The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1890-10-03
THE SINGLE TAX.
Its Adoption Would Solve the
Farmers Problem.

An Address Delivered by william j.
Ogden, of Baltimore, Before Cecil
Grange, No. 8, Patrons OF Husbalidry,
at Rising Sun, Md, Sept. 81, 1890.
Mr. CHAIRMAN AND GENTLEMEN AND
LADIES OF THE GRANGE-It is with pleasure
that accept the invitation Of your honor
able body to address you upon the subject
OF the single tax as proposed to apply to
farmers.
AS taxes are paid by persons. and not by
things, as some think, it is:of the first i'm
portance to farmers, who constitute more
than one-third of the entire number OF
taxpayers in the United States The pro-
portion is even greater in Maryland. The
four great divisions of occupations in the
United States are respectively, agriculture,
trade and transportation, manufacturing
and mining and professional and personal
services. The agricultural class is double
either of the others In point of numbers.
The relative Importance of taxation Is GER
tainly as great to each individual farmer
as to any other citizen. and it is twice as
important to the entire farming popula-
tion as to any other of the great divisions
of employment. 1t is in the light Of these
facts that will present the single tax to
your fair consideration.
AS the object Of taxation Is to maintain
government, it is first necessary to inquire
as to what kind of government is to be
supported with it.
If government is to be regarded as a
charitable institution, dispensing aims to
the citizens, then different idea of taxa
tion must be had than If government be
considered simply as an instrument en-
ployed by the people to perform ertain
services for the individuals consenting
thereto, which can be better performed by
an administrative head than by each indi-
vidual himself
In the first case the government must
be imagined as vague, irresponsible per-
sonage, who reigns apart from the people
he governs, and who requires unquestion-
ing obedience to his will. His subjects re-
gard taxation as necessary evil, and are
thankful If they are permitted to live
This conception of government necessarily
includes the right of this non-natural per-
son to select certain persons and families
who shall dispense his gracious will to the
common people, and so 1t includes. the ex-
istence of an aristocracy. Kings reign by
preston of an assertion of right which GER
tainly is not human.
Princes, dukes, lords and earls are sup
ported with lavish devotion by their toll
ing subjects, who imagine that the wealth
consumed by their lords is as necessary to
the happiness of the people as If it had
been used to repair the roads. This is the
ideal aristocratic government, and 1t holds
af af J,a l.,
on the earth. OF course no question of a
just tax Is ever raised among them, for
such matter is not the business of the
common people who pay the taxes, and
who thankfully receive the gracious bene-
factions of the governments; and it is not
to the interest of their lords to make such
an inquiry, for the existing system is the
very cause of that distinction between the
peasant and the lord which is absolutely
necessary to uphold government as they
understand 1t. And so the people are
taught that the maintenance of govern
ment involves self sacrifice, or to give for
the good of government (Which will care
for the people, without expecting any re-
turn; and as the benefactions of govern
ment are far greater than any one may be
said to deserve, 1t follows that every one
give, and hence the formula: every per-
son ought to pay taxes according to his
worth, without distinction as to the char
acter of his property.
The other idea Is what is called demo
cratic government. This conception re-
CARDS government as a broad practical ex-
preston Of that law Of human nature,
"man seeks to satisfy his desires with the
least possible exertion." Every act of DEM
ocratic government is service to the peo-
pie and not gratuitous benefaction; and
these services of government are each and
all simple economies of labor, the individ-
ual citizen performing for himself certain
works through the agency of his elected
representatives, who by the economies
possible to uniformity of operation, and the
furnishing of large quantities of material
and systematic division of labor, are en-
abled to return to the individual larger
and better service than he could possibly
procure without the agency of government
at much greater expense of labor than he
now exerts to pay his share of the cost.
This definition of democratic govern
ment will be clearly seen when we particu.
larize the various services of our city de-
partments. The first and most important
Is that of the city commissioner, which of.
flee superintends the grading and paving
Of streets and the construction of sewers
and bridges
1t will be seen at once what a tremendous
economy of labor is possible in an estab.
lished system of grades, sewers and streets
The facility of communication is immeas
urably greater than could be possible il
each person acted Independently of others
and mended his own road and drained his
own land.
AS the want of communication Is uni
versal 1t is natural that individuals should
associate effort and provide themselves
with roads. This is the first act of civil.
lied people, and is the primary function OF
democratic government. After roads then
the department of justice, which includes
the police.
This department is also instituted fol
the economy of labor it occasions.
do not say that justice is simply an
economy, but that the court and the ma.
chinery employed to dispense justice are
simple economies. The police are an i'm
mense improvement on individual self pro
lection or the vigilance committee
The elected judge is an advance of society
above lynch law.
And so with the department of public
schools. The system of education is a sci.
ence in itself, and the economies possible
to 1t are wonderful 1t Is because oul
schools cost so little to maintain in com
parison to their relative capacity to edu
cate children that we regard them rs
among the chief advantages afforded by
government. This is the reason for theil
institution, and not that paternal idea
that the state requires the education of the
people. Such an idea will lead to compul