The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1922-01-25
Putting a Penalty on Thrift.

(AUDCNll1c HIIeSS dIiO LootiiliSA J.
The cry is that property tax IS
unequal and that not all the peo-
pie contribute to the payment OF
the running expenses Of the gov
ernment. 1t is proposed, there
fore, by those who would see oon-
ditions improved in this respect to
have some system Of taxation
which will be more nearly equal.
Several schemes have been sug-
geste6 looking to this end. Some of
them may have merit and deserve
considerations, but there is nothing
more unfair in our judgment than
an income tax. A large percentage
of the people, under a property tax,
contribute to the running expenses
Of the government. The govern
ment is for all alike, while under
an income tax few people (and
they taken as whole are those
now most imposed on in matters Of
taxation), will be called on to pay
a portion of the running expenses
of the government. The fact is that
it is q shifting of the tax burden
from property owners as a whole
to property owners Of a very Inn
tied class, to corporations and IN
dividuals of large means, persons
natural and artificial who are al
ready paying more than their part
of the taxes.
The people who say that they
want to equalize taxes and shift
the burden to the shoulders Of 9TH
ers not paying any taxes, are not,
we think sincere when in the next
breath they undertake to impose a
, great part of the burden Of gov
ernment on a very few: OF course
it Will be said that there Is man
here and there who has an income
Of $4,000 who is paying no taxes.
and maybe there will be found
such, but the man who is dishon-
est enough to undertake to escape
the payment Of taxes under, one
plan will escape under another
plan. There is no way to make a
perfect machine of government.
The danger is that in undertaking
to perfect it we make it's imper-
fections greater.
We believe that there is justice
and equality in a tax on gasoline.
The people who run motor cars
have in large measure been re-
sponsible for the issues Of road
bonds and for extraordinary ex-
penses for road building. The clam
or for good roads, and when the
roads are built they use them.
Why not make them pay the bill or
a good part of it? But when we
are putting a license tax on auto
mobiles and forcing their owners
to pay a tax on gasoline, why not
also charge license tax against
horse drawn vehicles. against ami
mails driven upon the highways,
and against all the people who use
the highways? To be perfectly
frank the real reason why this is
not done is this: The legislators are
willing to put the burden on the
few (automobile owners) and al
low the many to escape because IN
this way they do not offend the
men who cast the votes?
We would like to see the general
assembly Sget,down to rock bot
tom principles and do what they
propose 10 do, impose the burdens
Of taxation on all, as nearly alike
as possible. But they will not do
so. They will in effect fine a man
who has something to leave to his
wife and children: they will put
penalty on him if he works while
others play: they Will burden him
with an unequal load if he tries to
build up while the demagogue
howls. and SO it will go.
The public schools affect the
whole people II the members of
the general assembly want every
body affected to bear some of the
burdens of government. why not
require of every child attending
tneD uDllt SCHOOLS tut pay iIielit VI
tuition in the amount Of 81 per
month? 1t costs the taxpayers
some four or five or more dollars
per pupil to keep the schools run
ming a month Why should those
who get the benefit OF the schools
not pay a little? But they will
not do this The tax against lands,
and houses and corporations,
against incomes tof considerable
amount against inheritances. and
against thrift generally viii he
doubled and trebled under one form
or another. but the dear onc-hor>e
farmer viii never be called on to
pay.
All of which causes us to say
thai this is the worst demaso&,le-
ridden Commonwealth under the
sun.
When the fuss about taxes is ali
over the man who is now paying
his taxes VIII find himself pay
ing a little more.
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Nh, and Mrs f1pl,,- Inr,,i,,,yS,