The weekly Union times. [volume] (Union C.H., South Carolina) 1871-1894, 1894-02-16
LEAD US NOT INTO TEMPTATION. :.

The rich, untaxed bondholdcrs who
claim that their non-producing wealth
should not bear the slight burden of an in
come tax, advance very peculiar argument
against such tax. a wealthy eastern man
says that it would "tempt honest men to
commit peajury.'
We bavo never known any honest men
who would pcriure themselves iaAregard to
taxes or any other matter, but as0A. of
our eastern friends seem to make this tllsir
main objection to au income tax we propose
TO look into it. Here we have the proposi-
tion that the men with big incomes who have
heretofore escaped taxntion, will perjure
themselves before they will obey the law
and Fay their just and proportiouate share of
the expenses of the government. These
men say in substance. 1--WE are honest
fellows, aud we desire to continue piling up
untaxed wealth. Ii cur incomes are taxed
we cannot stand the temptation to commit
PERJURY. Therefore, we pray you, le,d us
not into temptation
This is n pit'able argument, AMI We have
never heard anything equ,l to it. The few
favored class"s that tax in this fashion ig-
moro the fact that perjury temptation is
always before the masses who pay so many
different kinds Of taxes. Think Of the
swearing that importers and travellers lave
to d. i'll the matter Of customs d,,ii..~ lt"a-.-
lotk at our internal revcnu % ain. JNis,inisn!.e y.
this all. Here in Georgia poor mea have tni
60 to the tax receiver and fill out a printed
blank, stating the value of their personal
property, household goods, jcwelry, live
stock, solvent notes and all that sort of
thing and swear to it. A man who pays
$40 tax in this way has rs much lem pta,ion
to swear falsely rs mil ionaire VIII ,se in.
come tax would run IN into the thous ,nds.
Yet we do not hear of the perjury argument
among our taxpayers.
It's queer thing to sec the bpndho' ders
admit that they arc in danger of becoming
perjurers il their incon es are taxed, while
they ignore the temptations to which the
humble poor are subjected
This objec ion /, the inc ,me tax is a mere
fiction. The rich men Of England pay the
tax and go about their business. They do
not commit pc,jury because they cou d nut
afford the disgrace anl tn. punishment that
would follow. In SaXony our 'unsel says
Ih't person swearing falsely rs 10 his
inc me has to pay ten times the original tax,
and he adds that such cases seldom come
into court.
Under our taxing system we shoul ireaH
the classes and the masses with equal W.
Iic'. If We make the poor MN return Is
personal properly and swe'r to itX we
shouli make the millionaires return their =
big incomes and swear to their statement.
When the perjury pIrt of the bu sihess
comes up we have penal laws that will deal
with The offenders, whether they are rich or
poor.
THE prayer, "do not tempt us TO coamt
perjury, isa disgrace to the mca who ter
1.-THE projected classes who have grown
rich under the favor of the government,
and who now desire TO keep their non .prJ-
dnc'ivc wealth uutaxcd 50 that they may
shirk their share Of The public expenses an
leave il to be b,rno by the toiing m.ssos.
IT is ii shameful ple,, and shoull not be
considered for a IN 'mcnt.-C Constitution.
ALL FREE.-Those who have used Dr..
King New Discovery know It's value, and