The daily phoenix. [volume] (Columbia, S.C.) 1865-1878, 1874-06-25
COLUMBIA, s. G.
Thursday Morning. June rs, 1874.
A Practical Reform.


In the constitution for the tai
unions promulgated by the Executive
Committee of the Tax. Payers Oon.
vention and published by us on
Tuesday, the objects aimed at are de:
ele-ea 70 he "Lhe reduction Of taxation
and the honest appropriation and ,ex.
penditure OF the public funds" Every
person in South Carolina is convinced
that taxation is EXCESSIVE and the plan
OF assessments 80 oontrived as to faci-
litate tho purpose of making them ex-
orbitant. Every person. whatever his
color or politics. has direct interest
in having the assessments and the tax.
alton just and moderate. The only
possible exceptions. are the few indivi.
duals who get commissions on the
amount Of tax they collect and han
die. and the officials who are support.
ed and psmpered from this sou.rtoe.
Those who feed from. Of steal from the
public crib may think themselves inte-
rested in having taxation heavy. The
many from whose tolls in the field or
the shop. bshina the 6oun.er or olse
where, this tag is derived, must ne
osssarily feel desire that it shall be
light. G9a has msroltqlly turned the
primeval curse, '..In the .sweat Of thy
face shsas tkDa CSC Iseaa," Into :
blessing for thbse who oheeriully bow
to it. But it is.a curse, moi ,qf Gods
inaiction. and impossible 10 be con.
vested into ! .blessinsato have the
fruits Of honest labor withdrawn from
the support and oomfort Ok ones own
household, and applied to the mainte-
nance Of others. Every taxpayer,
however humble, must. then, cordially
approve the object sought to be gained
in the formation OF tax unions-'.the
reduction OF taxation" ..@,
Every person. again. With The OK.
oeption OF the same interested parties,
from the nature of the case. must de-
sire that the public funds shall be ho-
nestly appropriated and expended.
Those who do not value honesty for it's
intrinsic excellence and beauty, must
at least appreciate it as the best policy.
It is impossible for any man IS fee.
comfortable while he has reason to be.
live that the public funds to which he
has contributed are plundered. or
made to dow in filthy and odious chan.
neh. His manhood is offended by the
fraud. He feels that he is made a
party to dishonesty and injustice.
The Government, through it's shame
fol perversion, becomes to him an
odious aud guilty thing. uIr
These ara plain propositions. the
truth and Justice Of which the hum.
bless! citizen must see and approve.
They address themselves. therefore, to
the acceptance OF every individual in
the. community. Here Is presented a
specific matter, which needs reform
sadly. Here 10 brought forward a
platform upon whioh' all may stand. a..
and not question aaah other as to
minor differences between them. One
may be Dsmoorats another q Repub.
lioau; ore may be white, another
black; one may think there ia nothing
better than universal suffrage, another
may regard proportional represents
ton as the panacea tor tho ills of the
State. but they all agree. or should
agree. as men who contribute to sustain
aGovernment, that they should not be
feeoed By it. and that. when it gets
their respective quotas OF tax money,
they shall go to public and worthy.
not private and disrepusable objects.
and belexpended honestly. not divided
ont like q rogues' fund, proportion.
asely among the thieves, according to
their skill aud will in violating tho
tenth commandment. Mach has been
said about reform in geneMl way and
IN the abstract. Here is the opportu.
nl'g OF entering upon one in earnest.
The reduction of taxes and the honest
expenditure OF the public money con.
stitnte measures OF real genuine prao.
tical reform, which. alis will embrace
and assist forward, who mean apv.