Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-07-09
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
is DON M. DICKINSON A SINGLE
TAxER7
.The Standard.)

.TAe Standard.)
In o recent speech before the Ieg1s-
iative committee of the lower house OF
the Michigan legislature, ex-Postmaster
Gen. Don NJ Dickinson laid down GER
tain principles which will be pleasant
reading to single takers generally, and
which show that the gentleman is very
close to our ideas. In his address MIR.
Dickinson endeavored to show that the
failure to tax land values resulted Diet
rimentally to the interests of the city
of Detroit, for which city he was ST eak-
ing. Said he:
As our population increases, as .he
commercial Importance of a city grows,
as all influences including, great
factor, economical, just and fair local
government, add to the desirability of
city for the objects of business and
homes, so real estate values increase,
and so taxation increases, going hand
in hand with the needs of progress.
Like Henry George. Mr.. Dickinson
calls it natural law" by which tax
alton increases as land values increase.
It ''makes area important" and ''un-
necessary land holdings are sold to
and competing business purposes, and
thus holdings become smaller, popula-
ton becomes denser and diversity of
trades, manufactures and occupations
widen, all tending to, and evidence of.
prosperity and greater wealth. Hen
ry George himself" says the Detroit
Journal doesn't state the principle as
tersely, and it is principle which all
can test by observation"
Then Mr.. Dickinson proceeded to
| show how a violation of this natural
| law operates in Detroit. We quote
| from the review of his speech in the
| journal of that city:
When the land isn't taxed at all, as
| in the case of the railroad property in
| this city, it can be held in large tracts.
In this case, holdings do not become
smaller" population does not become
| denser:" and there is not that diversity
| of trades and manufactures which Mr..
| Dickinson thinks necessary to wealth
and prosperity.
I In proof he presented an elaborate
statement showing that the railroad
companies of Detroit use 107 acres of
| business land for their business pur-
poses, to say nothing of large holdings
| In the suburbs, but within the city linn
| It's Of this LOT acres, 80 belong to the
Michigan Central; 90 to the Detroit &
Milwaukee and Grand Trunk; 40 to the
| Wabash, and to the new union depot
That these land holdings are largely
| speculative, and are possible only be-
cause of their exemption from taxation,
Mr. Dickinson makes very clear, by a
| comparison with cities in which rail
road property is taxed for local pur-
poses. Thus the Dearborn street depot
in Chicago, which has nearly as many
trains per day as all of the Detroit
depots combined, occupies only 81
acres of business land the Canal street
depot, only 81 acres. The Grand Cen
trail depot in New York occupies only
61 acres; the Boston s. Albany depot il
Boston, 6. u acres.
The reason of this wonderful contras
is the one item of taxation. In New
York, Boston and Chicago the railroad
land is taxed, and hence the compahie
hold as little area of land fit for bust
ness sites as possible. Their yards ant
freight houses are on cheaper land, ia
from the center. So it would be in De
troit with a wise system of taxation
and the city's business would hav
more of a chance to expand.
Mr.. Dickinson said that for year
and years Detroit was accounted slow. y
He thinks this is true in spite of her geo
graphical position, which invites an in
fiux of population and capital 1t is thi!
violation of laws of natural growth,
which has retarded Detroit's prosperity
the same violation which ''has permit
ted low taxation on great tracts of rea
estate held in families" And with al
due reverence, the speaker added: Goo
and the more equitable assessments fol
taxation have removed some of thu
stones upon it's head; help us to remov'
this one"-that is the exemption O
railroad property.
The Journal endorses Mr.. Dickinson.
position, and practically places itself il
line with the single tax movement il
the following words:
The principles which Mr.. Dickinson
presented in his mastery argument will
in all probability ultimately govern our
system of taxation. Even the farming
community, which has been esteemed
an opponent, is changing it's opinions
At any rate, the Farmers Alliance anC
Jerry Simpson are advocating the single
tax. BY placing state, county ant
municipal taxes wholly upon land val
ues, the best and most productive us'
of land would necessarily follow. Spec
ulative holding of land would be dis
couraged, and the city would have 1
healthy boom. It is foolish to ia,
houses and furniture, because the city
wants more houses and furniture. VIII,
discourage the making of what we al
need? But we don't need land monop
oily and speculation; we should seek t.
discourage the holding of land out O
use or in inferior use, and hence i
should bear the burden of taxation.
The bill for which Mr. Dickinson wa
addressing the legislative committed
was introduced by Senator Park. ant
provides for the repeal of the specia
charters and general railroad laws tina
exempt railroad property from loca
taxation. The measure originated with
Mayor .Pingree, of Detroit, soon after
his election, when he called on the PEG
pie of his city to sustain him in figh
he was about to begin which woulC
compel the railway companies to pay {
just tax on the large amount OF lane
owned by them, and on which they
paid no taxes. The common council
have stood by the mayor and the
bill, its latest act being tt
| oh