The Bamberg herald. [volume] (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, 1911-03-09
"OLD TIMER" ON TAXES.
An Interesting Discussion of a VeN-
ing Problem to Us All.


good it is for brethren to dwell to-
gether in unity, but on the tax ques-
ton how hard for men to do SO.
Away back in the days when Herod
the great was tetrarch men hated the
renegade Jews who bought the right
to gather the taxes from the people.
They were cussed and discussed as
much as the tax gatherers under
Governor Moses of this State in the
good old days of carpetbag rule so
we'll remembered by all of that day.
Then in every age of every people
it is a question. Where can money
be procured to run the government
and with the people where is the
money coming from to pay them
with. These are questions often dill
f1cult to answer. No solution OF the
vexed question has ever been found
satisfactorily filing the bill and IT
seems never to be.
Our law makers are much Ike
manv farmers. The farmer this year
makes a little money, he likes 1t, and
next year buys another mule or two,
more fertilizers, more hands, more
expenses, more debt, and bad year
or low prices come, the venture does
not pay. and to meet obligations due
has to borrow on his home. Then is
the beginning of the end of his home.
Before the years are many ne ana
family are in another place, while his
old home is in other hands. Law
makers are only human, and money
lavishly voted on schools, colleges,
public buildings, roads also, often to
help directly or indirectly private in
terests, are all bone to gnaw for the
voter, and he holds his office, while If
with niggardly hands he bestoWs no
favors on his constituents he receives
no hand-shake at the political meet
ings, no smile of welcome, and last
but not least, few if any votes, and is
sent back to his store, or office, shop
or farm a wiser if sadder man.
Then others have money them
selves and do not know how it feels
to be pinshed for a dollar. Likes
comfort at the court house, nice
school buildings, pretty lawns as
campus for the boys and girls to
romp ON. nice shade trees, green grass
and pretty fountains throwing spark
ling jets of water, handsome offices,
we'll dressed officers, and plenty OF
them to serve the dear people, mon
uments to departed heroes, and fine
roads to drive over, and hundreds of
other things that could be mentioned,
all for the sake Of the dear people as
we'll as the Office holder, and when
the appropriations are all in and
counted the most stalwart heart will
almost quake, but there it is, If any
thing is left out the budget is disfig-
ured, some ones friends are miffed
not to say mad, and so 1t stands both
in State and nation and the pro-
ducers of all the wealth are so bur-
dened with the load they stagger as
did the man pretty drunk who
thought himself strong; he wanted
to carry 200 pound sack of salt on
his shoulders When placed there he
made a step or so, then made a
plunge and went to the ground, salt
on top; then he felt weak, yelled lus-
tily for help; when it was lifted on
he turned over, looked up, saw the
full moon in his face and exclaimed:
"Say, fellows now that salt is on
amt it light" If State and county
taxes were all we could soon roll in
luxury. There is the federal, then
the tariff, the trusts, the corpora
tions, and paying the bad fellows
debts in profits charged to cover
them, then the church must be sup
ported, and, sad to say, by the COM
paratively few, and when the family
tax is reached, for a new Easter bon
net for the madam and the girls and
the music bills and suits for the boys
and wages to pay for hands to work
tho form. No wonder the old fellow
looks up with sad eyes and wonders
where he is at, and exclaims as David
of old: Had I the wings of the
dove then would fly away and be
at rest.''
No, the question will never be set
tied to the satisfaction of all until
that day when every man shall sit
. ~, ou-n vino and fig tree and