The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1905-11-08

and it was aScertalned that the SOL
diers who had been concerned In the
| sacking of the city had neglected to
| dedicate the accustomed tenth to the
| gods. The senate decreed that the
victorious legions should make restitu-
ton and that q cup of gold of eight
talents weight should be sent as q
| trespass Offering to the Temple OF
| Apollo at Delphi.
1.-THE Roman ladies brought, of their
own free will. such liberal gifts OF
Jewels and gold that the Senate, 10
honor them, decreed that funeral ora
tions might be made at the obsequies
of m which hitherto had only
been permitted over eminent puDi,c
men. This extraordinary episode
proves how rarelT it happened that
tithes were not paid and how grleVous
was the sin of emitting their payment.
The further history of this incident
also proves that the payment of tthes
was a world wide institution and car
ried with it a %sacredness which can
only. be accounted for by admitting
that it was a primitive and universally
recognized law of God.
"Tbree senators of high rank were
appointed to carry the restored titne,
with the trespass Offering. to Delphos.
On its way the embassy was taken Dy
the Librarians, who were then at wal
with Rome. But when the governor
of the city understood that the r1ch
booty was 1.-THE on its way to Delphos.
he not only liberated the Romans. Dut
sent q squadron Of his own feet 10
convoy them safely on their way.
This dedication at a tenth. for the
ommon purposes Of the community,
could only have been devised by q
mind which thoroughly understood the
whole problem of the needs OF human
society. If it were honestly practiced
it would be found just enough to allie
waite all social pressure-and 1t is no
a little to be wondered at. that the
public eve should be blinded to such
an exceedingly simple and easily ex-
ecuted law. which could readily be
enacted and as readily executed. Sup
pose that every citizen comprehended
the effectiveness o. the law Of 1.-THE
and voted that it should be constituted
a national income tax, what would be
the result?
Consider the absolute impossibility
Of legislating against trusts or COM
binations Of capital. Legislation
against the natural processes OF. trade
can never be O success. The money
getting proclivity is an element in the
character Of men. which. like other
characteristics, varies in different peo-
ple. Those in whom it Is largely de-
veloped will accumulate money natur-
ally. If all the wealth Of the CON-
munity were evenly distributed among
its individuals it would, in the course
of a few years, 60 back again into the
hands of those who possessed the apti-
tude of making money. The law OF
God would tax this %capability for the
benefit Of those who do not possess 1t,
and for those who by various DISABLE
tiles gravitate below the line OF COM
Portable living.
1.-THE taxation Of a tenth will be
found to be that exact fraction which
everybody can subscribe without dis
tress, and exactly that sum which Will
maintain those who from various
| causes are unable to maintain them.
| selves. All communities have about
the same proportionate composition,
and the example afforded by this city
| of Denver will be applicable to any
| other city mutatis mutandis.
"This city is composed Of about thir-
| ty thousand houses. It will be readily
| conceded that for living purposes each
house must represent a yearly income
| of $1,000. So that the minimum income
of this city is 100000. 00O. The actual
income is. probably twice that amount.
But see the effect Of tithing this mini
| mum S3O,OO0.O00. The 1.-THE would be
! So, 600, 900. Now, by actual reckoning,
it is found that the income Of the 125
| churches. that is, all moneys gathered
| for all purposes from the people Wor-
Shipping in them, amounts to less than
$500, 900. Last year the incomes OF the
| five largest denominations were: The
Presbyterians, $56,0 900; the Spiscopa.
Iians. S4S, 900; the Congregationaiists,
S34, 900: the Baptists. $4,000, and the
| Methodists, $4,000. So that $25O,OOO
will represent the religious income OF
this community. The County Commits
| sioners expended OH relief $4,000.
The four hospitals did not spend in
charitable work $4,000. The other so.
cieties which exist for eleemosynary
purposes, together with all the private
charity of the city, will have their ex'
penditures we'll covered by S114,OOO.
So that $500, 600 represents the relig-
ious and charitable cost to a city OF
165, 900 people, Of maintaining its
churches, hospitals and charitable so
cieties. The public school system.
which is remarkably efficient, cost
S4S6, 900. Thus, for all sorts of CHART:
able relief, all sorts Of religious EFFORT
and for public education the city OF
Denver spent $1,000
If tithing were IN force the title
commissioners would have, at the
least. So, OUO, 900 at their disposal-that
means to say that the churches might
all be free, the hospitals wide open
and we'll equipped; public laundries
might relieve the women of the work.
ing classes; their food might be cooked
at the public kitchens; every man TOO
old to work might be pensioned; the
streets might be gardens. where all
such pensioners might have easy labor,
and every reasonable cause for discon-
tent might be removed.
Let the people demand that An in.
come tax Of a tenth shall be a national
levy. The English pay income tax,
why should not Americans? The MOI.
mons pay 1.-THE. and they have no poor
and no discomfort, so far as the matter
of living is concerned. 1t is the law of
God. wonderful. simple and completely
effective, whereby all social disabilities
may be removed.
The constitution Of the 1.-THE board,
the modes Of its expenditure and the