Los Angeles daily herald., 1890-02-03
The S1nC:e.Tax Doctrine.

The Slng.e.Tax Doctrine
The advent here of Mr.. Henry George,
the distinguished political economist
who is the founder of the single'tax
party, has directed public attention to
the doctrine he advances, and brings
his well.known principles into wide pub
lie discussion. As Mr.. George is an old
Californian who grew up with the State,
he receives a warm welcome here on his
own personal account as we'll as because
of the great fame he has achieved
throughout the world as an original and
deep thinker and the father of school
of political economy which is spread
ing throughout the civilized world.
Mr.. Georges theories are reasoned out
by him with a closeness of logic, q clear
ness of style and an eloquence of diction
which make them captivating to even
those who refuse to accept them as
sound or practically feasible. There are
few public men on the rostrum who can
so forcibly and eloquently present their
views. He is master OF a most elaborate
vocabulary. His English is pure and
vigorous. and his manner of presentation
| is plain, open and perspicuous. But,
above all, Mr.. George possesses that
most valuable of all qualities in public
teacher, he is earnest, honest and sin.
cere, carrying the conviction to all who
hear him that he is only advocating
doctrines which he conscientiously be-
lieves himself.
The great basic idea of his political
philosophy is that the singIe-tax will
enure to the benefit of mankind by
stimulating production aud equalizing
the wealth which is now 60 upiustly dis
tributed. Everything we need is de-
rived from land, and everything which
we use is the production of labor. To
limit all taxation to land values would,
he argues, obviate the monopoly of land
for speculation and enable labor to pro-
duce all that we consume without being
embarrassed by the repressive effects
now experienced by the tax that is laid
upon the productions of labor. Land
being gift of the Creator, belongs to all
men alike; and as its value de-
pends upon the aggregation and growth
of communities, the unearned increment
of it belongs equally to everybody in the
communities. Hence, to make this value
that is derived from the aggregation of
communities go to the general benefit is,
it is contended, measure of Justice
which all must concede.
If we were starting out on first princi-
Piles there would be but little difficulty in
adjusting these views to the mind of the
public. But with settled rights con-
firmed by the prescription of the ages, it
is not to be supposed that the denial of
ownership in land can be easily main.
tanned. Whether the full effect of that
possession can be impaired by rendering
land the sole object of taxation, is the con-
test which the singls-tax men have en-
tered upon.
Practically, the first great difficulty
they will meet with in this country is
from the farmers. Men who own their
farms are more numerous in America
than elsewhere, and these would natu-
rally object to becoming the great bur.
then bearers Of the country. They will
see the George doctrine in the light of q
tax that will fall altogether upon land,
whilst the great wealth of the Jay
Goulds, the Vanderbilts, the Stanfords,
etc., will escape. So, too, with the great
money capitalists, who WELD even a
greater power than the railroad mon, be.
cause they virtually, with their control ol
the direction of capital furnish the sinews
of war to great railroad and manufac.
turing operators. If land should vir.
tually become subject in it's tenure to the
unlimited taxation of communities il
would lose it's character of ownership
in those holding it, and would be held
merely by rental. This would, of course
be in the nature of confiscation, for al
though the present owner should be the
preferred renter, yet the fact would be
that he would become the tenant. ct will
Of the community. These are some Of
the difficulties which the single-tax party
will have to overcome before their doc
trine can be practically carried out.