The Union times. [volume] (Union, S.C.) 1894-1918, 1918-06-27

q Sooc VI PtollISSIluS VI OI ROBBERY
of the Government, believe that YOU
recognize that the great majority of
American people are honest at heart.
that the business men are just as
honest, just as loyal, just as patriotic
as are the men in public life, and Just
as much as the farmer and the me-
chanic. Indeed, know that you are
fully aware of the fact, as every dill
gent man must be, that the business
men themselves are working harder
and longer hours than is the average
mechanic at the present time. If the
business man is charged with prof.
teerinG, surely the farmer and the
mechanic, the one with his high
prices for his produce and the other
with the eNorbitant figures being paid
for his labor should also be classified
as profiteers. / do not believe that
either should thus be classified. There
are profiteers among all of these in
terests, but broadly speaking, the
whole nation outside of those con-
trolled by pro-German influences is
S'''S'iS gnu CSuly uOlllS
the best it can to produce foodstuffs,
to increase the output of coal and
munitions and iron and steel and to
build Ships.
Would it not, therefore, be the part
of wisdom for you and others con-
nected with the Administration to do
all in your power to remove the er-
roneous impressions which have been
created by some of the wild state
ments made in Washington and by
some of the misleading reports sent
out to many papers from Washington
which together have created the inn
presslon that all business interests,
or large proportion at least, are
engaged in profteering and should be
penalized by an income tax which
would leave ony narrow margin
and not margin sufficient to meet
the ups and downs of every business
interest?
Please remember that | am in
hearty accord with the idea that there
should be an adequate income tax,
and tax on individual incomes. l
do not believe, however, that it is
wise to put on the men who are bear
ing the burden of carrying the nation
through this war as large a propo-
rtion of the cost in money as some
have suggested.
This war is being fought for all
generation to come. All civilization
for centuries will reap the benefit of
the struggle of this hour, and it is
only fair that future generations
should bear very large proportion
of the actual money cost, since fu-
ture generations will not have to bear
any of the agony of those WHO are
giving their sons and other loved
ones to the struggle, or any of the
agony Of those who die on the battle
field in behalf OF, civilization. This
cost TO the natioh in suffering, in
universal sorrow, in. the probable
death and permanent invalidism of
millions Of our soldiers, is cost far
beyond the total money cost, how
ever great the latter may be, When
once we have won a complete victory.
this country will leap forward with
such tremendous worldwide business
activity that the increase in its
wealth will easily take care of any
bonded Indebtedness, it matters not
how great it may be.
If, on the contrary, we press too
heavily upon the business activities
fof the present, we shall produce
condition which will lessen the ma
tion's productive power instead of
stimulating to the utmost extent
every energy which can be made to
increase the output of iron and coal
and steel and oil and sulphur and
foodstuffs, and the thousand and one
other things which enter into the
great issue upon which the life of our
nation depends.
The point, however, which I wanted
to make in this letter was preemi
nently the one of urging upon you and
other members of the Administration
the necessity of suppressing the pro-
German scheme of creating confusion
and destroying the morale of the ma
tion by the wild statements which
are sent broadcast to the effect that