The Louisiana Democrat., 1890-07-23
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT,
SINGLE TAX THE INSTRUMENT
Address OF william Lloyd Garri.on R..
fore the Unitarian Ministerial Union at
Channing Hall, Boston, April as, 1890.

| " "iA"HA LLOYD Garrison BE.
ose Inc Unitarian Ministerial Union at
.nanh'ng Hall, Boston. April 2s, 1890.
lcoNTINuED FROM LAST 1ssuE.1
Tho cause he saw was the ownership
and monopoly of land. The remedy he
discovered was the single tax, to the
practical examination of which shall
now address myself. The question OF
taxation is broad one. Granted the
necessity of government, and the where.
| Wlthal to sustain it must be granted
Also The methods of levying tributes
In the form Of taxes are innumerable,
yet human ingenuity or avarice or tyr
amy or wisdom has never yet formu-
lated plan for a just and equal distri-
button OF the burden of taxation. In
every civilized community of the world
the question is a burning one, and a
sense OF wrong underlies the popular
complaint The reason is that tax on
property diminishes wealth and de-
creases its production, subtracts from
the earnings of labor, and, with very
lew exceptions, taxes decline to stay
where they are put.
One of the objections most frequently
urged against single tax is that capital
Will thereby escape taxation. But cap
ltal laughs at the idea of being taxed.
1t gladly pays the tax because it can be
easily shifted to the consumer. A more
unequal arrangement than obtains to.
day In the collection of revenues, direct
or indirect, would be hard to devise. I
sat beside distinguished woolen manu-
facturer of Providence the other day
while Judge Lawrence, of Ohio, in advo.
eating the protection of tho wool grow
or, 1ntimated that the manufacturers of
Rhode Island were amply able to pay
the tariff tax on raw material. "Does
the Ounce suppose that stand the tax
OF ten cents a pound on my Australian
wool?' whispered my neighbor. 81 add
it to the price of my cloth with interest
and profit. and sell my goods to the Chi
cago Jews. They make it into clothing
and add the tax and profit and interest
AID sell their goods to Judge Lawrence's
constltuents-tho farmers, wool growers
and mechanics bear the entire
burden. What does he take us for?''
This is merely an example AS a rule
rich man sheds taxes as ducks back
does water, and they fall upon the weak
est shoulders.
All wealth comes primarily from the
earth by the application of labor. A
denial OF access to land prevents the
production of wealth and diminishes
the opportunity of the worker. Yet we
see land owners grow rich, in utter idle
ness, by simply taking from the land
they hold the value given to it by 9TH
ers. Long John Wentworth, of Chica-
go, understood and practiced the scheme.
His advice to young man was to buy
farm on the outskirts of city. ''Grow
cabbage upon it," he said, "and the as
SCISSOR will tax it lightly" BY and by
tho city will envelop your acres and you
can sell house lots by the front foot and
at great price," This is the secret of |
the Astors' fortune. All the time land |
is held for rise in value those who
would use it to advantage are denied
the chance. The owner declines to sell |
and refuses to improve it, knowing that
the growing community is increasing
the value of his possession without
causing him expense or effort. And the
custom of assessing land favors
this kind of speculation. If two men
own adjoining city lots of equal value
and one improves his by useful build
ing, the tax on his lot is Immediately
raised. He is fined for adding to the
wealth of the city, and his neighbor is
rewarded for preventing the addition OF
wealth by holding his lot idle for specu-
alton. Under the single tax the vacant
ot would pay as high a tax as the i'm
proved lot, and the holder would find
t - to his advantage to build
lpon 1t or allow some oas
Use to do so. 1t world therefore, make
lots plenty, and multiply stores
md dwellings. For then buildings would
lot be taxed Personal property would
lot have to hide itself away in dark
orners and tax payers would have no
to perjure themselves or
move to Nahant or Lancaster. There
you'd be no tax lodging. The land can
lot be hidden.
"This might answer in the CITY," you
ay; "but how about the poor farmer {
those chief possession is land? You
yould exterminate him." This was the
ssertion of the chairman of the commit
90 on taxation this year from the town
Barnstable, anxiously concerned for
he fate of his farmer constituents.
'ook around to-day under the present
aunted system. is the farmers lot q |
esirable one? On the contrary, of all ]
1e great industries of the countries, s
hat is there which compares in depres- !
on with agriculture? The farmer is |
sxed on every thing he has, for the as !
'ssor can usually enumerate his prop I
rty to sheep or hog. For the staple l
roduct of the farm he has to accept a !
rice based on the worlds value of his /
lrplus in London or Liverpool. 1t is to q
i'm, OF all men, that the single tax f
ould come as an angel of relief. d
No improvements would be levied
pom; only the bare land would be taxed, d
lst as if no spade or piow had ever i
lrned up the surface. The house and t
'ols and machines and stock would be 7
eed. The indirect tax on his lumber /
I'd hardware, and glass, and blankets, q
I'd carpets, and stoves, and crockery, O
I'd clothing would vanish. Unless his '
rm was more valuable for other pur- /
,ses, like the one on the outskirts of =
e city, the relief would be immense. r
lstead of refraining from improvement q
I'd enterprise as now, for fear of higher I