Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-02-12
THE INDIANAPOLIS SEN riNEL.
From the Standard

The indianapolis Sentinel would rs
better called the American Sentinel.
From our first knowledge OF it, it has
been vigilant in correcting and cour-
ageous in proclaiming the dangers that
threaten the liberties OF the people OF
this country. 1t was an unwavering
champion of the Australian ballot to
secure secrecy and independence from
spoils brokerage associations in voting;
and now il Ira.9cs o declaration about
the single tax, which falls but little. if
any, short of a declaration of princi-
pies
On the 18th of September last the
Sentinel declared that the tax on per-
sonaI property ought to ne wholly re-
pealed,' and went on to say:
The prospect is that the system of
private property in land will remain as
it is, for some generations at least, but
that all taxes. at least for State and To-
cal purposes Except such as may be de-
rived from the sale of franchises. viii
in the future be laid upon land.
This has been taken up by the Repub-
lican papers of Indiana, and the Senti-
mel and the Democratic party. TO which
it is attached, are assailed for having
come out for The theories of Henry
George
The indianapolis journal. Republic
can paper. placed tbs quotation from
the Sentinel at the head Of its editorial
columns. and suggested tiat the Demo-
cratic party managers should invite
Henry George to take hanG in their
campaigns" and all over the STATE the
Republican press LTistles with indier.a-
ton at the predicted coming OF the sin
gle tax.
Some OF the quotations are a least
amusing. The Evansville Journal dis
covered that the single tax cranks are
Democrats and free traders in disgUiSe:"
while the Lafayette Courier advised
farmers who are favorable to the the
ory that land should be exclusively
taxed for means to provide for public
expenses, - vote the Democratic tick
ct. The Kcl:aIIo Gazette-TribUne want
ed rather to exJtud the taxa bic things
and SO reduce to minimum the taxes
that must he paid By farm owners and
home owners" The Upton Advocate,
more Just If not so so shrewd as its adj
versaries, told its readers before voting
the Democratic ticket to be sure they I'M
derStood the single tax theory The
Middleton News thought the single
tax theory advocated by Henry
George ard Endorsed by the Indiana
apolis Sentinel was very pretty in
outline but wholly impracticahle. and
sagely observed that 1T would bear
heavily indeed upon land owners if
taxes for ali public expenses were lev
led only upon land" The Newport
iio0Sier State. with Il new idea as 70 the
destructability Of matter. was in great
alarm lest under the single tax land
should be taxed out of existence" and
proposed that men who favor q policy
SO destructive Of the very ground upon
which we stand. and the air we breathe
''be sent Il til" insane asylum for treat
ment." And 80 on. through column
after column Of paragraphs. culled and
reprinted 10y the indianapolis Journal,
the rural press of Indiana displayed
itself for the benefit Of the dear farmer,
who is supposed to be an object OF bit
ter hatred 20 single tax men.
The burden Of these songs of the In
diana country papers is that the single
tax would fall upon the farmer. because
he is Il land owner and that the rich
who do not own land would be untaXcd.
For a little while the farmer may be de-
cieved by this kind CT trickery. For a
little while the farmer may suppose
that Il tax on land values would be a
tax upon him. For little while he
may think that laws for the taxing of
personal property are enacted in his in
terest and operate 50 as to fall upon
the wealth OF the rich. But he
can not he long deceived. As Mr..
Lincoln said You may fool al the pco-
pic some Of the time. and some OF the
people all the time, hut You can not fool
all the people all the time" This IS as
true of farmers as OF other people.
They VIII soon understand that taxes
upon personal property are shifted or
Cvadcd by the rich. while farmers are
forced to pay Jhcm. and th;< a tax upon
the value Of land can not he buctiensoIne
80 Il class like farmers, who. when they
own land at ali own land Of very low
value. The indianapolis Sentinel is
first in the field among all the e>tab-
liehcd papers of Indiana. to call the
truths of the single tax to the attention
of farmers. The near future viii prove
its wisdom and bring it its reward