Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1895-04-05
, Mr.. Niche s Last Editorial.
From the Charlottesville Chronicle,
March 10Th I

March 10Th.
1t is with feelings of the deepest sorrow
that the management of the Chronicle pre-
sents to its readers, in the following editorial
the last work of the papers late chief, Henry
b. Niche. The editorial was written by him
on the evening before his death, and was up
on subject that was dear to his heart-tht
welfare of the masses. n "
THE INCOME TAX CASE.
The case to test the constitutioDality of TIL
income tax law is still pending before the
Supreme Court in Washington.
In his argument against the tax, ex- United
States Senator Edmunds, of Vermont ad
vances this curious view: SIT becomes said
Mr.. Eimunds, "an interesting subject OF
speculation as to how long the government
can last under system which allows those
who pay nothing to tax their fellow citizens
One evil step will lead to another, as one vict
follows another, until by and by we will
have revolution, then anarchy, and then a
tyrant to rule u.s.
We have read in the histories of all coun-
tries of the oppression by taxation of the poo
and lowly multitude by the rich and power
full few, until it bred revolution and anarchy
But this is the first time we ever heard thu
idea advanced that there was danger in this
or any other nation, of the multitude taxing
into revolution the wealthy and Influential
classes.
Universal suffrage may, as many wise anC
far-slghted men have predicted eventually
bring ruin and destruction upon this fair land
but unless the history of the last hundred
years teaches nothing, it will not be by the
masses taxing the classes into revolutioniz
ing the government and bringing anarchy
upon the country. The whole experience OF
that century has contradicted this theory. Ii
is, and has BEEN the masses, the vast multi
tudes scattered all over this immense cont
nent and toiling on their farms and in
their workshops, without wish or op-
portunity or ability to manipulate leg
islation or administration at the dis
tant capital, who have been and are suffering
from unjust and oppressive taxation. This
unjust taxation was chief cause and incen!
tive of the great civil war, and if the people
now understood how terribly they are i'm
posed upon, how near to the brink of bank
ruptcy and ruin this tyrany has brought them
and their young and wealthy country, Mr..
Edmunds might live to see the revolution he
predicts-though from a far different cause
than that upon which his prophecy is found
ed. The truth is that the laboring and pro-
ducing classes are now paying at least nine
ty-eght or ninety-nine per cent. of the taxes
which support the Federal government in the
most extravagant style of any government
under the sun. This seems to be a startling
and exaggerated statement. But il anyone
will analyze the taxes which go to the sup
port of the government, he will see that it is
not so extravagant as he at first sight might
suppose.
These rich non-tax-payers and tax-eaters
are the men then, who. according to ex-Sena-
tor Edmunds, are to precipitate revolution
if they are compelled to pay tax on their
accumulated wealth. That is really to say
that they will rebel if taxed at all in proper
ton to their property Hardly!