Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-05-01
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
us 1T RiGHT2-THE ETHICS OF
THE LAND QUESTION"

|
Land is Gods gift to the people; tn
people need it; no mans char
in it is asked of him, bu
every ones right to it is as
serted; nothing else can be justice TIL
SIMPLE statement would seem to shov
the ethical nature of the case. Blu
there are complications, and the on,
plan proposed to effect the result
know II as single tax on land values, il
objected to by many right-feeling per
sons, who say that it does not seem tina
it would be just to tax landholders ou
of economic rent, to intercept their in
vestment in land value, after civilized
society has for long centuries encour
aged persons to make such Investment
In the conviction that it was both right
and lawful to do so, unless the state
which has encouraged and protected
the investment, makes some
compensation for what landlords
must lose. Those who propose
the single tax have not been unmindful
of the ethical consideration belonging
to 1t. The lecturer can hardly hope to
present any thing here that is new, but
he may endeavor to offer what study
he can make in some original manner
which possibly may command attention
and challenge conviction.
AT the outset let us be assured that
an immorel cause can not win assent
from the people and through popular
demand become lawful practice of the
state. Wealth and greed may purchase
legislation which is wrong, and party
feeling may influence legislation which
Is unfair, and both of them may become
iniquitous in corrupting the executive
or the Judiciary; but the public con-
science is not debauched, and the peo-
pie Will not ask for what is thought to
be wrong. A majority of the people
may be mistaken as to the wisdom or
unwisdom of measure, but so long as
any proposition seems unrighteous the
people will withhold approval. The
single tax advocates must shaw that it
Is both right and expedient To the
ethics belonging to this question let us
give bold investigation.
The highest moral consideration here
attaches itself-in the abstract study
and in application of it-not to proper
ty, not to land as property, but to land
in its primary relation to man. For con-
slider: ~ all wealth is produced from
land, everything that man has coming
from 1T; (2) all wealth is produced by
labor; (3) land and labor are necessary
to mans continued existence on the
planet. The one gift to the race, the
absolute and unconditional gift, is land.
on which and from which every child of
man must live. 1t is Gods board, from
which alone the Father in Heaven gives
man his daily bread. Man is before
IN every moral study. In NOR
ais the right to property comes to the
front when we find man with some
thing in his possession produced from
the land; and then it appears at the
front for mans sake. All this is said
because it is of first Importance, and
needs to be referred to incidentally in
our study. And it must not be forgot
ten that the single tax is proposed for
the suppression of an evil-that of pow
erty. The suppression of an evil has
rank in public morals Proper
y has been confiscated and destroyed,
life has been required of thousands, for
the suppression of evils all through |
history, and relief for man and the ad-
'ancement of the race have justified the
browning of those who were not deter
ed by considerations of property or
life as benefactors of the world. Our
question is. Does the single tax pro-
'ose to suppress an evil by means that
ire not justifiable?
Taxation is for the maintenance and
lefense of the State, the preserver of
ociety. There has been general con-
fiction that citizens should be taxed in
proportion to their wealth and revenue.
The whole community is protected in
'ersons and homes and provided with
highways, schools and many conven-
ences; those who acquire property
ave, in addition, the protection of
heir property. 1t seems that every
ne ought to pay something for the pro-
ection and provision given by the
tate, unless so poor and helpless as to
e proper case for charitable care.
copies probable responded to this
loral persuasion with good will that
'as provoked out of existence by learn
1g that small class had taken unjust
dvantage. What was true of Athens
hould have been true in every ciyiliza- I
on where patriotism was not dead or 5
wing. The late Prof. Thorold Rogers
as presented (En. Brit, Finance) this
spect of Athenian taxation: THE ex- ;
'aordinary taxes on property which t
lie government levied and which the S
'ntributors paid, apparently with the '
reatest readiness. Why so? We find I
lat lit was graduated, being heavier {
er centage in the case of the richer {
tizens than in that of the middle T
asses" As long as the rich hold t
such a compact others pay their
lare willingly. 1t is not so '
18th us. Our taxation not only violates L
lie canons of Adam Smith, but is also i
righteous, and every moral consider d
ion demands that it be amended. The Il
itural tendency of taxes on commodi-
es is to the consumer. The minority
ass, who have wealth and opportunity
und that indirect taxation might be .
1T on the people, who would feel the {
irden while they could not easily dis 4
ver what it was and whence it came; n
und that much direct taxation might !
shifted from themselves; and per- !,
lved that a portion of wealth which q,
herwise would come under taxation II
lght be hidden, and that where it =
uld not be hidden there were in some \
stances taxing laws which could he :,
AIDED. a,
There are sorry devices to make per :.
ry easy. The taxing officers tell us =,
LbluShinplV that thav y;olata +Lo L.,