The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-08-27
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
HOW IT WORKS.
Cooperation and Single Tax in Michigan


Several yearsago in Copperdale, Mich,
prospector found a paying lead Of ore.
He was an intelligent, honest man, who
rather disliked the idea of selling out
his claim to a company Of capitalists
who would thencefortb monopolize the
whole locality and rule labor through
its power as lord of all the land ada
sent to the place Of work.
He was familiar with the single tax,
and also had just learned of tho peoples
cooperative banks. Therefore, instead
of going in search of capitalists to buy
out his claim, he began a correspond
ence with all the honest, sturdy work.
ingmen, like himself, that he knew. 1t
was not long till several hundred men
were on the spot. Each had brought
little money-the savings of several
years. Together they had capital of
about 81, 900. They formed themselves
into cooperative company with cap
ital stock of 800 shares of 500 each, or
$50, 900. Two hundred shares were is
sued, one each to the men on the spot,
to be paid for by instruments. The 9th
er one hundred shares were held in the
treasury of the company, to be issued
one each to any ncwcoming worker
whose help they might require. They
nearly all opposed tho idea of IVA
tering'' the stock, as few proposed
to do.
Mining operations now began. With
but crude methods obey were able to Sc
cure ore near the surface, which was
quite rich, and which paid tho workers
at the average rate of $6 per day. AS
soon as the work was inaugurated
the company selected one of their NUM-
Der to go to the city to find a market for
their product. simultaneously teams
were secured and the ore hauled to the
nearest railway station. Not having to
divide their wages Oho equivalent of
the product of their labor) with employ
ers or capitalists, they could afford to
sell their ore at little less than the
market price, and found an immediate
market for all they could ship.
The company established reserve
fund, paying out in wages only $3.50 per
day. BY mutual consent the balance OF
their earnings was reserved to establish
fund to purchase all the necessary
plant of machinery to operate mines.
Not many months pastuntil the outside.
world had heard of this find" of copper
and population began to pour in. All
the land adjacent to that claimed by
members of the cooperative company
| was readily taken up, and the town OF
Copperdale was founded with popula-
tion of 5000 adults. Several hundred Of
these were allowed to take shares in the
company and assisted in the mining
operations. The rest of the population
| divided itself into the various channels
! usually found in such town, and
among them were not few buns and
| spectators, who had come in hopes of
being able to capture some opportunity
which others would pay them well to
relinquish. A social order society dis
posed of the former as quickly as could
be humanely done; they were told tc
either show evidence of self-support OF
depart. The spectators had soon
staked out city, and wild
game of speculation in parcels Of
land was in progress within three
months. The town had meantime
been incorporated according to the prev
alent ideas of social economy. All i'm
proved lands and lots were to be taxed
about five times as high as lots held or
speculation which were equally valu
able. The discoverer of the mine who
beside being the hero because OF hi:
discovery, had won the hearts of thu
people by his brotherly dealing in form
ing the cooperative company
was single tax man, and so were quite
number of his associates. He wa
chosen mayor of the town, and his sin
gle tax friends formed a majority of thu
board of aldermen. The result was tina
lands of equal value were appraised AM
assessed alike, and had to pay the SAM
tax. At'frst the land spectators wer
dismayed. Then they considered tn
matter, and finding population whicl
was in need of all kinds of good build
ings they concluded forthwith to improv
Guild upon) their lands. Thus capita
was forced to cooperate on an equalit
with labor in building the town, an
the result was that five houses wer
built where otherwise only one woul
have been erected. Consequently ever
one who wanted work found all he coul
do. All kinds of workers were KEY
busy, and instead of a man paying $40
a year rent for lot with shant
''tfrown in" he got a neat, comfortabl
cottage with a garden patch and law
thrown in for the same money; for II
one was anxious to hold land at tc
high value, but each sought to max
money by furnishing desirable homes.
A national bank was a little later G
tablished, but abandoned for lack
depositors.
The people had established aco-oper
tive bank, which, though still refuse
the function of issuing currency, was a
lowed to receive deposits and loanSlio
ey. Its officers consisted of the for
> most men of the town, so that the pc
! pie had every confidence in it and p
: tronized it as depositors and borrower
. Whenever any one desired loan
! would write the president Of the ban
: making an offer. II this was not q
cepted he was invited to come to Il
t bank on the following Wednesday al
i. there openly bid for the desired 10,
: against others who wanted loans
d consequence of this equal access to mo
= ey every worlingman in the place 9TH
y were now all workers in one way or a
a othe, --.-en the spectators were wor