The Farmington times. (Farmington, St. Francois County, Mo.) 1905-1926, 1916-07-21
BEFORE HE BECAME A sPHYNx


themselves that Mr.. Hughes, who's
six years silence on the Suprem,
Bench furnished them with presi
Dental candidate who had no recort
to defend, are learning better Mr.
Hughes was Governor of New Yorl
before he was a Justice of the Su
preme Court, and he has record thai
bears materially on some of the i'm
portant issues of the present cam
paign. This record is not reassuring
to his admirers and supporters. and
all at once they find themselves
thrown on the defensive, rock they
were so anxious to avoid.
During Mr.. Hughes gubernatorial
career the ratification by the Legisla-
lures of the several States of the in
come tax amendment to the National
Constitution was an issue. Mr.. Hughes
as Governor used all the power and in
fluence of his official position against
the New York Legislature giving its
assent to the amendment. The in
come tax law, enacted under the
amendment, is part of the Under
wood tariff law, and is justly popular
among the great mass of our people.
Is Mr.. Hughes still opposed to the in
come tax? The Republican platform
is silent on this question, as is also
Mr.. Hughes in his letter accepting the
Republican nomination. If elected
President would he use his influence
to repeal the income tax measure
along with other features of the IN
derwood low tariff law which the spe-
cial privilege adherents of the Repub-
lican party so much oppose? Why did
he oppose the adoption of the income
tax amendment? His friends are be-
ginning to make excuses for his po-
sition then. One of them is that an
income tax would weigh so heavily
on New York's big corporations and
financiers, that they would have to
bear the larger share of the burden of
such tax. But as the law is intended
to make the rich bear their proper
tionate share of the cost of govern
ment, the excuse is too transparent to
bear the light of examination. 1t is
the people with big incomes that the
law is intended to reach, and if most
of them live in New York that doesn't
excuse them. nor does it excuse Mr.
Hughes for fighting the income tax
amendment,
Another of Mr.. Hughes acts as
Governor was the vetoing Of IA bill
reducing the street railroad fare from
10 cents to 5 cents to Coney Island,
the summer resort, play ground and
resting spot of the poor of New York
City His veto was in the nature of
a benefit to big rich corporation and
the continuing of hardship and i'm
position upon the thousands of toll
ing, laboring people of that great me-
tropolis who take their families to
Coney Island on Sundays, holidays and
evenings to get little recreation and
relief from the sitting air and crowd
ed tenements of the heart of the city.
His veto of this measure certainly
did not reflect much credit on the con-
sideration of Mr.. Hughes for the toll
ing masses, and was on a par with
his opposition to the income tax
amendment desire to Poster the
rich and mighty. Both acts show
that his heart is with the plutocracy,
Governor Hughes it seems made
free use Of the veto power. and other
like the fare reduction1 Jill,
are said not to be to his credit. They
are being dragged out Of the pigeon
holes of the States archives where
hey have slept so long-the Sphynx's
dead secrets are coming
% life-for his supporterst o feast on
md defend if they can or dare at
.empt. 1t is rather annoyingt o them,
lust as they were preening themselves
m the immunity from criticism of the
public acts of their candidate, and
we're preparing their indictment
against Mr.. Wilson and his policies
md public conduct. Democrats well
ONE the latter, for the general con-
Elton Of the country and its unusual
prosperity under Mr.. Wilson's adj
emphasize and justify
hem. They are defense unto them
elves.
The people OF the United States do
OF wish war OF conquest in Mexico.