Cañon City record., 1900-09-13

sumption, ard while they are income
taxes, In the sense that they must be
paid out Of the incomes Of the people,
yet the exactions nre proportionate to
the income. The taxes upon consump-
tlon bear heaviest upon the poor and
iightest apon the rich, and are, In fact,
graded income taxes. The per cent.
collected decreasing as the income in-
creases.
II this nation adheres to the doctrine
that governments derive their just
powers from the consent of the gov
erned, and the people have nm easy and
ready means OF collecting the abuses, ,flIe
government VIII not need to be sup
ported by Il large permanent army, for
every citizen will be ready to defend
suck a 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-
lntion.
To support permanent army Of lDD.-
900 men requires approximately one
half as much money as Is annually ex-
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 a sage or the learning OF the
schools. II was declared TO be y self
evident truth. IL was evident to those
who pledged their lives to the maintesi.
ancc OF the Declaration OF Ipdepend-
ence. and II Is evident siill TO those who
are not blinded by the glamour of
wealth and the glittcring promises OF
colonial system. II all men are Great
ed equal and endowed with inhlicBabie
rights. 1t follows as a logical and nee.
essary sequence that the governments
were instituted for the welfare OF all
and derive their just powers from the
consent or the governed On the pre-
servatlon OF this doctrine our hopes de
pend; II II is abandoned there is no
hope upon which government like
ours can be constructed. DO Rot nj.
low yourselves to be deceived by those
who question the capacity OF this peo-
pie or that people for seif-governIncnt.
When l say that those who distrust
the capacity OF the people for seif-gov-
erninent tend directly toward mon-
'arcby l am only repeating what LiE-
tbiu 0titb-fItttl uttinftu III Hfh ufrt
annual message. He said:
s"Monarchy Itself IL sometimes limited
at as possible refuge from the power
OF the people. In my present position
could scarcely be justified were to
omit raisipg warning voice against
the approach OF returning despotism. IL
s not needed nor Hitting here that a gen
cral argument should bc made In favor
OF popular institutions. but there IL one
point. with Its connections not 10 hack
neyed as most Others. TO which I ask
brief attention. II u the effort TO placr
capital ON AN equal footing with. II not
above labor. In the structure OF govern
mcnt No men living are more 20 be
trusted than those who toll up from
poverty. none less inclined to take or
touch nught which they have not hon.
estly earned. Let them beware OF sur.
rendering n political power which they
already possess. and which. II surrcn-
dered. viii surely bc used to close the
door OF advancement against such MS
they. and to fix new disabilities ana
burdens upon them TIL NIL Of liberty
shall be lost
The warning Is even more needed
now than IL was forty years ago. The
Army and Navy Journal Is already jus
tifying the colonial Idea. and declaring
that fate has decreed for us a destiny
In which an imperial executive, free
from restraints OF written constiiu-
tion. Will govern subjects according TO
his own pleasure.
But why quote from newspapers as
to what fnsy be done hereafter In the
presence OF a law already enacted
which makes subjects OF the Porto
Rlcans, withdraws from chem the guar
antecs OF the constitution and asserts
the power OF the President and Con-
gress TO govern them without their
consent and tax them without repre-
scntation-a power ns unlimited and
tyrnnnlcal nv was ever inserted or ex-
erclsed by amy ruler In all the history
OF the human race. This doctrine has
not yet been approved by the people;
II furnishes the supreme question OF
the present campaign. In the presence
OF these perils the lnbnring man Inns
responsibility commensurate with his
opportunity. without large percent
age OF the lnboring 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 pnr-
udes; they need not adorn themselves
with the insignia OF nny party, but on
election dny 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.
Ono OF the pleasing prospects held
out by Mr.. Bryan IN free trade, which
would afford n particularly pleasing
prospect to the commercial traveller.
for all the drummcrs OF England. Ger
many and any other old country might
profitnbly be turned loose among us
under such n policy. Foreign drum
mers have been here before.