The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1890-12-01
SINGLE TAX THEORY.
Debate Upon the Practical Results of
the Plan.

Debate Upon the Practical Results Of
the Plan.
There was an interesting debate, which re-
suited In a draw. on the single tax theory at the
hall II the Central Labor Union, Front and
Ma iison s,ieets. last night. The afi native and
negative were ably handled W Messrs. Andrew
Blaine. Robert Marshall, James Prenderrast, j.
MCCARTHY, Con Lynch and Robert Bridges. who
had been selected BY the political and literary
Improvement committee OF the Labor Union.
Mr.. II. h. Thompson occupied the referees
chair, and the judges were Messrs. III. r. Knox
and John Preston.
The principles Of the single tax theory were
read by Mr.. Andrew Blaine, who followed the
reading with a hve.minutes' explanatory ad-
dress. The speaker favored the lsboring man
owning street car lines, mines, mills and every
thing OF amcney.producing character, and con-
duct them with making expenses only.
MI. Robert Marshall followed and did not
agree with some of the views of the previous
speaker He disclaimed that the single-tax law
reverts to the benefit Of the farmer. who owns
the land and has the taxes to pay The million
sire and banker is tax ed only for the little real
estate he owns, and their hundreds of thou-
sands lie In the vaults untaxed. The real tax
payer Is the land owner. The speaker denied
that the single tax would prevent poverty,
which had existed from time immemorial ana
would continue to the end Of the world.
arguments - advanced BY MI. Marshall that
made him . single tax advocate. Mr.. Prender-
CAST said that single tax did not mean the tax.
ing OF indiv duals, but the taxing Of land for its
producing value, and not the taxing OF the pro-
auctions OF labor Single tax. said Mr.. Prender-
CAST does not ask the people now owning vast
lands to give them up. but it does ask mine
owners, logges and cattle kings to pay their
share OF the taxes from the productions
Mr.. J. Mccarthy said there were several
things he wanted to know. First, how was the
land to be distributed, and second, who was to
get the choice lots. He gave IL - his opinion
that the single tax would bs direct tax on
labor, ~ II calls for tax on the source of pro-
duction, and who. he asked, is the producer If
IL 10 not the lsborer7 In closing he stamped the
single tax doctrine as impracticable. and backed
up his views with food of statistics.
Mr.. Con Lynch said single tax wss created
for those who wished to labor for a chance to
enter the storehouse of nature and pro luce for
themselves from these free gifts of God. Its
pu. pose is TO destroy land monopoly, and 10
allow the laborer to enjoy the fruits Of nature
and not be compelled to pay the land monopo-
list for the privilege.
Mr.. Robert Bridges insisted that the single
tax theory was not practicable, and pointed out
that tax originated from Improvement. and
the greater the improvement the greater the
tax Mr.. Bridges gave 1t as his opinion that the
way t. decrease poverty was sole oceu pehcy Oh
the land and full control by the government OF
the money and transportation systems Of the
country.
The judges decided that on account OF the
speakers icing unable to give q full presenta-
ton OF their views in the short time allotted
them, the debate was draw.
Views on the important question were asked
for from the audience, and addresses were made
pro and con by Messrs. NJ. \. Knox L. I. Brown,
Frederi Borlin, John Preston and Others, and
when the meeting was about TO adjourn gem
tleman handed in the following written query:
"a man having 160 acrss OF land, bat no
money to purchase tools. stock and material to
start him the FIRST year. how is the single tax
eoing to help him to get q ssart?'