Virginian-pilot. (Norfolk, Va.) 1898-1911, 1899-06-25
Standard Oil and the Water of Life

Standard Oil and the Water of Life
wit not mix.
II u man say love God and hatcth
ms brother. he is II liar, for he that
ioVeth not his brother. whom he hath
seen, how can he love God, whom he
hath not seem"
Thus does John in his first cpistle de-
nounce those who pretend to love the
Heavenly Father while they hate the
earthly brother
Christ condensed the Ten Command
ments into two when lie sid. Thou
shalt love the Lord thy God with all
my heart, and with all thy soul. and
with all thy mind. This is the first and
great commandment. And the second
is like unto it, Thou shalt love Thy
neighbCr as myself"
me first defines mans duty toward
the Almighty; the second his duty to-
ward his fellow men. The fatherhood of
COO and the brotherhood of man are
parts of the same gospel and cannot
be separated. We have no way of meas
urlng mans love toward the Creator eX-
cept by the good will which he mani
tests toward his fellow creatures.
There Is n wide zone between the af-
firmative benevolence which religion
| commands and the rectitude which gov
eminent compels. The Christian can
not content himself with n life of mega
tive hnrmlessness. the fruits of the
spirit must manifest themselves in pos
tive helpfulness.
The object of this article, however, is
not to point out ways in which the
Christian may aid his brother, but
rather to indicate n few of the ways in
which he may be doing injustice to
him.
The subject of taxation is an ever
present one. Other questions may come
and go. but this question. like Tenny-
sons brook, goes on forever 1t is an
admitted proposition that each citizen
le.laA t.,sl IT, II
government in proportion to the pro-
lection enjoyed by him and the benefits
received. If because OF Il bad system
of taxation or because of the faulty adj
ministration of a good system. taxes
are collected in such n way that some
pay more than their share and others
less. injustice is done to those over
burdened and Partially shown to those
too lightly taxed. An unjust system.
in effect. collects from those overtaXed
and gives to those undertaXed or. in
other wards, transfers mnneY from one
mans pocket to another mans pocket.
The wrong done in this way approach
es. IL 1t does not reach, the proportions
of grand larceny. If the unjust law is
the handiwork Of those who profit by
it and Is enacted because of the adj
vantage which 1t brings to its authors.
how shall we describe the moral char
acter OF the act? The wrong consists
in the fact that money is taken from
one person without an equivalent being
returned by the government and given
to another without n consideration be-
ing demanded, the method being imma-
terial. The person who robs by force
or by fraud is no more guilty, from a
moral standpoint. than the man who
purposely secures legislation which
transfers to the shoulders OF others the
public burden which he himself ought
to bear. The advocates of an income
tax believe that taxation involves n
moral as we'll as political question,
and, believing in equality before the
law. they favor an amendment to the
Constitution specifically authorizing an
income tax. Can the opponents of such
an amendment place their opposition
upon moral grounds? Can the Chris
tian who loves his brother conceal from
the assessor property rightfully sub
ject to taxation or favor tax systems
favorable To himself. unjust to others?
1t was said OF the Scribes and Phar-
isees. "They bind heavy burdens and
Srievous to he borne and lay them on
mems shoulders, but they themselves
will not move them with one Of their
fingers" This indictment might be
brought to-day against those who en-
courage extravaganza in legislation
and yet evade their share of the
burdens which they impose.
the merits of any proposed financial
policy arc to be expected. but there
ought to be no differences of opinion
as to the ideal policy. toward the Sc
curing of which every effort should be
directed. The questions. What money
is sound and What dollar makes the
nearest approach TO honesty? may af-
ford ground for dispute. but there
should be no dissent from the PROPOSE
non that the best dollar, no matter
what system secures it, is the dollar
which Is most stable in its purchasing
power. Absolute stability. il attainable,
would give us an absolute honest dol
iar. but such dollar has never yet
been devised.
In money. as in other matters, we
strive frr perfection. knowing that il
cannot be fully attained. Every luc-
tuation in the purchasing power of the
dollar Injuries some one. If a dollar
rises In purchasing power it benefits