Jasper County Democrat, Volume 13, Number 58, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 October 1910 — MR. KERN’S SPEECIL [ARTICLE]

MR. KERN’S SPEECIL

In his speech Monday night at Bloomington Mr. Kern devoted himself to a-further consideration of the record of Senator Beveridge. As that record is now before the people for their consideration. and as the senator is constantly appealing to it, it is a legitimate subject for discussion. \Ye think it is fair to assume that Senator Beveridge voted for the four/great battleships because he honestly believed that the country needed them, and not because the steel trust needed them —as it did—although the senator had been talking to a representative of the steel trust before he cast his vote. It is well to make the most favorable presumption in such a case. We know that there are many men who are firm believers in the big navy idea, and who are in no way influenced in their opinion by the fact that the steel trust favors —and for selfish reasons—a big navy. Senator Beveridge has always been a pronounced jingo, and it is natural that he should be for the four battleships. But on the questions of an income tax and the ship subsidy" Mr. Kern is justified in asking for information. Senator Beveridge has voted for the subsidy, and, as Mr. Kern says, in a specially obnoxious form. Here he parted company with several of the insurgent senators. Would he again support a subsidy bill? No one knows, but in his silence it does not seem unfair to assume from his previous record that he would do so. The subject is certainly one that ought to be discussed. Every one knows that there is to be another subsidy bill. Indeed, it is said that it will be pressed at the coming short session of congress, in the belief that_ the defeated members unrestrained by public opinion, and with no election ahead of them, will easily be persuaded to vote for it. The people of Indiana, are opposed to this grab and have a right to know where Senator Beveridge stands. The income tax question ii not so important, because an amendment to the Constitution authorizing it has been submitted bycongress. and is now before the states for ratification. So there is nothing that Senator Beveridge can now do in this regard except to exert whatever influence he may have with the legislature of Indiana to induce it to ratify the amendment. The amendment would, of course, be greatly helped by his advocacy. So ffir he has been opposed to this most righteous, tax. Mr. Kern reminds us that Senator Beveridge “voted wit \ Aldrich jnd Cuggenheim and Smoot on this question, and against LaToilette. Cummins and the Democratic minority in the senate.” Is he still of the same mind? It seems to us that he should inform the people on this subject. It is not Mr. Kern’s fault that a vote for the ship subsidy- and a vote against the income tax are part of Senator Beveridge’s record. As such they must be discussed. We think that the senator himself should discuss them. The ship subsidy involves a taxing of all the people for the benefit of a special interest. The imposition of an income tax involves a compelling of the interests to bear their fair share of taxation. On both these questions Senator Beveridge, in our opinion. voted wrong. We should be glad to know that he has changed his mind. Many people will forgive and forget a mistake who would not run the risk of a persistence in error. From a too prolonged silence on these issues there is danger that people may infer .that there has been no changte in' the senator’s opinion. Whatever bis opinion is he ought frankly to avow it. and sustain it—if it is unchanged—by such arguments as he can command. Of course Mr. Kern is entirely within the limits of fair debate when he presses these questions; whatever opinion one may have of the too great jocosity which characterizes his speeches.—lndianapolis News.