The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1904-11-12


by the statistics and our indirect
means Of taxation. While the party
must maintain its position on this sub
ject it cannot present this as the only
issue.
"The party must also maintain its
position on the tariff question. No
answer has been made to the indict
ment against the high tariff and yet
here, too, the burden of the tariff
system is concealed by Il method by
Which the taxes are collected. 1t can
not be made the sole issue in cam
paign.
'''rhe party must renew its demand
for an income tax, to be secured
through a constitutional amendment,
in order that wealth may be made to
pay it's share of the expense Of the
government. To-day we are collecting
practically all of our federal revenue
from taxes upon consumption, and
these bear heaviest upon the poor and
,lightest upon the rich.
''The party must maintain its posi-
ton in favor of himetallism. 1t can
not surrender its demand for the use
of both gold and silver as the standard
money of the country. but the Ques-
ton must remain in allegiance until
conditions are so changed as to bring
the public again face to face with fall
ing prices and a rising dollar. This.
too, cannot be made the controlling is
sue of the contest upon which we are
entering.
"The trust question presents the
most acute point of contest between
plutocracy and Democracy so far as
economics are concerned. The presi-
dent admits virtually that the trusts
Contributed to his campaign fund, but
he denies that they received any prom
Uses of aid or immunity. No we'll in
formed person doubts that the large
corporations have furnished the Re-
publican campaign fund during the
campaigns of 1896, 1900 and 1904, and
no one can answer the logic of Judge
Harkers arraignment of the trusts
contribution. The trusts are run on a
business principle. They do not sub
scribe millions of dollars to a cam
paign unless they are paying for
favors already granted or purchasing
fnvors for future delivery.
The weakness of Judge Parker's po-
sition was that the charge was made
at the close of the campaign, when it
was neutraliZed by Il counter charge.
The trusts cannot be fought success
fully by any party that depends upon
trust funds to win the election. The
Democratic party must make it's at
tack upon the trusts so vehement that
no one will be suspected Of secret aid
from them. 1t will be to it's advantage
il it will begin the next campaign
with an announcement that no trust
contributions will be accepted and
then prove it's sincerity by giving the
public access to it's contribution list.
In public enterprises the names of
contributors are generally made public
in order to denote the character and
purpose of the work.
president Roosevelt has four years
in which to make good his dcclara-
ton that no obligations We're incurred
by the acceptance of trust funds. He
will! diSappont either the contributors
Oh the voters. If he disappoints the
contributors, the; trust question may
be put in the process of settlement.
II he dsappoints the people, they will
have chance to settle with his party
four years hence. Death to every
private monopoly must be the slogan
Of the party in this question. Any
other position is IL surrender. The
platforms of 1900 and 1904 declare
that Il private monopoly is indie
fensible and intolcrable, and this
declaration presents the issue upon
the trust question.
"rhe party must continue its de-
Tense of the interests of the wage
Farmers, 1t must protect them from
the entertainments Of capital. The
fact that the laboring men have not
always shown their appreciation Of
the party's position ought not to deter
the party from doing it's duty in re-
gard to them. The labor question is
not one that concerns employers and
employees. alone. 1t concerns the en-
tire community and the people at large
have an interest in the just settlement
Of labor controversies. For that rea-
son they must insist upon remedial
legislation in regard to hours and ar
birration and they must SO limit the
authority Of the courts in contempt
cases as to overthrow what is known
as government by injunction.
'"The party must continue it's oppo-
sition to national banks Of issue and
must insist upon divorcing the treas
ury department from Wall street.
'The party must continue It's fight
for the popular election Of senator's
and for direct legislation wherever the
principle can be applied. 1t must not
only maintain it's position on old is
sues, but it must advance to the con-