Wichita eagle., 1890-02-21
THE SINGLE TAX IDEA.
A Tax, Not on Land, but on the Value of
Land.

THE SINGLE TAX IDEA.
A Tax, Not on Land, but on the Value O
Land.
i Many people do not fully comprehend
the single tax proposition. Below is
given brief exposition of the doctrine
set forth by Henry Georges Standard:
The single tax contemplates the aboli
ton of all taxes upon labor or the pro-
ducts of labor-that is to say, the aboli
ton of all taxes save one tax levied on
the value of land, irrespective of i'm
provements.
Since in all our states we now levy
some tax on the value OF land. the single
tax can be instituted by the simple and
easy way of abolishing, one after an
other, all other taxes now levied, and
commensurately increasing the tax on
land values, until we draw upon that
one source for all expenses of govern
ment; the revenue being divided between
local governments, state governments
and the general government, as the rev.
enue from direct taXas Is now divided
between the local and the state govern
ments. or direct assessment being made
by the general government upon the
oSe-eOo eihu pau ~ tiChA AAOh ASfChUS-
| collected In this manner.
The single tax is not tax on land,
and therefore would not fall on the use
of land and become tax on labor.
1t is tax. not on land, but on the
value of land. Thus it would not fall on
all land, but on valuable land, and on
that not in the proportion to the use
made of it. but in proportion to its value
/ hn nf 1on n
must pay to the owner. either in pur-
to use valuable land. 1t would thus be
| but on the ownership of land, taking
what would otherwise 60 to the owner
as owner. and not as user.
| In assessments under the single tax all
values created by individual use or i'm
only value taken into consideration
| land by reason of neighborhood, etc.
taxes to pay than the speculator who
held similar piece Of land idle, and the
man who on city lot erected valuable
| building would be taxed no more than
the man who held similar vacant lot.
Lie SiilSle tdN, III SuCIt, WOulu tdll
| upon men to contribute to the public
revenues not in proportion to what they
produce or accumulate, but in proper
| tion to the value Of the natural oppor-
tunities they hold. 1t would compel
them to pay just as much for holding
land idle as for putting it to its fullest
use.
The single tax, therefore, would
1. Take the weight of taxation off Of
the agricultural districts when land has
little or no value irrespective of improve
ments, and place it on towns and cities
where bare land rises to a value of
millions of dollars per acre.
.. Dispense with multiplicity Of
taxes and hord of taxgathers, simplify
government and greatly reduce its cost.
3. Do away with the fraud, corrup-
ton and gross inequality inseparable
from our present methods of taxation,
which allow the rich to escape while
they grind the poor. Land cannot be
hid Or carried Oil, and its value can be
ascertained with greater ease and
certainty than any other.
4. Give us with all the world as per-
feet freedom of trade as now exists be-
tween the states of our union. thus en-
abling our people to share through free
exchanges in all the advantages which
nature has given to other countries, or
which the peculiar skill of other peoples
has enabled them to attain. 1t would
destroy the trusts, monopolies and cor
ruptions which are the outgrowths of
the tariff. 1t would do away with the
fines and penalties now levied on any
one who improves a farm, erects a
house, builds a machine, or in any way
adds to the general stock of wealth. 1t
would leave every one free to apply
labor or expend capital in production or
exchange without fine or restriction,
and would leave to each the full product
Of his exertion.
5. 1t would, on the other hand, by
taking for public uses that value which
attaches to land by reason of the growth
and improvement of the community,
make the holding of land Improbable to
the mere owner and profitable only to
the user. 1t would thus make it impos-
sible for spectators and monopolists to
hold natural opportunities unused or
only half used, and would throw open to
labor the illimitable field of employment
which the earth offers to man. 1t would
thus solve the labor problem, do away
with involuntary poverty, raise wages in
ali occupations to the full earnings of
labor. make overproduction impossible
until all human wants are satisfied,
render labor-saving inventions blessing
to all, and cause such an enormous
production and such an equitable distri-
button of wealth as would give to all
comfort, leisure and participation in the
advantages of an advancing civilization.
The ethical principles in which the
single tax is based are:
/. Each man is entitled to all that his
labor produces. Therefore no tax should
be 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 i'm
provement of the community OF which
they are part. Therefore, no one
should be permitted TO hold natural op-
portunities without a fair return to all
for any special privilege 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.
|
PASS HIM AROUND.
To the Public.
Joseph b. Bell, colored man, repre-