The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1900-02-13

and every communication is absolutely conai
saw in it the hope of relief, and those
who had prof!ted by grand larceny saw
in it menace to their business. CAP
plause0 And, my friends, that platform
has stood for three years 1t has stood
in spite of all the influences considered
potent in society.
That platform to-day has resisted, and
is resisting, all those influences which
until 1886 were supposed to dominate i'll
politics. And yet what testimony to the
strength of an idea. What an evidence
of the vital thought and purpose there,
that, in spite Of all the gold newspapers
and all the railroad influences, and all the
bank influences and all the trust ini1u-
ences, and all the influences of employers,
they have not been able to take one single
line or syllable out of that creed which
was Matched al Chicago. CApplause) In
stead Of that the platform stands to-day
stronger than it was then, and now we
add new planks simply to cover the new
questions which have arisen since, and the
questions before the country have been
brought out even in clearer light than
they were in 1896
THE INCOME TAX.
Let me illustrates: One of the questions
we advocated or discussed in 1896 was the
income tax. Do you remember how the
tax-dodgers got behind the decision of the
Supreme Court, and said that we were
not treating the court with respect? They
did not say that they did not want to
pay an income tax. On no; they Just
tried to hide behind the decision of the
Supreme Court. But you now see. M
friends, what was pointed out by one of
the judges of that court-JudSe Brown. a
Republican judge-sent in dissenting
opinion. which said: II fear that in some
hour of national peril this decision will
rise up to paralyze the arm of the gov
ernment." wondered that the people did
not see it then. but many did not. But
when the war came on and we needed
more revenue we could not get it from the
income tax. Why? Because that decision
rose up to paralyze the arm Of the gov
eminent; and. instead of authorizing an
income tax, they looked around for some
thing to put a stamp on. Now.
why is 1t that the man who sends tele-
gram pays the tax? Because the law was.
SO written that the telegraph company
could shift the burden over to the man
who sends the telegram.
AN EXPERIENCE
Out in Iowa had an experience which
emphasizes this idea. 1 was riding in
chair-car. and they came around and col
lected from me thirty cents. l had been
in the habit Of paving twenty-five or fifty
cents. and wondered why il was thirty
cents this time, and / was informed that
it had been twenty-five cents until this
tax Of one cent on each receipt was laid,
and that then it was made thirty cents,
so that the railroad company got back
the one cent paid to the government and
got four cents for collecting that one cent
for the government. daughter and APP.
plause.)
say that if people did not realize In
1886 what was going on, they ought to
realize it now, because when the hour of
peril came it was found that we had 4
government which has unlimited power
when it deals with citizens. but only a
limited power when it deals with the
pocket-boof. =
THE INCOME TAX.
And speaking of the business of this
tax, noticed something q few years ago
that impressed me strongly. 1t was while
that bill was before Congress, that in
come tax bill, and they had at Washing
ton some national board of trade or
chamber of commerce. or something of
that kind, a commercial body, and a
gentleman from one of the eastern cities
introduced a resolution declaring that it
was the senseSof that body that the in
come tax bill should be defeated. a
man from one of the cities on the lakes
arose, and he said: II entertained the
same views as have been expressed by
the gentleman who has just taken his
seat, until a few weeks ago; but I have
been studying the matter, and have made
up my mind that the income tax is just"
He said: under the law 1 have put up
the tax. because my income is larger than
the amount exempted, and" he said.
why should I not? enjoyed this income
under the protection of the Government;
why should I not pay for this protection.
would be ashamed not to pay my share
tof the expenses of the Government. and
throw this burden, which ought to bear,
over on the backs of people less able. to
bear the burden than am He then sat
down. and another man got up and made
speech like that He said he wanted 1t
understood that he was willing to pay
his share, although until recently he had
opposed the income tax; that he under
stood it now. and was willing to bearEit.
He then sat down. and some one moved
that the meeting adjourn, and when they
convened again the resolution was
brought up. and was never discussed at
all in that body; and yet the man who