The review. [volume] (High Point, N.C.) 1908-19??, 1921-09-29
No Good Trading
Only With Self
Is This a Rich State? Or
Are There a Few Rich
and Many Poor

The prosperity of commonwealth
is not measured by the number of me1
who receive large incomes, but by the
> Moth Carolina has gone forward
along many lines and enterprising
captains of industry have created OIL
secured wide markets for their pro-
ducts which have brought large gains
to the state and given employment to
> thousands of its people. If a man
who makes two blades of grass grow
where one had previously grown is a
benefactor we owe large debt to
men of vision and enterprise who have
built up great establishments which
ship what they make to all quarters of
the globe.
No people get rich trading only with
one another. They must grow or man
ufacture something people in other
commonwealth and other countries
wish so much they are willing to pay
for it. The national balance of trade
goes to the nation which sells more to
others than it buys from them. In
recent years in many lines, particular
ly in the manufacture of cotton and
tobacco, this State has sent large
quantities. to purchasers who have
sent them good money in payment
This increased expectation has
brought wealth to enterprising men
among US, some of whom have be-
come rich, and everybody has rejoic-
ed at their prosperity. May there be
more tobacco factories, Independent
and enterprising, to continue these
large operations to their own enrich
ment and the enrichment of the state.
AS their incomes increase they will
be enabled to pay more to the farm
ers for the weed and better wages to
the men they employ. All should pros
per together in this and in other in
dustries.
Gratifying as is this big develop
ment in industry and the big incomes
that follow, ct nobody reach the con-
clusion that the receipt of compara-
lively small number of big incomes
mean genera and diffused prosperity.
Prosperity, to lift up the whole state,
must reach the whole people in fair
proportion to insure that largest and
best measure of prosperity which
alone can make for-the largest happi-S
ness and the greatest development of
the state. Thousands Of homes bless
ed with fair incomes affording the
comforts of life, is the goal, rather
than few very large incomes with
most people so poor they cannot edu-
cate their children or obtain those
for we'll directed industry.
In North Carolina we have been
accustomed particularly since the
publication of the Federal income tax
returns to plume ourselves because Of
the great amount of taxes paid the
government on incomes, the largest
amount of any Southern state. We
have not stopped enough to think how
few have been those who were in the
income paying class. In 1919 the num-
Der of persons in North Carolina pay
ing income taxes to the general gov
ernment was 37,185. Deducting 1917
persons who paid on in
comes from $1,000 up there are left
20 ,568 persons, mostly heads of fami-
lies, who paid on incomes from $4,000
to $750,OOO. AS it is estimated that
there are something like five hundred
thousand families in the State, it is
sen that there are in neighborhood of
ATE, 900 families which do not have an
annual income of as much as $4,000.
This preponderance of families with
incomes of less than $4,000 would be
further interesting if we had the fig
ures of the average income of the
5000. The statements in Sundays
News and Observer as to the scant in
comes of tenant farmers show III 900
families receive so little that they
cannot maintain their families. There
are many others in towns and cities
who receive very small incomes. The
great duty of the state is to give bet
ter training to the youths so their
earning cacpacity will be increased,
both for their own comfort and for
the prosperity of the state. A more
just division of the profits of indus
5ry between capital and labor should
De secured, collective bargaining en-
outraged, and the maximum of pro-
luction insured.
The state is great. 1t has potential
ties Of large wealth. But it is far
rom correct to call us rich people
when only 10000 families out of 5OO,-
100 pay tax on incomes in excess Of
$1,000. It may be true, and doubtless
S, that some people who earn $4,000
10 not give it in for taxation, but that
lumber is not large.
Let US rejoice in all that makes for
and ct us remember that
is diffusel prosperity that makes a
tate great and prosperous.-News
nd Observer.