The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1898-01-29
WAGON WHEAT, O6C
ACME MILLING CO.,
Old 35z West Washington st.

exemption of property but to the legacy
privilege. He insisted upon the distinction
a5 important. Mr.. Moran also contended as
to the graduation of the taxes for the right
or the Legislature to determine this point
W IUF te f. 9sa6e ghe e. c1urt tp had no
nrpoSe of the law was the diffusion of
.ealth, he said he admitted that this was
Its tendency. He then proceeded to say that
yEe of the great dangers of the day was
the aggregation of great wealth in families
Ia conclusion he said if the Fourteenth
amendment prevented the States from exer-
cising their just riv'lege, it was time the
amendment was repealed.
GENERAE HARRISON'S ADDRESS
General Harrison bef, IA i,is argument at
3:00 p. m, speaking IN met voice and
receiving from the bes ipg the careful
attention of both the neE uers of the court
and the general t+ie &c. RE said the coun-
sci on the other side LAD practically con-
fessed the Law to be Unconstitutional by
failing TO show authority for the position
they assumed. He contended that there
could be no more limitation put on the right
OF man to dispose of his property after
death than before. Are men, he asked, to
be restrained from giving due exercise to
the due affections of the heart? This dis
position he characterized as ''monstrous."
There are things inherent in our free in
stitutions, he said, that do not neeed to find
expression in the Constitution or bill of
rights, and such is the right to the protec-
tion of such individual rights as were at
tackled by this law. Our system of govern
ment was not constructed, he said, on
principle that would permit a communistic
legislature of Illinois to interfere with the
rights of the individual to devise his own
Justice Brown asked how in case of the
death or man his property was to be dis
tT1buted between his wife and children in
the absence of a statute for guidance.
To this General Harrison replied that he
was not contending that the natural law
should not be written out, but that it should
be in accordance with the dictates of af-
lection and precedent. A doctrine such as
that contended for would paralyze all
thrift and foresight Why, he asked, should
of the thought that he can transmit his
property to his wife or child? He projects
himself beyond the grave. Shall every
chlld become a founding?
That is not the law you are attacking
now interjected Mr. Moran.
Not the law, / admit" replied General
Harrison. but the principle you have de-
Tended that the State may take all man. s
property upon his death, which has been
ae1ended here to-day with a boldness L
have never seen or heard before in speech
or publication"
Continuing. General Harrison ridiculed
the idea that legislature could dispose of
the estate of the citizen of its State. The
nome was, he said. the basis of our So
ciety, and should not be invaded as was
here laid down the entire tax of the State
could be levied on a score of persons He
did not believe in great aggregations of
it wise to destroy the very foundations on
which our institutions rest. Least of all
could those who have no wealth afford TO
encourage TINS tendency. He declared the
provision for exempting collateral bequests
from taxation to be utterly senseless and
incongruous and said these exemptions
We're based on favoritism and not on oues-
ton of public concern. In conclusion. he
contended that testamentary and Inherit
ance rights We're natural to men in civilized
llYT1T7 fhG Al
herent in property. Both rights had been
recognized throughout history.