The Montgomery advertiser., 1906-11-16
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 The Richmond Journal Iearne that the President 5n his forthcoming mess sage. wili make no reference to tarir revision, but win come out strongly in favor of a progressive inheritance tax. as means of reducing the swollen fortunes of which Rs of late professes such horror. Commenting thereon. The Jepgnelsra
 Vhe Presidents proposal means con hseation, pure and simple. because 1t that this tax Is to be levied. or sought needs of G iso; sos;efhassSe n @ ThfoaghoSst Rss all tss O6 6orR rns MHIa pe0Rss & hssses hsxs s sisafdens, ssd fl1ads made the most cruel sacrifices, in order to support their GoveFnmepts in thetr hour of need, war, countless thousands of our own people voluntarily reduced themselves to penury. The. cavaliers of, England melted sdoEn theIr piase to fdil tss t5s ss sos- and, at the call of William the Si- lent the Netheriandsj threw practical ly the entire wealth of the country into the contest with Spain. While 1 have have horses and W sukpowdsr, viii never make peace,S said the Great King, and Loyalty did Prussia and Prussians stand, by him throughout attributes. and taxation. no matter how heavy, will never be levied in vain, while anything remains with which to pay. But 1t must have these attributes. First, 1t must be neaassaFys and, second, It must be just and eau able.
 This proposition, which seems to have taken such ; firm held of the President lately Is but another form Of socialism. The plan ia to put such 6 heavy. tax, on inheritsd or accumulated property when 1t Is above 8 certain amount that there win be ne large for tunes either realized by indIvidaat ek. fort or inherited from others. The government is to tax them out of ex- istencs. the per centage of taxation Increasing with the size of the fortune.
 We have some curiosity to know where the limit VIII be fixed, for there must be a limit. Na oae would sug- gest such an sfnblsq6us serIn as large fertutse.g or swollen fortune,g or any thing of that kind. We do not know if the. PrssldeAt himself willr fix the limit at whlah ahts eonhseatory taxa ton shah begin, Or whether he will leave 1t fer ths. law makers to set, but it is evident that there n1ust be a be- ginning place. for the taxes. Mf. Rockefeller would not consider one hundred million dollars a swollen fortune, but there <, are many who would consider one hundred thousand vast riches and million untold wealth.
 But the Presidents main purpose, # we understand the matter, is that the government shall take charge of the questions of devise and inheritance; thatais,. when a man dies in possession of fortune above the limit only a cer- tain portion Of 1t shall be bequeathed to his heirs. while the rest will go into the coffers of Uncle Sam, we sup pose. Leaving out the dimcuItles we have suggested with reference to limit ation, we should like to know upon what code of ethics law can be found ed which will take from q man any portion of his own money or property, except as punishment for crime or some violations of the law. If a man has been guilty of offences against the laws of the country. 1t is perfectly proper to hAe him as. penIshment. but is the accumulatiSn of large fortune to be. made 8 crimeNn our system of government7 Even if the accumuiator himself has violated the law in making his money. does that give government right 70 withhold 1t from his heirs? From whatever position we look at it, the proposition Is absurd, ahd4o carry 1t out would bs unjust s~W S#