The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-08-13
BRYAN'S SERMON
Democratic Leader Applies
Scriptures to the Issues.
Says Standard Oil VIII Not Mix
With Water of Life.
MANS DUTY TO MAN:
Christianity's Vital Principles
in Relation to Trusts.
MANS DUTY TO MAN:
Broad Statement of Truths
Governing Nations.

|
| printed the following Sunday sermon
from the pen Of w. ]. Bryan:
Standard Oil and the Water Of Life
will not mix
''If man say. 7 love Cod and
hateth his brother. he is liar, for he
that loveth not his brother, whom he
hath seen, how can he love God, whom
| he hath not SEEM"
Thus does John, in his First Epistle,
denounce those who pretend to love the
Heavenly Father while they hate the
earthly brother.
Christ condensed the Ten Command
ments into two when He said, Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all thy
heart, and with all thy soul, and with
all thy mind This is the first and
great commandment And the second
like unto it, Thou shalt love thy neigh
Dor as myself"
The first defines mans duty toward
the Almighty, the second his duty to-
ward his fellow men. The fatherhood
of God and the brotherhood of man are
parts of the same gospel and can not De
separated. We have no way of measur-
ing mans love toward the Creator ex-
cept by the good will which he mani
tests toward his fellow creatures.
There is a wide zone between the
Affirmative benevo1ence which religion
commands and the rectitude which gov
eminent cOmpelS. The Christian can not
content himself with a life of negative
harTnlessness; the fruits of the spirit
must manifest themselves in positive
he1pfulnesS
The object of this article, however, is
not to point out ways in which the
Christian may aid his brother, but
rather to indicate a few of the ways in
which he may be doing injustice to
him.
UNJUST TAXATION IS GRAND
LARCENY.
The subject of taxation is an ever
present one. Other questions may come
and go, but this question, like Tenny-
sons brook, goes ON forever. 1t is an
admitted proposition that each citizen
should contribute to the support of his
government in proportion to the protec-
ton enjoyed by him and the benefits
received. II, because of bad system
of taxation, or because of the faulty ad-
ministration of a good system, taxes
pay more than their share, and others
less, injustice is done to those over
burdened and Partially shown to those
too lightly taxed.
An unjust system, in effect, collects
from those overtaxed and gives to those
undertaxed; or, in other words, trans
another mans pocket. The wrong done
in this way approaches, If 1t does not
reach. the proportions of grand larceny:
If the unjust law is the handiwork OF
those who profit by it and is enacted
because of the advantage which 1t
brings to it's authors, how shall we
describe the moral character OF the actf
INCOME TAX IN A NEW LIGHT.
The wrong consists in the fact that
money is taken from one person with
out an equivalent being returned by the
government, and given to another with
out a consideration being demanded, the
method being im1aterial. The person
who robs by force or by fraud Is no
more guilty, from a moral standpoint,
than the man who purpoSely secures
legislation which transfers to the shout
= r,th fhn f11fh
he himself ought to bear.
The advocates of income tax be-
lieve that taxation involves moral as
well as q political question, ana, Dellev-
ing in equality before the law, they
favor an amendment to the ConStftu
ton specifically authorizing an income
tax.
Can the opponents of such an amend
ment place their opposition upon moral
grounds7 Can the Christian who loves
his brother conceal from the assessor
or favor tax systems favorable to him.
self, unjust to others?
MODERN SCRIBES AND PHARISEES
1t was said of the Scribes and Phari-
sees: They bind heavy burdens and
grievous to be borne and lay them on
mems shoulders, but they themselves VIII
not move them with one Of their hng-
ers" This Indictment might be brought
today against those who encourage ex-
travagance in legislation and yet evade
their share of the burdens, which they
impose.
Honest differences of opinion as to the
merits of any proposed financial policy
are to be expected, but there ought to
be no difference of opinion as to the ideal
policy toward the securing of which ev-
cry effort should be directed.
The questions, what money is sound?
and what dollar makes the nearest APP
proach to honesty? may afford ground
for dispute, but there should be no dis
sent from the proposition that the best
dollar, no matter what system secures
it, is the dollar which is most stable in
its purchasing power. Absolute stability,
if attainable, would give US an absolute
ly honest dollar. but such a dollar has
never yet been devised.
AFTER PERFECTION IN MONEY.
In money.as in other matters,w strive
for perfection, knowing that 1t can not
be fully attained. Every fluctua ton in
the purchasing power of the dollar in
jures some one. II a dollar rises in pur-
chasing power. It benefits those who own
money and those who hold contracts
payable in dollars, but it Injuries those
who owe money and those who produce
wealth.
A dollar which falls in purchasing
power produces the opposite effect To
increase the number of dollars called for
in a contract would not be tolerated for
a moment; to increase the purchasing
power of the dollar. however. has exact
power of a dollar may be changed by
legislation. For instance, other things
being equal. legislation, which lessons the
volume of standard money, increases the
value of each dollar
MKINLEY'S TOLEDO SPEECH IN
1891
This idea was forcibiy set forth by
Mr. Mckinley in a speech made in To-
ledo, O.. in 1891. Speaking of Mr. Cleve-
lands hostility to silver, he said:
He was determined to contract the
circulating medium and demonetize one
of the coins of commerce, limit the vol
ume OF money among the people, make
money scarce and therefore dear He
| would have increased the value of money