The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-12-23

of Just taxes. II probably is not as
great in amount, by many millions, as
he has swindled the government Out
of in the matter of armor plate, etc.
Thus Mr.. Carnegie, SO long as he is
permitted to go on evading taxes and
making the poorer classes bear the.
burden Of government while he lives,
is perfectly willing, after his death,
for the government to get small
share OF what he has cheated it out
of for so many years. 1t is the old
maxim, After us the deluge," that as
sisted so nightly in bringing on the
French revolution.
AS a matter of fact IL Mr.. Carnegie
and the men of his kind should pay
their just taxes to this government,
and should cease robbing the people,
there would be no need for income or
inheritance taxes. The reason why IL
income tax, especially, is demanded
lmperatively, is because in no other
way can these arrogant and defiant
trust and tarifffattened brigands be
reached and made to pay even a
moiety of their just share Of the bur
den OF government. An income tax
will prevent Mr. Carnegie from going
out of the world with so large debt
dut to the people as he would owe.
II no plan were devised to compel him
to pay at least a small portion of the
debt he owes.
1t Is probably true that even with an
income tax he would still succeed in
evading the larger portion OF his pub
Tic obligations, but without such a tax
ne would escape almost entirely. That
no doubt, is the chief reason why the
Laird of Skibo" Is so violently Oh.
posed TO the imposition of an income
tax The demand of the hour is to
make the big trust magnates bear
their proportionate share of the bur-
dens of government, and the longer
they succeed in preventing this simple
act OF justice the more drastic will
be the remedy when it is finally ap-
piled.
For centuries the middle class in
France were compelled TO support the
! government and to maintain the nobil.
ity in luxury and idleness. The day
came when the nobility had cause TO
bitterly regret their acts of oppres-
sion In this nation to-day the mid
! die and lower classes are bearing the
/ burdens of government and maintain
ing in pomp and splendor the insolent
fairfield trust barons, more rama
cious far than any feudal lord OF the
middle ages.
The demand has gone I'D from a
| people who are tired OF oppression for
laws to be enacted that will compel
these lordly classes to bear at least
/ a small portion of the burden of a GOV
eminent which for fifty years has been
operated with view to make Che rich
richer 10y grinding the faces of the
! poor. The only direct way to reach
/ the pamDered classes. the ''idle hold.
I erS of idle wealth. as well as the
trusts and predatory corporations. is
/ by means Of the income tax. Mr..
/ Carnegie is one of the greatest bene.
/ ficiarieS of the iniquitous favoritism
! for the rich by government that has
been run by the corporations in the
interest of the corporations and
when the income tax is proposed he
blandly side-steps and says In effect
1 NO gentlemen. disturb us not now
after We are dead YOU may come in
for small share. but while we live
we shall not agree to bear even this
small part Of the just burden. Call
again when We are dead"
This is typical trust insolence. but
the day has passed when such things
will be tolerated by the American PEG.
Dle. Instead Of being mastered by the
trusts the people are now masters of
| their own government and the corpor-
ations will be made to respect the
rights of the people and to "tote
square" The income tax is certain
ty of the near future. and the corpor-
atoms that are wise will aecopt 1t. and
pretend at least that thew like 1t: II
is dangerous noT to trtfie with a
long-oppressed people.