Fort Worth weekly gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1882-1891, 1890-11-20
THE SINGLE TAX.


Mr.. Henry George is a gentleman with
an idea, hobby if you will. His name
has become so thoroughly identified with
that idea as to be almost q household
word. Everybody has heard OF
the single-tax theory of raising the nee
essary revenue for carrying on the gov
/. erument. or this theory, he is the
apostle and chief exponent-and on it
he is at present lecturing throughout the
South at fifty cents per head for all who
desire information about 1t at first hand.
Whatever may be said of the single
tax doctrine-and a good deal has been
said pro and cont must be admitted
that it is in very good hands, and has for
its expouuder a very able and ingenious
advocate. A doctrine less unpopular
than the siusle-tax theory, would drag
most discouraginglv, IL preached by one
whose intellectual resources fell short of
Mr. Georges. In his hands, single tax
has not only dragged, but has made
progress, and IN this country, too,
where the tillers of the soil are the land
this circumstance, rather significant
proof that all is not well with our
economic regime, aud that change Of
some sort would not be unweIcome to
many.
The activity of the Alliances and
similar organizations of agrioulturists
proves that economic reform or better
ment is needful. yea, imperative.
Doubtless Mr.. George would not hesitate
10 promise abundant relief to the farm
ers from the adoption of his theory
which. OF course. involves the re-
liuquishment of the existing mode of
taxation.
Should he do SO, instantly would come
the query, 'How, MIR. George, can you
reconcile with justice and equity your
theory of taxing land values alone, and
exempting from taxation the money,
stocks and bonds of old Moneybags who
owns no land?'' OF course Mr.. George
has an answer for that. The objection is
so very obvious, and sure to be flung ct
him that, like the thoughtful virgin Who
kept her lamp trimmed, he prepared for
il beforehand.
In substance his reply would be. prob
ably, that old Moueybags does not now,
and never has paid his share of taxes on
the personality owned by him; that he is
skilled in evading the taxassessor and
collector, and thereby in shifting the
urden of tax from his own to the shoul-
,ers of others, and ultimately on those
n ( the land tillers and breadwinners.
This argument is supplemented by
others trife less clear and demon
strable to the average mind, but in-
geniously wrought out and admirably
presented.
But ingenious RECOMMENDATION and
plausible theorizing, admirable though
they be, all go down before the one plain
and perfectly understood fact that the
farmer and landowner must pay the
piper and satisfy the tax collector-or
the government must own all the land.
That is the only incontestable fact dem
onstrated by Mr.. Georges doctrine. 1t
is a hard and stubborn reality that stag
gers the land owners at the first outset.
All the rest seems to him mere thsoriz-
ing, refining and hsir-splitting. That he
and he alone must pay all taxes, needs
no argument TO convince him. That
there is justice or equity in such a plan.
aud that all other classes will in some
roundabout way recompense him for the
expenditure or tribute. can only stand, if
at all. on chain OF reasoning and argu-
mentation that may or may not be
sound, but that is beyond his mental
grasp and understanding. Herein Is the
great stumbling block in Mr.. Georges
way.