St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1889-01-16
How the George Single Tax
Theory Was introduced
Into Minneapolis.
The Number of Men Who Be-
lieve in It Steadily and
Surely Growing.
Henry Georges Great Lecture
at the Hennepin Avenue
Theater Last Night.
A Large and Appreciative.
Audience in Spite of the
Dismal Weather.

When the single-tax theory was first
preached in Minneapolis nearly every
one laughed at it as the vaporings OF
mind diseased. Then the men who mad
done the laughing began to wonder If
there was not something in it after all.
and began studying it. A few months
later the Land and Labor club was
formed with as many as half-a-doZen
members. The infection spread, and
during the past year several nnn9fed
men, including number OF capitalists,
have come to demand that all taxation
shall be levied upon land values, and
upon land values alone. The Single
Tax League is the present name OF the
society, and it was under the auspices
of this society that Henry George, of
New York, the leading light in the SIN
gle tax movement, was induced to come
to Minneapolis and speak at the Henne-
pin Avenue theater last evening.
Mr.. George arrived in Minneapolis
late yesterday, and was met by COM
mittee from the league, which later on
escorted him to the theater. lie made
a pleasing appearance upon tue stage,
and every word was spoken Ill clear,
ringing tone, and was heard plainly by
every one in the house. Mr.. George is
man about fifty years of age with
brown beard and large dark gray eyes.
His hair has disappeared from
the top of his head, and his
finely formed forehead stands out
all the more prominently for it. He is
about the average height. with broad
shoulders and finely-formed arms. HIS
hands are small and compact, denoting
a large amount of reserve force. Last
evening he wore dress suit, and ap-
peared we'll on the stage. His method
of delivery was easy and his style easy.
Not once during the whole evening did
he raise his voice above all ordinary
conversational tone.
The attendance was not as large as it
would have been had the evening been
a pleasant one. The rain interfered
with the plans of many who had intend
ed being present, and as consequence
there were number OF vacant seats III
the theater. The audience was made
UP of men and women Of nearly all sta
tions of life. from the millionaire to the
day labOrer who is constantly endeavOr-
ing to improve his condition. Interest
was visible in the faces of all, and
every word uttered by the speaker was
eagerly taken in and pondered over.
Upon the stage, which was hand
somely decorated for the occasion. were
seated C. A. PillSbury, E. Nj. Wilson,
Howe Paige, j. NJ. Haynes, o. f. Erick-
son, Herman Ash, George X. Shaw.
Rev. G. Jansen. G. j. Buell. and other
equally prominent gentlemen. c. ].
Buell.. of the Single Tax league, under
the auspices of which Mr.. George spoke,
presided. He began by stating tlfat the
problem of allowing each person an
equal share in the good things given by
God had arrived, and mustnow be met.
Great minds have labored with the
question, he continued, and in every
town, village and hamlet in the coun-
try YOU can find men who are ready to
admit that Henry George has given us
the true solution of the difficulty: He
then introduced Mr.. George, who was
warmly greeted. -
HENRY GEORGES LECTURE.
We single tax men propose good deal
To the people who do not understand US,
what we propose seems wild enough, But II
is not wild. We believe that in this single
tax theory lies the remedy for the greatest
social and political evils OF the present day.
We do not claim that our plan will reform
all things, but we do claim that 1t VIII heip
these firms alone. What we mean by the
single tax is the placing of single tax upon
land values We do not simply propose TO
tax land itself in all cases, but we mean to
tax valuable land, and that in proportion to
its value. Were we to tax all land it would
finally resolve itself into tax upon the poor
people Of the country. A tax upon land
values would always leave land upon which
no tax fell. 1t would not be tax on labor
OF on capital, but tax on the uses OF nat
ural facilities. Ordinarily. rent means some
thing paid for the use of land and the i'm
provements upon it. but the economic mean
ing one meaning means the sum paid for
land. irrespective of its improvements. 1t is
on land values, irrespective OF improve
ments, which we propose to put tax and
raise all revenues. This plan must commend
itself to ALL for it will place no obstacles IN
the way of gaining wealth, nor will 1t place
any obstacles upon the present wealth. Az
present there is not enough wealth in this
country. nor in any other country, for half
of the whole world is not
DECENTLY CLOTHED AND FED.
Our present tax system leVleS line on all
persons who would produce wealth. instead
of rewarding them. Our federal revenue is
raised by system of taxation intended TO
keep the goods and the wealth we need out
of the country. A better plan would be- 1t
seems to me-. to fine the men who take
Things out of this country, instead OF inlng
the men who bring them in. No foreigner
wants to deluge this country with goods, and
you can see that if there was not demand
for these goods they would not be, brought:
Now, the tariff simply means preventive OF
our getting things which we Want,and which
We have notenough houses in this country.
but as matters stand now man who erects a
nice house is fined for SO doing. by the tax
assessor who at once raises his taxes. Ser
mons are preached teaching US economy, yet
if we do save anything
WE HAVE TO PAY FINE.
This Is especially true of a capitalist just
beginning. A great capitalist generally has
to pay no fine. Now, if we want more wealth
in this country it is stupid for us to impose
I, IS
do would be to say to the producers. go ahead
and make all you can. Nomatter how stingy
a man may be, if he produces anything he
cannot keep it to himself for some one is
bound to get IL after he is gone.
Our present tax system is obviously unjust,
as it taxes the poor man and allows the mil
lionaire 10 go almost free. This is being
done on every hand. and every man who has
ever considered the matter knows it as well
as !. The tax on nearly everything falls on
the consumers, and as the working classes
are the majority in this country it iseevident
that the taxes fall the heaviest on the men
whose earnings are spent in providing for
their families necessities. Thus it is on the
tax on houses, food and nearly everything
else. The opportunities for
ESCAPE AND EVASION
are mainly with the rich, and not with the
poor, as sOnae seem to think. In regard to
the personal pro nrty tax you will find that
the tax falls heaviest upon the farming COM
munity. OF upon the faboring classes, who
have not the opportunities to hide their
property that the millionaires have When
The itch man gives the tax assessor q correct
list of the property in his possession, you can
rest assured that the property is owned by
some poor widow or orphan II taxes are
heavy rch man can simply remove to some
small suburb, where taxes are light,
or an accommodating assessor can
be found. There are thousand
and one ways rich man can make
feise return on his property, and if he re-
fused to make g return the assessor can do it.
That is just what the rich men, in many
cases want them TO do, Tor the assessor is
generally good friend and knows enough
not to put values too high. Thus, our pres