The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-05-02
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
MAYOR sARoENT's MESSAGE.


turer and student of political economy
who has advanced views on social aues-
tons, and he evidently has the courage
OF his opinions. The first part of the
message relates to the improvements
necessary to New Ravens growth and
prosperity. He recommends the owner
ship by the municipality of gas, water
and other works and the street car lines,
and the establishment of new public
parks and public comforts and conven-
fences.
The message closes with discussion
of the relations of labor and capital, and
flat-footed declaration for the single
tax in the following words:
Capital is absolutely necessary to the
civilized employment of labor.
None of the operations of business,
manufactures, building or farming can
be carried on successfully without the
friendly union of the three elements.
Labor without capital is the labor of
the crude barbarian working without
tools
"A country with no capital, but with
labor aud directors of labor Tor chiefs).
is in a savage stage. A country with all
three Of the elements tremendously
unitec. is civilized, enlightened and pros
porous. Civilization can not exist with
out capital.
mo civilized community would for a
moment think of taxing labor nor man.
aging ability. No intelligent commu-
nifty would attempt to tax either of
those two elements of all successful in
dustry and business for fear of driving
them away. Why should civilized so
ciety punish successful industry by tax
ing the results of it? Why should civil
lied society punish capital, the savings
from successful labor, and try to Danish
it and leave labor unemployed?
Capital is timid and flies away on
the first approach, or apprehension of
danger. 1t worketh where it listeth
and we know rot whence it cometh nor
whittier it goeth.' 1t surely will not re-
main when in danger, nor will it work
in any community except at market
prices over and Above all charges and
risks.
1T seems to me that it would be for
the benefit of all labor and all enter
prise in the city of New Haven and
would greatly increase its growth in
business, population and capital, if cap
ital were as free of taxation as is labor
and as is managing ability. If such
were the permanent policy of New Ha-
ven, capital would make its home here
and work at lower rate with labor,
securely free from punishment for
coming here and feeling safe in abid-
ing here. Neither labor nor en-
terprise is taxed, nor should capital be
taxed.
Land, as our forefathers found it, is
not capital. 1t was not created by the
labor of the hand or head of man. Ma
lures God gave it to humanity and to
the animals without price. 1t should
supply funds for all needs of govern
ment, and the rate of taxation on the
land in the various localities should be
in proportion to market price. 1t can
not be concealed and all owners can be
served with exact justice. No encour-
agement should be given. through low
taxation, for the holding of land out of
use in order to compel the land-needy
to pay profits to the early possessor
I'm the taxation of land only, for all
necessary public revenues, the distribu-
ton of the tax over the whole commu-
nifty would be equitable and in proper
ton as natures God intended.
Capital may be driven away and
labor paralyzed by the taxing of capt.
tai, but the land can not be driven
away. The owner can annually or
monthly recover from the user or renter
the tax he has paid on lands used or &C.
cupied, but the tax on lands not in use,
but held waiting till the increase in
population compels its purchase at an
expensive price, can not be recouped by
distribution over the people in the form
of rents or otherwise. The owner of
unprofitably used or vacant lands
would thus be tempted to sell for occu-
pancy or use, and thus poor men might
get homes and the city would grow in
consequence.
lit is claimed by students on the sub
ject of taxation that the taxation of
capital and all other personal property
is unequal and unjust to the conscien-
tious and truthful, because only the few
give true statements of their personal
wealth. One of the commissioners of
taxes in New York has recently testi-
fed, under oath, that the taxation of
personal property is almost an entire
failure; that it leads to efforts. and very
strenuous efforts, on the part of capt.
talists (all owners of personal property
are capitalists) to remove their property
beyond the jurisdiction of the city and
State. 1t offers no encouragement for
capital to come here; that the law, as
construed by the courts, enables any
one who chooses to SO dispose of his
personal property that the tax depart
ment can not reach it. Those who un-
derstNnd the law and can take advan-
tage of it, do SO in a majority of cases.
Those who are ignorant of the law and
do not understand their rights pay
taxes The foregoing testimony was
given concerning the present tax laws
of New York which were made for the