The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-11-02
Coal Mining and the Single Tax.

| Let us assume that all coal deposits
in the bowels of the earth were absO-
lutely free to whatsoever desired to
apply his labor to them and bring coal
to the surface, as some day, we hope
will be the case under the single tax.
Assume, also, for sake of ILLUSTRATION,
the existence of two such deposits, one
of them like those in our county of La
/ the surface, necessitating the sinking
of shafts, the pumping of water and
the hosting of coal and debris; the
other deposit, let us suppose, is in the
side of hill, which permits the bring
ing to daylight of coal and debris as
well as the drainage of the mine with
out the employment Of machinery.
Let these two cases be the represen-
tatives of all the differences that occur
by reason of quality, locality, thick
ness of vein, roof, walls, or accessible
ity to markets, and the experienced
miner will have no trouble in deciding
instantly as to his preference.
1t will be readily seen that the val
ues of all such as offer superior advan-
tages in one way or another, must and
will be measured most accurately
through the simple operation of free
competition by the poorest of these
opportunities which it will pay to
work. The poorest one will be the
standard and all better ones will be
valued to just that extent to which
they excel this standard.
Now let us proceed in our illuStra-
ton. The miners of the better Oppor-
tunities, it will be seen at glance,
will far Out-dO the miners of the DOOR
er opportunities in the reward they re-
ceive for precisely similar amount of
labor.
1t is the difference which constitutes
economic rent and which the single
tax will absorb. and it is clear that by
doing so all miners, no matter what
mine they work, will be placed on an
absolute equality with one another
The privilege of working superior
advantage costs precisely as much as
that advantage is worth over the poor
est
What holds good in coal mining,
holds good in all other occupations
the same principle extends to all alike.
The values thus taken for the use of
these superior opportunities of nature
accrue to the benefit of all, even the
party paying them, for in his capacity
as member Of the community he shares
in their benefits.
Each worker is thus on an absolute
equality with all other workers and
the only way to amaSS more is by SUI
periOr Diligence and intelligence of the
man himself, and his superior indus |
try and intelligence can not, as now,
enable him to become the master of |
his less gifted fellows.
Under the operation of this princi- |
pie, no combination of men, rich or !
poor, can control natural opportun-
tiles or wages and compel the indi. |
vidual to submit to wrong.
Natural wages are all that man can !
earn by employing his own labor and |
this will become the standard Of
wages.
l desire to make myself clearly I'M
1erstOod on this point that the poorest
opportunity which is in use marks the
margin of cultivation, and this mar
gin applies to all natural opportuni-
ties, including agricultural ones. AS
this margin is lowered so as to bring
still poorer opportunities into profit
able use, the other values will in like
manner rise in proportion.
This margin of cultivation deter
mines rent, wages and interest as Mr..
IeOrge teaches US.
That it will be impossible for any
to control natural oppor-
,unieS as is now done, when the single
AK is in operation, follows a necessity