The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1869-12-16
THE PLOw AND THE BOND
He who by the plow would thrive,
Ir;,,,.oIf ,,,,st aitbar hold or drive

~ " f~~N~
He who by the pillow would thrive,
Himself must either hold OF drive.
The other day we saw a ploW in the
furrow, its bright and visible now
and then as the steady pulling team
drew it around and around on its great
work. We stood by the roadside and
thus ran our thoughts. Who will a
gree with them?
Now look at that ploW. In the
hands of the farmers son, drawn by
willing cattle, it is doing great work.
1t cost but few dollars. 1t is
worth untold millions to the ma
ton. 1t prepares the ground for the
seed which wiiIbring forth crops which
will benefit all. The mold board, the
plow-share, the beam, handles and
cross-rung, all are the work of a man,
his work. still to benefit others.
The man who owns this land pays
taxes thereon. The man who owns
the plow, the cattle, pays taxes on
them. He pays taxes on all he has, on
all he raises, on all he has invested.
And he must do so year after year.
For what?
We will tell you.
School taxes, that his children may
be educated.
Road taxes, that the roads may be
kept in order.
Town taxes, that the taxes of
the district may be collected and right
ly applied.
County taxes, that the courts, sher-
ifs, jurors, and county officers may be
Supported.
State taxes, for like purposes.
The man, the cattle, the ploW pays
the taxes. That ploW isof use. If all
the plows in the land should be ex-
empt from work for five years =
Would not the man and the cattle re-
joice?
But hold on-how would the man,
his family, his cattle live? And how
would the workmen everywhere live?
And how the weeds would grow O.
yer their felds.
And who would, who could pay the
taxes when the plow rested in rust
and idleness hidden away in some shed
or cellar?
God-speed you, plough and plOw-
man. And man care for you, plow
and plowman. And protect you, as
you make the wild into a garden, give
employment and reward therefor, for
the benefit of the people and country.
| Whoa!
Now, then-get up /!
And the cattle pull, the plowman
manages, lifts, twists, and settles down
to the handles. The eyes of the beast
and man protrude from their sockets
the muscles of man and beast swell
and stretch-the plow point is fast in
| something, and there is a bad break
| in the furrow.
What is the cause? A root-a stump
"a stone-a rock!
! No!
Only an iron boX-a fire proof safe.
| Handle it with care-the Government
stamp is thereon, and you must not
break, mar, cancel or repudiate it.
The iron box is full of bonds,
All nicely printed and folded.
These bonds are hidden away to es-
cape taxation. One of them earns
more than ten plows, but it is not tax
ed.
The plOw earns wheat.
The bond earns gold.
The plow pays taxes.
The bond does not.
The plow earns gold to drop into the
iron box, in the shape of taxes.
And the man who bought the plow
paid all it was worth, and each year
lessons its value.
The man bought the bond paid half
its worth, and it is Increasing in value
each year.
Who owns the bond?
The man who just rode by in his
carriage.
Who owns the plow?
The man who is working with it to
support his family-who works while
the other rides.
The plow earns.
The bond earns.
The plow is taxed.
The bond is not.
The plow fears the heat, the fly, the
rust-the wet may keep back the re-
ward.
The bond fears nothing, for if the
plow does not earn the interest the