Telegram-herald., 1890-02-18
SINGLE TAX THEORY.
Des-ts ~ sss ssss.. P-s.s Cue
Facts 80 Ess.r.s. sss-rss sy
orAa4trssts zaissF. tslEsa f.E
ohae Ihss ARE usr1A-


fhs recent aetisit4 among Slnxls
Tar Clsos shrosg gasas s.s country
manifested by rarhsr mere pFoninsa
reports % ths.F a5iazs "a ne iail y
paPsrs tas announcement of sas ds
parturs 0f Ar hsary 6sorgs fer Aas-
ErsiiA After beiax dlasd a. Ne~ Fors
~ . com psnY Of zsBsisnsa. s0ns o
s1c=S ara distinguished sRa s0As n0E.
together sIEh sns appearance IA Popa
Tar science M0atllY Of a paper Oh
Agriculture 4ad Ehs sihgis Tax. D
Horace Waite. sad the annO sncsmeat
Of peculiar iand tenure sisss by Robsri
q. IngsFs0lL ~ould seen - indicate
renewed interest FOR or Against ths
theory Of t4Esgi0n ss preached by Mr..
hsnry George
Is souid prove quite a ioss 10 the
general stock % inform Alton snd speca.
latisn concerning toe Sinzle Tax theory
zers ths viess Of msm bers OF ths
Bergen P0int Debating Club permitted
70 20 unnOticed. and having listened
80 opinions aad arguments advanced al
recsat meeting OF this unprstsntious
but dilizeas ogganiEa,ion, I believe i,
Inc meeting vas held a. the resi-
dehce Ot Mr.. sOlon Humphreys, Who,
as Is well known. Is gentlemen oi con
sidsra able wealth and prominence.
I Sss struck by the remark Of the
leader Ia the Affirmative ("Resolved
shas this club approve she Single Tax
shsorY OF Henry George. - that hs had
now hers seen or heard Ot an attsnpt
20 apply sas single Tax taeory, in tho
form OF = calculation. 90 show how 10
would work in practice.
Being familiar with Georges book,
" Progress and Poverty was easy 70
recall that the author nowhere at-
tempted any such calculation. As Mr..
White puts IL as referred 20 above,
" Hs lS-orgsl assumes, without eoncls
sive evidence. that economic rent in the
present state Of this and every civilized
country largely exceeds the amount re
CURED for necessary governmental ex-
penses.
hut does it7
The speaker in the Affirmative pre-
sumAbly thought IL did. and ne proposed
10 attempt 80 demonstrate IL with
tgureA What followed interested me.
He began by Offering "a careful essi-
mate" based upon Official data OF the
cost OF msintaing rational and state gov
ernusnts in 1858 together with the esums
raised by taXston FOR county and mu-
nscipal purposes throughout the United
States in that year. The totals are as
foilsvs
While the United state, Govern
nsnt raised from Import Duties
and Internal direct Taxes.
$50, ,Coo. 900 in lss'. the ex
pendltures amounted To only. $3.50. 600. 600
Taxes raised b. 3s States ........ Il. 600. 900
County Tarss By 3s States .-... 5000. 0OO
Tsx-s 81 cities and towns. 8
c<atee..-......s. s.-................ 2SO. OOO, 600
Estimated toatl OF Taxes raised,
1883 .........- 20 fe,VOO,ooO
This aggregate was not difficult 70 ar
rive at and was regarded as near the
truth. The next step was longer. as he
sought 70 arrive a. the approximate
value OF the land in thirty-eight
Ststes-thst Is the value OF the
land exclusive OF houses, fences
and other Improvements, in order
TO arrive at .he percentage Of tax
alton 70 be levied upon she land
alone" 20 raise the necessary income OF
s67s, 900. 900 per annum.
The offcisl records OF assessed valua-
tions OF land. including houses, but ex-
cludinz personal property, (the latter
item estimated in the instance OF half
dozen states, show a grand total. for
the thirty eight States. in lsss. OF SIS
900, 900. 900 in round numbers The
speaker explained that Judging from
the result OF bis Investigations. the
average OF assessmena is al rate less
than twO-thirds ot the actual market
value OF land and houses. but that for
the purpose OF the argument he would
assume that the actual market value OF
houses and land throughout the thirty
eight states amounted, in gross, 70 only
sei 900. coo. coo.
The Investigations % Mr. Robert Gil
fen. OF ths British BOARD OF Trade. into
the growth OF capital in The United
kingdom show. IL was asserted. shat in
thiuly settled districts the value OF
houses i generally we'll below that OF
The land. in more thickly settled local.
tiles the value OF houses moro nearly
approaches. or Is squal % the value ot
land. while in The more thickly settled
c-nters the value or improvements upou
land exceeds the value of the land.
Thsrsiore Is was assumed, "a we'll
within he fact. that throughout the
thirtv-eight states. in lsss. the total
msrket value % the houses and other
improvements upon the land amounted
% only one-Hfth Of the aggregate value
az and and improvement. Or -. 200. 00o.-
01o n this sun proved 100
small to suit. tbs speaker be-
lisved ~ could have recourse %
= higher total valuation of lands and
improvements than he $4,000. Ooo. goo
mentioned. 80 thst when ths probsbis
ma-ket value % the land alone vas
placed az s1s 400 uos oo0. hs thought
the totsI q fair one.
The problem then amounts - .his.
The ievTinr % sufic.ens tax Eoon
tfs. SEQ. 0o0 600 20 raise ss1p 600 900 per
snnun Car shs land ssRni &c 80 Of
course. ia thoaghs a. could for ia
.nounts 20 tav - on " Ter cent
Here csne IN he amusing part Of ths
srrunent me practical part. ~ "a
a she debate vas concerned. for it Tas
the Srea<er's business 20 show. = he
could. thst bv this change in ths sgs-
te-n ~ AVIATION that - - would a
obtained. rs ron cared VITA the system
90 savatsn nov force
A fns.anee rss saEen - ma7 who
owns a rssidance standing 81 .cnr lots.
hrrf -e t.s-af ~afr7tto- 80 - e0f znf