Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1869-11-23
The Plow and the Bond !
He who by the plow wouli thrive,
Himself must either Ecid or drive.

Himself must either hCid or drive.
The other day we saw plow in the fur
row, its bright steel 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 agree with them?
- Now look at that plow. In the hands
of that farmers son, drawn by willing cattle,
it is doing great work 1t cost but few
dollars. 1t is worth untold millions to the
nation. 1t prepares the ground for the seed
of all. The moldboard, the piowshare, the
beam, handles aud cross>rungs, are all the
work of man, his work, to benefit still 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 children may be edu-
Road taxes, that roads may be kept in or
der.
Town taxes that the taxes of the district
may be collected and rightly applied
County taxes, that the courts, sheriffs, ju-
rors, and county officers may be supported.
State taxes, for like reasons.
The man-the cattle, the plow pays those
taxes. That plow is of use. If all the plows
in the land should be exempt from work for
five years Would not the man and cattle
rejoice?
But hold on-hoW would the man, his
family, his cattle live? And how would the
workinen everywhere live? And how the
weeds would grow over their fields.
And who would. who could pay tho taxes
when the plow rested in rust aud idlcucss,
hidden away in some shed or cellar?
God-speed 5ot, plow and plowman. Aud
protect you, as you make the wild into
garden, and give employment and reward
therefor, for the benefit of people and coun>
try.
WH0a!
Now, then-get u;j
And the cattle pull. the plowman manages,
lifts, twists and settles down to the handles.
The eyes of beast and man protrude from
sock ckcts-the muscles Of man and beast swell
and stretch-the plowpoint is fast in some
thing, and there is bad break in the fur
row.
What is the cause? a root-a stump-a
stone-a rock
MOI
Only an iron box-n fire proof safe Handle
it with care-the Government stamps is
thereon, and you must not break, mar, can
eel, or repudiate it.
The iron- box is full of bonds.
All nicely printed and folded.
These are hidden away to escape taxation.
One of them earns more than ten plows, but
it is not taxed.
The plow earns wheat
The bonds earns gold.
The plow pays taxes.
The bonds does not:
The plow earns gold to drop into tue irone
box. in the shape of taxes
The man who bought the plow paid all it
was worti. and each year lessons its value.
The man who boug ght the bond paid half
its worth, and it is increasing in value each
year.
Who owns tho bond
The man who Just rode by in his carriage.
Who owns the plow
Tho man who is working with it to support
his family-who works while the other rides.
The plow earns.
The bond earns
The pow is taxed.
The bond is not
The plow fears The heat, the 1y, the rust
the wet may keep back its reward.
The bond fears nothing, Tor II tn9 pIO"
does not earn the interest the bond calls for,
the cattle are sold and dropped into the IRON
box.
The farmer Is taxed on al he has-the
iron box full of bonds pays no taxes.
The farmer supports the one who owns the
bonds, which are but notes which he must
pay.
And the plows are everywhere.
The bonds are everywhere.
How came plows in the fields?
Men placed them there to do great work
with.
How came the bonds there?
When the people were fighting and the
pow idle in the furrow, those who dare not
fight dug holes and hid their boxes. The
Government filled them with bonds, and
placed stamps of exemption thereon.
The bondholder planted bonds, and his
crop of gold is certain.
The farmer planted sons on tho battle
felds-ha now works to enrich the ones who
own the Government, the bonds the plow,
the land, the farmer, and the muscle of Amer
ica everywhere.
The plow and the bond.
We like the one aud the man who holds it.
We hate the other as we hate any one or
any government that robs labor of its reward
Ne,o York Democrat.
When 1 look upon the tombs of the