The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1910-06-23

is not necessary, ana IL is an uncdlleo
for extension of the taxing power. |
wern the people that the greatest
necessary enemy in any government
is the taxing power. 1t is sneaking,
insiduous, grasping and despotic.
Only the incomes of the rich are pro-
posed to be taxed now, and 1t is par
TALLY justified on the ground that
large owners of American securities
live abroad and draw immense prof
it's from their investments, and make
no contribution to the expense of our
government. This is true, and it is
sad that it is rue, but do not let us
allow the taxing power to build a
trojan horse of our prejudices to the
rich that will land US, bound hand
and foot, into the hands of the tax
collector and tax-consumer. The
Republicans have just reduced the
tariff and raised the average In or
der to get sufficient revenue to run
the government. Every well-inform-
ed Democrat, who is not afraid Of MS
political existence, will tell you that
the average tariff could not be re-
duced unless some other source Of
revenue be found. Now, IS it we'll for
the people to say to the Congress:
You must reform your expense ac-
count" or is it we'll through preju-
dice to the rich to give them this
added and most dangerous power for
the collection of more money from
the people? But, 1t is argued that in
comes of less than S10,000.C0 will
not be taxed. The answer to that is:
If you tax any income at all, you
may tax every income" There can
be no doubt but this tax will take
the course of the tariff. In 1879 the
first tariff was levied for the support
of the government, and it amounted
to about a five per cent. average ad
velorem. A few luxuries carried ten
per cent. A few years later it was
increased to ten and fifteen, then to
twenty. Then to twenty-five and fif-
ty. South Carolina protested bit
terly in 1882, and secured a compact
by Congress to have the tax reduced,
which was never carried out. So,
by leaps and bounds the tariff has
gone up to an average ad velorem Of
about sixty per cent, These tariffs
were at first justified on the ground
that they were laid on the luxuries
of life and not on the necessities.
But to-day from every platform it
is charged with proof that the tariff
is levied ruthlessly upon the necessi-
ties of the poor. So, it will be with the
income tax. At first it will be levied
on incomes of $40, 100000. Then as
the taxing power hungers for more
money it will be levied on incomes of
$5,000.00, and for the same reason
it will be levied on incomes of ST.
100000 and on to $4,000, until it
coils it's loathsome form about the
tiniest savings of sacrifice and hun
ger. An officer badged, uniformed
and arrogant would be bound to COM
mand you to keep books of your
small affairs to the taste Of the fed
eral government in order that they
might easily detect whether you are
attempting to evade the great tax
ing power of the federal government.
Under this despotism men would be-
come liars, and hide such of the
sources of their income as could be
hidden, and the burden would be left
on visible property; largely on lands,
so that owners would have little bet
ter claim than that of tenants at will.
I am not willing, therefore, to place
this additional power in hands that
have heretofore abused every power
intrusted. They have used the tariff
tax to impoverish us. Who can say
they will not use the income tax to
destroy us.
Internal improvements.
believe that the government
should, wherever it is necessary, erect
it's own public buildings of commodi-
Gus proportions, out of good mater
ial, and after dignif1ed designs Of
architecture. But do not believe it
is satisfactory to our people who pay
$4,000, about, to each family, to the
national government, to have an oc-
casional appropriation for public
building, or an appropriation to dy-
nami-e some creek impossible to
navigate thrown to them as sop
to keep them satisfied. I believe in
extended and preserving the mileage
of our navigable streams; but l
know if we consume the little al
lowance made to Southern congress
sional districts in the erecting of
buildings, that we will get no bene-
fetal Improvements. Some Of our
people favor public buildings because
it may beautify the lucky town, and
bring some money to the locality.
The town may be beautified some
what, but usually there Is very lit
tie money spent where the buildings
are put up, for bids are all opened in
Washington, and some Northern con-
tractor who is on to the game usu-
ally gets the contract to build the
structure, and he brings his skilled
labor down with him, and together
they get most of the money and take
it back North, leaving us a public
building manned by two or three
negro porters dressed in blue livery
with brass-buttons to SOW seeds OF
prejudice and race-riot. I know that
if it is constitutional to build post
office for the benefit of the public, it
is constitutional to build a post road
for the same purpose, and where is
the town keenly alive TO It's own
welfare that would not greatly prefer
one hundred miles of decent highway