The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-05-05
WORSE THAN WAR.

Some time ago we made mention OF
the fact that those who had clamored
FOR the war and who were responsible
for The war were demanding that the
expense Of the war be borne boy the rich'
TIE weekly Register, published at
WEIGH. W. Va. reproduccs our remarks
with this comment:
Why not make the rich bear the heav-
lest financial burden of war ne poor
or working class. must furnish the lives,
and is il not enough that the wives ana
children of the poor be deprived OF lheH
only support without having a burden
nlocod on any Of the neccssarics OF me-
Wall-strcct speculators will 90 enough
az this without the Government taxing
a hand. So long as only such common
ties as beer. tobacco and the Ike are
taxed 81 will no. eject the almost pehhl-
les women ana children, but our people
should never submit 10 tax on hecesst-
rics TO save the rich mans pockei-oooA.
And right here is another phase OF
the situation. which we refer 10 without
the slightest degree of prejudice TO l'e
Nortbern people. and which would seem
,,ortbv Of much consideration. IL is ms
Tho Southern states viii be the heaNl'SV
sufferers from disastrous war poth III
life and property, as 10 is expected 'l''
more men will DE sent TO cuba from tne
South than the North. and beslueS inc
fighting is To be done along or near 'l'e
co,,tbcr, coast. where the cities ana
towns are probably less protected than
those of the North. To place tax on
incomes will fan heaviest on the Nor'h'
as thore arc far less people i'm the South
who have incomes sufficient TO be reacheo
NV am income tax law. Therefore, we
can see no Injustice I'm making tho Ilch
1car the TAX burden, as ~ only leHuS
to even up matters i'm the all-rouho cost
of war unless we are 10 Ndlue nio"'9
higher than life. ,,,.
Won can count on your fingers all those
who will be reached by an income LAX
who will volunteer 10 fight while there
will he thousands of heads of depthutht
families sacrificed on the field or bat'le
ir defence of our country's honor. ana
vet the Government Is asked 10 protec1
the rich mans purse from taxation
Then really is there honor in war.
Why "must the poor or working class
furnish the lives?" Does the law make
distinctions? Is there any compulsion
whatever upon the poor man that is nor
upon the rich man? But such is the rea-
eoning of the Communists They are
forever trying 10 make it appear that
the law discriminates against the poor
man I'm favor Of the rich man. and
novice reading this article from the
West Virginia newspaper would be sure
TO get the impression that the Govern
ment I'm time Of war drafted poor men
into the army while exempting the rich.
Tn point of fact. no draft has been
made. The Government has simply asked
for volunteers, and no man has been
compelled to enlist. Those who have
enlisted have done so on their own free
will and accord, and we venture the as
sertion that what is known as the rich
class has contributed its fun quota 20
the army of volunteers.
We repeat that this spirit Of Com
munism, this determined effort from a
certain source to array class against
class to prejudice the poor man against
the rich man, To- connscate the rich man S
property. to make the people discon-
tented. and to rally and organize the
Disconnected element. to use the war as
an excuse for breaking down the nnan-
cial system Of the country. these things,
We say. are far more dangerous 10 the
welfare Of the United States than any
war that We may have with a foreign
Power