The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1917-06-06
DON'T DENY NECESSITIES.


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Consumption is the basis of all wealth. With
out consumption, producing would be wasteful.
Money creates money only as money buys
something produced.
Wealth that does anybody any good is that
wealth that constantly changing hands-produc-
ing something for the consumer, sensibly SAYS the
Meridian Star.
If the consumer shuts off buying, then wealth
cannot increase and it becomes a drug-fnancial
dope, and quite as harmful to society as any 9TH
er dope is to the individual.
Wealth might produce abundance of anything,
but unless that abundance were consumed it
would not benefit the producer.
And if the producer is not benefited millions
of people will be thrown out of work for the pro-
ducer, no more than the employee, will labor with
out remuneration.
We must have prosperity in this country if
we are to meet the obligations of war into which
we have properly entered as a self respecting ma
ton.
We cannot pay the enormous taxes we are to
be called upon to pay unless the country is pros
porous.
It will be impossible for the government to
raise the vast sums needed unless there is work
for everybody, at fair wages and unless those
earning such wages spend reasonably of their
wages.
So it is plainly up to the consumer to go on
about his buying as usual, if we are to be able to
support the government.
Everybody should live as we'll as possible, as
nearly normal as they have been living during
the past few years, in order to keep our farmers,
our merchants, our manufacturers, our business
enterprises going and prevent disaster that will
surely follow reducing business to a dangerous
level, that would necessitate throwing many peo-
pie out of employment.
We do not mean for the people to be extrava-
CANT, wasteful, or Indifferent; such a course, es-
peciallys in the matter of food would be criminal,
if not suicidal, but there is no reason why any one
should go hungry if they have the money to buy
food; no more reason than there is for people to
wear ragged clothing, or shoes with the toes stick
ing out, or hats with no brims or holes in the top
or collarless, or without neckties, or handkerchiefs
to blow our noses on. .
The thing to do is to live as nearly as we can
up to our ordinary standard, attend good enter
tainments, be as comfortable as we can and keep
business going.
To our way of thinking it is quite as patriotic
to do this as it is to do other patriotic things.
- - - "a u - "a
WAR TAXES AND PRICE-FIXING.
War taxes on manufactured articles as a rule
are passed to the consumer.
The only restriction possible s-price-fxing
And it is just this thing of price-fixing that
the government is considering.
Since the price-fxing bug struck congress
there has been considerable argument pro and con,
and able men and wise have visited the national
capital to guide the lawmakers over the precip-
itous shoals.
Some concerns say they would be put out of
business if every article they sold would be taxed
from five to ten per cent. and they were not per.
mitted to pass the per cent. on to Mr.. and Mrs.
Ultimate Consumer.
Perhaps that is true; and the government will
do well to go into the proposition thoroughly.
On the other hand, certain trusts would not
suffer if made to pay all the taxes on their pro-
ducts. Their names are household words; they
are not in the same class with ordinary business.
But it is just these trust magnates that are
kicking hardest against price-fixing.
- p - - - - ~
LOCAL PRIDE.
Residents of Greenwood take pride in their
schools, in their churches, in their public works
and improvements.
Every resident of Greenwood hopes for bet.
terments and works for betterments as the years
pass.
In other words, every Greenwood man is sup.
posed to be a home booster.
But to create a good community-one attrac-
tive to those living in it and those living around it
tax money is required.
And nothing produces tax money like local i'm.
provements by private persons.
The men who help pay our taxes and thus sup
rorf arr institutions - untitled RI no