The Penn's Grove record., 1904-09-02

ROO - ~ ~ EoV Ia AAO Rl6OC6 VA
those who have been right. 1t would in
deed be a miracle if any such thing would
happen, and, so tar as | am concerned, |
do not believe it will happen.
Why do I say SO? Because | believe
that if the gold standard be right, as both
the old parties now say it is, the people
of the country will give the credit and
the support to the men who We're brave
enough to pioneer its way, fight its battle
and win its triumph.
TIE TARIFF.
But We are tod the democratic party
has taken d bold stand On the tariff uues-
tlon. Ii has declared that protection is
robbery. Ii That declaration means any
thing II certainly means That any pro-
lection, however, small, is dishonest.
But they would never dare to say that
the American people must colIstrue that
language TO mean What IL ordinarily
would mean. Even those VINO claim
hat TIE words mean "a tariff Tor revenue
only" Will lind cold comfort i'll the letter
OF their candidate who declares that,
while he would be glad to see a revision
OF the tariff, he knows that he can not
bring 1t to pass.
To save the trouble Of any doubt upon
that great subject, he hauds i'll his capt.
tulation to the republicans before a SIN
| gle gun is fired.
The campaign has hardly been opened
before the standard bearer OF democracy
commences his retreat. Therefore, the
great tariff question may be considered
as waived, = just as tne great money
question is waived"
Let us see what else the national demo-
cratic party presents as an issue. In their
platform they declare that further legis-
lation is needed against the trusts. But
their candidate i'll his speech OF accep-
lance, says that we have as much law as
we need. For all practical purpose
therefore, the attitude OF the national
democrats Oh the trust question is pre-
cisely the same as that of the national
republicans.
IMPERIALISM
Let us presume that Judge Parker
against whose character | would not ven
ture to say a word, Tor | believe him to
be an eminently worthy man-let us
presume, | say, That Judge Parker, as the
champion and representative of the great
democratic party, has the courage OF his
convictions. Ii we do presume this, his
failure to state wherein he would make
any change in the policy which the re-
puplicans are pursuing III the Philippines
is the most significant bit OF silence Ill all
oil the various and interesting bits OF sill
ence to be found in Judge Par&er's re-
markable speech OF acceptance.
HUNT FOR OFFICE.
The two platforms, almost identical?
Certainly they are. Boiled down to its
real essence, slfted to it's real meaning,
the democratic campaign of 1904 is a
mere INSCRIPTIONS hunt for office. They
have no fixed and certain creed. They
have no articles of faith by which demo-
cratic loyalty can be tested. A party,
like an individual, should seek to build
up character. And without convictions
there can be no character.
VOTERS DECEIVED.
You may ask why do | consume more
time discussing the democrats than ill
speaking OF the republicans. My reply
is: It's an easier and quicker job to
strike an open enemy right between the
eyes than it is to teal oil the mask from
the face OF a pretended friend and show
him to be the hypocrite that he is.
The great mass OF the people from
l WHO'LL i tldNS GIltCI bdlllCu UIlG llODC vi
support are in no danger of voting the
republican ticket. They know that the
republican party stands Tor class leglsla-
ton. They know that it stands for class
legislation. Theyknow that it stands for
national banks, corporate wealth and
special privilege.
Hence | have no fear that the people
to whom | shall appeal will make any
mistake about the republicans. For |
know they will do as | shall do-fght
the republican party with all the power
that is in them. But the national demo-
cratic leaders, pretending to be i'll favor
of Jeffersonian principles, when at heart
their purpose is the same as that of the
republicans, hope to mislead those mil
lions of voters who will always be found
voting for J~effersonian principles unless
they are deceived.
INCOME TAX
We are in favor OF an income tax.
Planting ourselves squarely upon the
ground occupied by Thomas Jefferson,
we say that the larger the income the
larger should be the rate OF taxation Oh
that income, to the end that vast accu-
mutations should be discouraged and that
the wealth of the country should always
be in a process of distribution.
No fairer tax than this can be imposed.
1t would put the burden of government
upon the shoulders of those who are most
able to bear it. 1t would draw the sup
port of the administration from those
who derive from it the greatest benefits
1t would throw u pension debt upon
that class OF men who during the civil
1 u,o n c,Nooy1lafn1 I1pnn tho nonaccifiao of
the country and grew rich while the SOL
der was in the field.
TARIFF.
Declaring itself in favor of a graduated
income tax. the peoples party supple
ments that by saving that there should
be no tariff Gax upon the necessaries of
life which the poor must have i'll order
to live. Establish an income tax, and
you would give the government a source
of revenue independent of the tariff and
thereby pave the way for the reduction
of the tremendous burden of taxation
which now rests mainly upon the shout
ders of the middle and lower classes. At
this time, when governmental extrava-
gance squanders every dollar of the ma
| tional income, it is idle to pirate of tariff
revision until they first tell us how they
will get the money to run the govern
ment when tariff revenues have been low
cred.
The farmer must pay his tax whether
his farm be run at a profit or not. The
merchant must pay his tax regardless of
whether the net balance of trade be for
him or against him. The income tax is
levied upon profits only; and there is not
an argument to be urged against it that
does not reek with the rankest selfish
ness.
N QUESTION.
Upon the money question we have al
ways stood for the cumulative theory,
have always opposed national banks, and
have said that the creation of money was
a governmental function which should
never be surrendered; should never be
delegated to any class of citizens, but