Hot Springs weekly star. (Hot Springs, S.D.) 1892-1917, 1894-07-06
TAXING THE FARMER
A RECORD FROM THE LAWS OF THE
CONFEDERATE STATES.

What May He Expected From Southern
Domination In Congress-special axe
Imposed Upon All Farm Products-A
Tenth Of tho later Crop.
Business called me to Virginia last
week, and of course I went to Rich
mond. There are q good many politi-
clans in Richmond, AID there are a
good many free traders among them.
They are all brimful Of politics, but
they seem pretty thoroughly disguised
because, with the large majority Of their
party in Office, they have not been able
to make q force bill out Of the Wilson
bill. They want to down the northern,
eastern and western industries, and to
down them quickly and thoroughly.
They believe that free trade will kill
all chance of future prosperity in these
sections by preventing any American
manufacturing unless ut European wage
rates, and they also believe that the in
come tax will squeeze out Of these man.
ufacturers and Woodworking laborers q
share Of the savings that they have been
able to put by as the result Of honest
work and hard toll.
An income tax is about the only kind
of o tax they believe in. AS my friend,
Mr.. Screechorn, said, 1--WE will take it
out of them with an income tax"
"But won't they also in the south
have to pay an income tax as well?" I
asked.
ooh, nc" was the reply, 1--WE can fix
that. You see, our men will be in Office
as tax collectors, and il we put up a rich
man or two, here and there, from whom
! some tax can be collected, then, you see,
the rest Of US in the poverty stricken
south needn't pay any tax. It won't
hurt us to be called poverty stricken
then"
Friend Screechorn pulled away at his
Virginia tobacco, smiling significantly,
and said: ''They do not really know
what this income tax yet means up
north, but they'll find out, though, after
q bit. You see, it'scalled an income tax,
but if you'll come along with me I will
show you q copy of the acts Of the First
congress of the Confederate States, and
then you will see what an income tax
really does mean"
/ accompanied my friend Screechorn
to q very comfortable home. He took
down from q shelf in his library a paper
covered pamphlet that looked as If it
had been we'll read and often used. It
proved to be the statute for 1904 of
the public laws of the Confederate States
Of America, carefully collated with the
originals at Richmond, edited by James
M. Matthews, attorney ut law and law
clerk in the department Of justice.
The first thing I saw upon opening it
was the tax which farmers had to pay
by contributing one-tenth of their sweet
potatoes was amended so that the pay
ment might be made in the money value
thereof, and that salt pork should be
taken as the equivalent for the tax on
bacon.
remarked that l did not know that
farm products had been directly taxed,
I and that farmers were compelled to con-
1 tribute q certain portion Of their crops
directly to the government.
"Oh, yes" said Screechorn, 1--WE
taxed them Oh everything. A tax on in
comes is only the beginning of it. Why,
look here at chapter 81, pages 209-10,
and here you will SEQ o s per cent tax
upon the value Of property, real, per-
sonal and mixed, Of every kind and de-
scription; a tax Of 10 per cent on the
value Of gold and silver ware, jewelry
and watches; a tax Of 8 per cent on all
shares or interest held in banks, insur-
ance, manufacturing, importing or ex-
porting companies or railroads; Of s per
cent on all gold and silver coin, gold
dust, gold or silver bullion, whether
held by banks, corporations O. individ-
uals; a tax of 8 per cent upon all sol
vent credits, upon bank bills and other
currency"
I looked in establishment and said,
"Why, everything one owns Or pos
sesses, either money. investments or
personal property, seems to be taxed"
Certainly" said Screechorn, shut
see how we rub it into people who are
i'll business. Here is an extra tax of 10
per cent upon all profits made by buy
ing or selling all farm products and
manufactures, and these taxes were in
addition to taxes that came under pro-
fits as income"
"Jehosaphat!' I cried. "Why, you
rubbed it into everybody in every kind
of business"
eyes, sir, you bet we did," he an.
swered, becoming thoroughly aroused,
land We'll rub it into them again, by
-! We used to tax as we'll all profits
made by buying and selling money,
gold, silver, foreign exchange, stocks,
notes, debts, credits or obligations. How
do you think the Wall street bankers
would like to pay a 10 per cent tax on
that business? How are these for Gu.
mulative taxes?' B. THINKEN.
Prince I3ismarck's Opinion.
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