, 1890-08-21

not the government exercise the
right of eminent domain now?
quote from the single tax platform
1.-THE single tax cOntemplntes the
abolition of all taxes on labor or the
products of laDor-that Is TO say, the
abolition of all taxes save one
tax levied on tho value of land IRE.
spective of improvements. The
single tax, therefore, would take the
weight of taxation off of the agri-
cultural districts, where land has
little or no value, irrespective of i'm
provements, and put 1t ON towns
and cities, where bare land rises to a
value of millions of dollars an acre.
The ethical principles on which the
single tax Is based are: Each man
Is entitled to all his labor produces.
Therefore, no tax should DO levied
on the products of labor. All
men are equally entitled to what
God has created, and to what Is
gained by the general growth and
improvement of the community of
which they are part. Therefore
no one should be permitted to hold
natural opportunities without II fair
return to all for any special privi-
lege thus accorded to him. And
that value which the growth and
improvement of the community at
taches to land should be taken for
the use of the community"
| In your criticism of Henry
Georges Century illustration, when
you say one of the floors became oc-
cupied, If you had said one of the
floors became appropriated, 1t would
have been nearer the truth.
And when you talk of over
crOwding you don't seem to
have any idea of the capacity of an
acre of land. l agree with the RE-
VIEW that If the Henry George
theory had been adopted at the
birth of the republic 1t would have
restricted the development of the
West Instead OF settlement going
like the march Of IA band of grass
hoppers, civilization would have ex-
panded gradually. All the land In
settlement would have been put to
its full use before any outside was
occupied. VIII the REVIEW ex-
plain the economy of hauling sup
plies over thousands of miles of un-
used land? Wherein am | benefited
by being forced to travel half IL day
to blacksmith shop or postofiice?
Let me state the offer of the govern
ment. l will not put IL just like the
REVIEW, but 1t Will be no less true.
"If you will go out into the wilder
ness" said the government, ''and
don't object to working for your own
liNitfr t,,E Al fnrft, nd
] will fine TAX you for your indus
try. But If you have q prejudice
against work, go get ahead of the
settler, monopize natural opportuni-
ties; then you can go aiishing,
or go to bed for that mat
ter, and through those natural
opportunities you may exact tribute
from the settler until majority OF
the people, through "A growing intel
ligence, see the rank injustice OF
such state of affairs"
You seem to think 1t would have
been u great calamity If Britain had
got ahead of the United States In the
possession of this territory. Here
are some of the conditions that OBJ
tain in territory where it got
ahead. I refer TO Australia. They
have enjoyed for years the system Of
voting which we are now adopting.
The railroads are owned by the peo-
pie and passenger fare IL | cent
per mile, freight in proportion.
Free Americans can pay cents "a
mile or walk. The telegraphs and
street cars are also owned and oper-
ated by the people for their benefit.
The irrigation of land is conducted
by the state for the people, and of
course, not having so many mill
ions to support In idle luxury they
get along with an eight-hour work.
day, then If after all, through good
fortune or good scheming, one has
gained large amount of the prod
ucts of the toll of others, a portion
of his accumulations at his death go
back TO the people from whence IL
came, the greater the amount the
greater the percentage.
You refer to the case of Messrs.
Glover, Cannon and Browne. Il
have nothing against those gentle
men. They ran the race according
to the rules and got the prize. If
the rules were unjust they are not
to blame. Whatever be their merit 1t
did not came by forestalling. When
you talk of laggards, If you mean
those who come after they did, how
much would their possessions be
worth to-day If the laggard had con-
tinued to lag? Not very much.
And if the advent of the people has
put the value on Spokane Falls does
II not OF right belong to the people?
When you inform us that Mr..
George or any of his admirers might
have had a part OF Spokane Falls Or
some equal opportunity, the RE-
VIEW doesn't seem to understand. 1t
would not help the case to change
the individual beneficiaries. 1t ls
the system we want changed. Do
you think 1t would have settled
slavery II Wendell Phillips, William
l.. Garrison, Abraham Lincoln and
their admirers had gone South aid
bought slaves? i suppose the RE-
VIEW Is aware that the law and the
people would have protected them
In their possessions at one time.
There are some people that fail to
see much difference between chattel