Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1893-07-06

Exaggerated, ,yand every strife is ex-
asperated. At such a time as this
he is silly who is content to leave
.unremoved any removable oc-
casicn of antagonism between Ia
Dor and capital.
When a very rich man dies and
his will shows his disposition of
many millions, while the tax lists
only show that hepaid taxes on
Ia hundred thousand or SO, people
cannot be persuaded that he bore
his part of public burdens. Does
any rational man believe that he
did2
We are told that the very rich,
as a rule, have their money inves-
ted in corporations, and that the
head managers return the property
of the stockholders and that the
tax is paid by the company's
treasurer. Doubtless there is truth
in this statement.
But, right or wrong, the masses
of the people do not believe that
| the great corporations, represen-
ting millions on millions, do
actually pay into the public
treasury their proportion Of the
taxes. Does anybody believe it?
Do the great corporations believe
it themselves If they do pay
their share the men who compose
these corporations, of all men in
the world, have reason to make it
so plain. that the people may see
| it and be sure OF it. For the peo-
pie do not believe it. They are
firmly persuaded that by the arts
of bookkeeping and other diplomtlc
and influential methods the big
rich and the great corporations
pay great deal less than their
proportion of the taxes necessary
to maintain government and pro-
lection for the wealthy as we'll as
the poor; and that by bearing less
than their share of public burdens
they increase the load of the
Common people" and of the poor,
who already have more than they
can bear with comfort: who only
know how to make honest returns
of taxable property and pay the
amount that comes to them.
We are told that many hundred
i millions are in non-taxable
|Government- bonds. Nobody who
knows what he is talking about
1 proposes to tax the bonds issued
for the national defense; but the
state ment does not make life's
burden less tc the poor.
All these things are against the
peace we long to see IN social or
/ der. They add impulse to the
movement that organizes labol
against capital. They are fuel tt
the .red-hot fire that threaten
!. social confagration.
Az long -os--+hAe=,sse -l>n1 inIrt
/ t5 mat tie system of government
and business under which. we live
4 makes" by its natural operation
T athe rich richer and poor poorer
there will be no peace: only 6
misleading truce now and thor
. as the convenience or necessities
of those in conflict may make
desirable. 1t is not in human
nature that there should be peace
as long as this formula of dis
contented labor is true, or as long
as the people believe it is true. Il
it be true there ought to be nc
peace till the wrong is righted.
! When a man goes out of this
world owning many millions Of
dollars up till his last gasp, and
the people do not see how and
), where he pays his proportion Of
the taxes, SO long will discon'
tented men, SO long will just and
good men, raise questions thai
turn the search-lights upon the
whole system under which we edo
groan, being burdened."
i We may recognize the genius
that develops vast industries and
wisely handles great properties
and understand full well that such