La Junta tribune., 1900-09-15

/ sumption, and while they are Income
taxes, In the sense that they must be
paid out OF the incomes Of the people,
yet the exacti0ns are propOrtiOnnte to
the income. The taxes upon consump-
tiOn bear heaviest upon the poor and
lightest upon the rich. and are, In fact
graded income taxes. The per cent.
collected decreasing as the income in-
crenses.
II this nation adheres to the doctrine
that governments derive their lust
powers from the consent OF the gov
erned, and the people have an easy and
ready means OF collecting the abuses the
government will not need to be sup
ported by large permanent army, for
every citizen will be ready to defend
such government from attack. The
| only domestic use for large standing
army Is to suppress by force the dis.
content that should be cured by legis
lati0n.
10 support permanent army OF 100,
900 men requires approximately one
half as much money as is annually cx-
pended for education In the United
States. How much easier ii is to up
lift people by the gentle and peaceful
process of intellectual development
than TO blow them up with powder and
dynamite.
Imperialism Involves n departure
from principles which were universal.
ly accepted in this country until within
two years ago. To know that all men
are created equal one needs not the
wisdom OF n sage or the learning OF the
schools. Ii was declared to he self
evident truth. 1t WAS evident to those
who pledged their lives to the ninnten-
ance Of the Declaration of Independ.
ence, and II is evident still to those who
are not blinded by the glamour of
wealth and the glittering promises of
colonial system. II all men are crent-
ed equal and endowed with innlicnable
rights, II follows as n logical and nee
essary sequence that the governments
We're instituted for the welfare of all
and derive their just powers from the
consent OF the governed. On the pre-
servation OF this doctrine our hopes de.
pend: II 1t Is abandoned there Is 10
hope upon which government like
ours can be constructed. DO not nj
low yourselves to be deceived by those
who question the capacity of this peo-
pie or that people for self government.
When | say TINT those who distrust
the capacity of The people for self-gov-
ernment tend directly toward mon
ARMY
coin deliberately declared In his first
annual message. He said:
Monarchy Itself is sometimes limited
at as possible refuge from the power
OF the people. In my present position
l could scarcely be justified Were l to
omit raising warning voice against
the approach of returning despotism. It
Is not needed nor fitting here ;hat a gen.
eral argument should be made in favor
of popular institutions but there Is one
point, with Its connections not so hack
neyed as most others, to which l ask
brief attention. II Is the effort TO place
capital on an equal footing with. IL not
above labor, in the structure OF govern
ment. No men living are more to be
trusted than those who toll up from
poverty: none less inclined to take or
touch aught which they have not hon
estly earned. Let them beware Of sur
rendering a political power which they
already possess, and. which. II surren-
dered, will surely be used to close the
door of advancement against such AZ
they, and to fix new disabilities and
burdens upon them till all of liberty
shall be lost"
The warning Is even more needed
now than It was forty years ago. The
Army and Navy journal IL already JUS
tifying the colonial idea, and declaring
that fate has decreed for us destiny
in which an imperial executive, free
from restraints OF written c0nsttu-
ton, Will govern subjects according to
his own pleasure.
But why quote from newspapers as
to whit may be done hereafter In the
presence OF n law already enacted
which makes subjects OF the Porto
Ricans, withdraws from them the guar.
A.,
the power OF the President and Con-
gress to govern them without their
consent and tax them without repre-
sentatlOn-a power as unlimited and
tyrannical as WINS ever asserted or ex-
ercised by any ruler In all the history
OF the human race. This doctrine has
not yet been approved by the people;
1t furnishes the supreme question OF
the present campaign. In the presence
OF these perils the laboring man has n
responsibility commensurate with his
opportunity. Without large percent
age OF the laboring vote no party can
win an election In the United States.
The men who work for wages can by
throwing their votes on the one side or
the other determine the policy of this
country They need not march In par
ades; they need not adorn themselves
with the insignia of any party, but on
election day their silent ballots can
shape the destiny of this nation and
either bring the government back to its
ancient landmark or turn II into the
pathway followed by empires in the
old world
One of the pleasing prospects held
out by Mr.. Bryan Is free trade, which
would afford particularly pleasing
prospect to the commercial traveller.
for all the drummers of England. Ger
many and any other old country might
profitably be turned loose among us
under such policy. Foreign drum
mers have been here before.