Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1911-12-19

danger to their own popularity. Corpora
tons being both fmpersonal and uppop-
ular, they proceed to levy taxes on them
to the limit. In the END that sort OF
policy discoUrages all industry and in
jures both capital and labour.
l do not own q share of stock in any
corporation of any sort whatsoever, and
never expect to have money to buy 9
share. But as an honest man 1 protest
against the confiscation of the property
of corporations In order to ,endow fads
and please fadisty. Widows and children
own shares in various corporations; and
pity for them, If not considerations OF
common justice and honesty, ought to
forbid any attempt to make their prop
critics bear unequal bur lens of taxation.
But If widows and childI en- had no share
in the corporations of the country, and
If the corporations were owned exclusive
ly by rich men, Iaey would not thereby
become proper objects. of spoliation. II
is as wrong to rob man as 1t is to
rob a widow; and, although many seem
to think otherwise, it is absolutely Inn
moral to steal from a rich man even
Even railways have rights that should
be held inviolate by courts and legis-
lative bodies
We have had quite enough Of semi
sociaIistic agitations and consequent
sentimental legislation. 1t is time there
were a reaction in the dir action of COM
mon honesty and fair dealing. We have
had too much batting of corporations
in recent years, especially batting of rail-
roads.
Corporations should be regulated and
controlled so that they may not inflict
injuries and do injustice to the public
or to Individuals; but they should not
be robbed by either the public or indi-
Viduals.
1t should be said also that there are
many good thin IS which are very de-
sirahle, but which lie quite beyond the
Just authority of the government, (either
state and federal government to pro-
vide by taxation. For them we must
depend upon the voluntary gifts of gener-
Gus people. We must not look to- the
public treasury for every thing we want,
or which we think we need Paternalism
in government is conceived in injustice
and nourished by oppression 1t breeds
vices that are worse than medicancy.
1t FASTENED the downfall of the Roman
commonwealth. When the populace be-
gan demanding bread and games, and
every demogogue who desired popularity
began promising to see that their de-
mands were granted, the whole structure
of government began to crumble and tot
ter Our nation ay be destroyed in
the same way. Already we have men
among us urging state-endowed theatres.
What next?
1t is time to call a halt. Mr.. Hill is
quite right when he says that 1.-The end
Of such a system may be delayed, but
it is not doubtful. Our picturesque re-
formers may prate much of their concern
for the public good, and with great swell
ing words they may promise all sorts
Of political milleniums, If their schemes
are adopted and they are allowed unlim-
tied drafts on the public funds and I'M
limited use of the tsIxing-power; but al
last they will bring ruin on themselves
and on everybody else, if they are sur
fered to go on with their follies and
fads Real and benign milleniums do not
come from political hysteria and econ
omic commissions. Nations do not prosper
through one class of citizens combining
to rob all other classeJ by Selling and
using the taxing-power for ends of ex-
tortion. There may be robbery done un-
der the forms of law VII ich is as immor-
al in essence and as offensive to God as
the lawless deeds of lighwaymen. Steal
ing is stealing, although a majority OF
the people unite to Instruct their repre-
sentatives to commit tie crime in legis-
lative halls.