The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1897-07-14
REDUCE FAT
DIR. Stokes In Dead Earnest and Receives
f5spy ENCOURAGING letters.

DIR. Stokes In Dead Earnest and Receives
MsDy Encouraging Letters.
A special Washington dispatch to
the Columbia Register says: Reprs.
sentative Stokes bill to rec C govern
ment expenses by reducing salaries to
correspond with the increased pur
chasing power of money is attracting
considerable attention.
When the representative of The Reg
lister mentioned this fact to DR.. Stokes
that gentleman appeared to be much
grati6ed, and entered into an interest
ing explanation of the object and scope
of the bill. He said:
"The benefciaries of the national
Treasury naturally view my bill with
a hostile eye, but the people who pay
the taxes into the Treasusy view il
with a favoring eye.
II have had q large number of let
tiers commencing my bill in the strong
est terms. Oae, who, by tee way,
signs himself a Mckinley Republican,
says the party that Incorporates my
scheme in its platform in 1900 will
elect the President. Among the ap.
proving letters that have come to me
none has given me more qualification
than one from a wide,awake Farmers
Alliance in New Jersey, urging ne to
press the bill.
1.-THE comments of the press, as far
us I have observed, have been favors'
Bile to the purposes of the bill; but
many seem doubtful of its passage.
To all such doubling Thomases let me
say that 1 am in dead earnest. If they
will stop blowing hot and cold in the
same breath, and lend a cheerful hand
tine bill will pass. If they will ope q
their columns and invite public eX
preston, the way will open. If ali
who sympathizs sincerely with the
purposes of the bill will speak out,
guarantee that Congress will hear.
If, as has been suggested by more than
one, all sympathizers will sign peti'
tons to Congress for the passage OF
some such bill, they will get what
they petition for.
IF the Farmers Alliances all over
the land were as wide awake as that
IN New Jersey, and would speak out
as promptly and as strongly, there is
no reason why the needed reform
should not be had in the next Con
gress.
There is absolute justice in the
proposition. The general range OF
values, as showa by the Aldricn re
port, have declined 80 1-3 per cent,
since the cuIrant scale of compensa'
] ton to the benefciaries Of taxation
were fixed. The compensation itself
has in the meantime increased, as
shown by figures heretofore given out,
nearly 80 per cent. Thirty three and
one third per cent. plus 80 per cent.
equals 6 l 8 per cent.-a total diver
eence within the periods compared oil
g. 8 per cent. 10 favor of the tax.eat
ers and against the taxpayers.
The question for all patriotic men
to consider is, How long will the tax.
payers endure this state of affairs
How long ought they to endure it9
There is absolutely no reason why
the benefciaries of taxation should be
hedged about in a financial boom
proof. There is every reason why
they should share the veal or woe o.
the people. All other lines of bust
ness regulate compensation by fnan
cial conditions. Why should those
who make and break financial condl
tons be exempt" Surely any scheme
that bases on absolute justice and
would save more than sixty million
dollars a year to the Treasury should
challenge serious consideration.