The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-10-29
THE NEW YORK TIMES SPEAKS

The Meeting of the Single Tax Men of the
United States In Conference Causes 1t to
Say Few Words on Existing Methods of
Taxation; Meantime 1t Has a Good Word
to Say For the Single Tax Idea.
New York Times, Sunday. Augusta.
Mr.. Henry George is to be greeted on
his return from trip around the world
by a single tax conference, which is to
hold its sessions at the Cooper Union
this week. Between four hundred and
five hundred delegates are expected to
be present. representing single tax Or
CARNATIONS in some thirty different
States. This will certainly afford to Mr..
George, after his somewhat triumphal
tour significant evidence of tho pro-
gress which his ideas have been making
in the last few years. This progress
has been made, however, after the prac-
tical suppression of one phase of his
land theory and the fuller development
of another phase. When his doctrines
were first put forward, that which
appeared most prominent and striking
in them was the denunciation Of private
ownership of land, the contention that
all land belonged by right to the com
munity, and the proposition that the
State should confiscate and hold in it's
own possession all land regardless of the
vested rights of individuals. This idea
was not only revolutionary, but it in
volved such manifest injustice as to be
generally repellent. To be sure, Mr.
George argued that there was nothing
wrong in it, and thatit was a very simple
and easy matter. All that was neces-
sary was for the State to put tax upon
land, irrespective of improvements,
equal to its full rental value. Then it
would not be worth any body's while to
insist upon holding title to it; occupa-
lions is all that would be of any moment
to the possessors, and that would have to
be fully paid for, while the compensa-
ton would come in relief from all other
forms of taxation.
This side of the Henry George doc.
trine has developed into what is known
as the single tax policy, while the land
ownership side Of it has been rather lost
sight of. The single tax idea in its
present form practically ignores or neg.
lects the question of title and ownership
in land, and simply maintains that all
| public revenues should be derived from
tax upon land values apart from i'm
provements, which tax may rightly be
carried to. the point of appropriatine
for the State all that properly belongs
to the rental value of the land. 1t i!
maintained that the bare land, tina
| which is valuable for mere occupation
and is in no measure due to labor or ex
pense put upon it by individuals, is the
natural heritage of the community, t.
which all should have access on tn,
same terms, and that the income deriya
BILE from advantages of location or quail
ity fairly belongs to the community
Moreover, it is argued that the increas
of value for occupation due to tn
growth OF the community and the mul
duplication of advantages through socia
and industrial development, and not du
to any labor or expense of the occupant
belongs by right to the community.
| But, leaving all these subtletie
apart, the single tax proposition is Cal
able of being considered in very sin
| pie form as a mere question of taxatio,
and as suca it is not without interest, q
recent discussion in many quarters an
ply shows Ye hsyeaot hesjta.ed her