The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1889-09-21

classes % to make almost separate species
of them. This is 90 because land Is one OF
the two essential factors Of all production,
without which production cannot take
place. The ownership of land, In the
hands of comparatively few TO the exclus-
lon of the great mass, tends to make the
latter as much the slaves OF the landowner
as though he owned their bodies. With
us the operation OF this principle manifests
itself In the steady decline of wages, even
In the face of increased production OF
wealth and improved methods Of produc-
ton, and this downward tendency hats
nothing short of the point below which
men must starve.
The single tax movement, recognizing
this fact, seeks to apply remedy by ao.
sorbing the rental value of the naked land
for purposes of public revenue and freeing
all products of labor, be they what they
may, of all burdens,-ln other words, abol-
ishipg all other modes of taxation.
Where labor, capital and land join IN
prod the product must be divided
between these three as wages, interest and
rent. If, with increased production, wages
must necessarily 60 to the land owner.
Now this is just what Is taking place with
us today; for look you at our centers OF In
dustry, the first noticeable effect Of indus
trial activity is the steady advance of land
values. These values far outrun the ne
cessities of the hour and In effect lay toll
and exact tribute of a population yet to
come and, on the other hand the scale OF
wages and the rate of interest are always
lowest where land values are highest.
Capital exercises beneflcent functions,
and Is Justly entitled to Its reward In fair
rate of interest; but under our dispensa.ion,
capital, allied to the element of monopoly
when land has taken the lions share of the
product, absorbs, by means Of trusts and
com binations, the bulk Of what the land
owner has left and leaves the wage worker
to stsrve or strike. The single tax deals
a mortal blow at this system In that 1t
makes the monopolization of land and nat
ural opportunities Improbable. Land can
not be withheld from use for purposes OF
speculation and hence natural Opportuni-
ties will become free and open to the In
dustrial masses; and, as the good God pro
7ides each mouth that he sends Into this
world with two arms to work and fill said
mouth, there Is no doubt but that, when
you give each one an equal, undiminished
chance with all others, to apply those arms
to the1bounties of nature, you will not only
solve the problem of poverty but also of the
betterment and ennobling of mankind,
which will be perfectly natural and
healthy growth thereafter.
As evidence of the rapid march Of the
single tax idea, please note that the com
mittee of the New York Legislature, on
taxation, has reported In favor of exempt
ing all personal property, and now State
Assessor Ellis is out with strong arguments
in favor of dropping this kind of property
from the assessment rolls takes on
personal property he says, "are very
"impartially assessed and collected. II
"takes many evasive forms, and when
"placed in securities, the ownership Is
"easily concealed and transferred from
lone person to another so as generally &c
escape taxation. The inequalities are
"mainly in the cities. Estates, held In
'trust, or property In the hands of the
"courts, are fully assessed, and few scru-
"pulous persons may make full returns
"but, on the other hand, vast amounts of
personal property altogether escape
Through one device or another"
Possibly this may set some of our work
men and farmers thinking, in fact, II
should make any taxpayer reflect: but, as
Mr.. Ellis concerns himself merely with the
aspect as it bears on his specially, he does
not consider the terribly demoraliz!ng
agency of system which puts premium,
on dishonesty and perjury, and familiari-
yes our people gradually with practices
which are but too easily and too naturally
transferred from public to private codes of
morality nor does Mr.. Ellis touch on an
other serious feature of this system which
is contained in the economic axiom that
taxation of labor products must necessarily
curtail and discourage production and
make us all the poorer.
GEORGE q. GUENTHER.
Galloway, H., Sept 90, 1889.