St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1888-12-13
THE Single, TAX IDEA.

Of course the right of petition belongs
to every American citizen, and every
department of the government is in
duty bound to pay respectful attention
to petition when presented to its con-
sideration, no matter what may be the
nature of the prayer of the petitioners.
Therefore, we take it for granted that
the 1,5t0 Minneapolis merchants who
have appended their names to a
petition asking for a single land tax
shall receive respectful hearing before
the state legislature. At the same time,
we see nothing to encourage our Mime
apolis friends in the hope that the legis-
lature will look with a favorable
eye upon their proposition. In the
first place, the single tax idea has not
made the progress in this country that
its originators and agitators had hoped
for. Regardless of the merits or de-
merits of the proposition, it suggests
too radical change in the tax system
of the country to be adopted without
mature consideration and careful
study of the probable effects of its opera
tions. In the next place, however
favorably it may strike the dwellers in
cities, it can never become popular in
the agricultural communities, and as
long as the farmers hold the preponder-
ance of power in the state legislature,
there is not much probability that the
single tax idea will receive the sanction
of state legislation.
AS we understand, the proposition OF
the Minneapolis merchants, embodied in
their petition to the state legislature, is
to submit a constitutional amendment
to vote of the people, so that the future
raising of taxes shall be by direct tax
on land, and excepting merchandise,
buildings and personal property. The
argument in favor of the proposed
single tax is that if Minnesota would
relieve the merchants and manufacture
ers of its cities from the burden of tax
alton the increased prosperity OF these
merchants and manufacturers would
but reflect the advantage thus gained
over the business men of other cities
not thus favored. In other words,
in common newspaper parlance, it
would give our Minnesota cities a
commercial scoop on all other cities and
place them beyond the range of compe-
titlon IN business affairs. 1t is further
proposed, as an experimental trial OF
this single tax idea, to let Minneapolis
embody it in its municipal system OF
taxation, so that two years hence the
state legislature would have practical
demonstration of the successful opera
ton of the plan; or, if it failed to work
successfully there, the matter could be
dropped.
Viewed solely from the standpoint OF
local interest, the GLOBE is willing to
admit that there is an element of bust
ness shrewdness in this proposition
which speaks well for the business sa-
gacity of our neighbors up the river. II
the single tax system could be adopted
in one city, and confined to that city,
there is no question but what it would
greatly promote its commercial interest.
We are not sure but. if st. Paul and
Minneapolis would pool issues III this
single tax proposition and unite their
commercial strength under its oper-
ations, in the next two years they would
give Chicago the biggest iostle it ever
got from competitor. But, as we have
said, the principle involved in the pro-
posed change is too great and too far
reaching in It's consequences to be
adopted without the maturest consider
alton. 1t is one of those things in which
haste should be made slowly.