Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-03-27
The Single Tax and the Farmer Againl


A Mr.. Connolly, United States consul
to New Zealand, has been discussing
the politico-economic condition of that
country in the Brooklyn Eagle. In re-
gard to the single tax agitation now go
ing on in New Zealand he says:
There is considerable agitation in the
colony at present as to the merits and
dement's of a single land tax But as
the farmer, upon whom the burden must
ultimately fall, has to contend with the
many trials and vicissitudes which be-
set the farmers of other lands it is diff
cult to thoroughly understand how he
is to survive and prosper under the adj
dltional taxation which must naturally
follow the adoption of the single land
tax system.
All of which goes to show that Mr..
Connolly doesn't know what he is talk
ing about. But Mr.. S. ID. Guion is de-
termined that the readers of the Eagle
shall not be misled by Mr.. Connolly's
specious reasoning, SO he explains to
them, and explains at Mr. Connolly,
what the single tax theory really is and
how it would really operate. tbs to be
hoped that the Eagles readers, espe-
cially Mr.. Connolly, have read and in
wardly digested the following, which
appeared in that paper lately:
1t THE single tax is not a tax on
land but on the value of land, on the
value of bare land without improve
ments, as vacant lot in city. 1t is
not tax on area, but on value There
is but little value on the bare land of a
farm of 100 acres that would sell for
5000. l have in mind one farm of
100 acres that would sell for So,
900, the owner of which computed
the value of the improvements, the
clearing, so as to fit it to be con-
venient and easy to cultivate, fencing.
ditching, digging well, planting or
chards, ETC., house, barns and out
houses to be s., 800, leaving the value of
the bare land but $780, His State and
county tax was $40. Under the single
tax it would have been S35. The profit
made from using land is what gives it
its value; the larger the profit the
greater the value. From using some
city lots profit of thousands of dollars
can be made. From some farms of n
thousand times the area of the city lot.
no profit can be made. Some city lots
have great value. Some farms have
only an improvement, but no land
value. The greater the service the
owner or user of land receives from the
Government, the larger his profit can
be. If he receives no such service he
can make no profit. The service of
government is as to the size and density
of the community. The larger. and
more dense the community the greater
the service of government. Each
should pay tax in proportion to the
service he receives from government.
The owner of a city lot from the use of
which he can make profit of thousands
of dollars annually, receives from gov
eminent all the service possible, while
the service that the owner of farm of
100 acres, the land value of which is but
500, receives is trivial Therefore n
tax on the value of land would be eauit-
able. Each would pay exactly in proper.
ton TO the value of the land he was
using. The farmer would be relieved
OF great burden and not only survive,
but would become prosperous under the
conditions which would naturally fol-
low the adoption of the single tax on the
value of land. 1t is quite mystery to
me how any one can find it difficult to
understand SO simple problem. Mr..
Connolly, the United States consul to