a government deriv-
| ing its powers from the consent of the
| governed. And democracy appeals to
| that sentiment because, whether it is
the democracy taught by the demo-
cratic party. or the democracy taught
| by the populist party. or the democra-
cy taught by the silver republican
| party. it is a democracy that means
equal rights to all, and special privi-
leges to no one. (Applause.
IF you ask me what is the most Sc
rious thing that we have to contend
against today, ] reply that it is favor
itism in government The good book
tells MS that when Joseph's father
made for him coat Of many colors, as
sign that he loved Joseph more than
liz ioNSu VIC oIlleI DTcGnrcIl. CluU MS
brethren hated him. Hated him, why?
Because it is mark of a fathers IA
vorltls,n. And. my friends, favoritism
today breeds discomfort and hatred
among the brethren as it did among
the brethren that kept their hocks in
Esdralon.
If the government should attempt
to scatter the germs of contagious dis
ease. 1T would not be SO dangerous as
to enter upon career of favoritism.
because IT the government attempted
to scatter disease everybody would try
TO get out of the way of the disease,
and thus the harm would be limited
But when the government starts upon
Il career OF favoritiSm, then everybody
wants to get in the way of this disease
and get part Of the benefit because
somebody else wants to get it. CAP
plause and laughter.)
democracy will settle every ques-
lion that has arisen. There is a ques-
ton that is ever present-the question
of taxation. Other questions NAV
come. and other questions may go. but
the question Of taxation goes on for
ever. Every city council, every state
Legislature, every federal congress
must meet the subject Of taxation. and
we solve the question of taxation by
applying to that question this idea. of
democracy: Equality before the law,
equal rights to all ana special privi-
leges to none.
We tried, my friends, to secure an
approach to this ideal of equality
wheu we enacted the income tax But
somehow we could not get that income
tax past the supreme court. We got
it through the house. and we got it
through the senate, and by the presi
dents refusing to sign the bill at all,
we got it past him. (Applause.) We
came within one of getting it through
the supreme court applause and
laughter.) But we missed it because
one man changed his mind. l believe
am young enough. and l know l am
sanguinc enough to hope to live to see
the day when there will be IN income
tax SO firmly imbedded in the constitu-
tlon that no supreme court can ever
say it is unconstitutional. (Applause)
And you will pardon me if just at
this time l call attention to something
that was almost prophetic in it's signi-
ticance. When. during the campaign,
came to this city, you will remcm
Der that quoted from the dissenting
opinion rendered by Justice Brown of
your own city. | often fell back on
that opinion when a republican called
me an anarchist. l could show that
opinion of Justice Brown, and saw
that if was an anarchist for what /
had said, he had said worse things
than | had and must be worse anar-
chist than l was applause
But, my friends, quote that de-
cision because it is more emphatic to-
day than it was when 1 was here be-
fore. He said in that opinion that his
fea.' was that in some hour of national
peril that decision might rise up and
par;liyze the arm of the government
l recite that decision to you tonight.
impress it upon your memory, because
we are in the presence not of certain,
but possible war
''And, my friends, if war does come
| want you to understand that decision
stands there to prevent this nation
from levying tribute upon the wealth
OF the country to carry on war for
the nations defense. ] want you to
know that decision stands there as
bar to the action of congress The
government can go to the home and
take the husband from the side of his
wife. the government can go to the
home and take the son from his de-
pendent mother, and he can take
father and son, and the government
can place them in front of the cannon
and make them yield up their life's
blood in the nations defense, but it |
cannot lay its hands on the wealth of
the nation and make it bear its share
of the expense of the nation. You may
call me an anarchist if you will, but
SC. help me God, will never place any
mans fortune above mothers son. or
wife's husband. (Applause.)