Telegram-herald., 1891-01-12

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4 notable dncnsnlon occurred II Tre-
mont Temple, ia Boston. "a Tuesday
night. when, before an appreclstlse
and delighted audience, sx-t,sngress-
man 4. G. Horz. Of Michigan, . schol.
asiy stafesman, and Thomas s. shear
man, the eminent ststissioiAn anS econ
ornlst, of this city, engaged IA thought
ful dehat On the single tAx, - 81 forth
BY Henry George. William Lloyd Gar
rison presidsd ~ this eventful dstAts.
which Vas listened 70 in . keenly re-
spcnsive manner by eli present
Mr.. Sherman said IN opening thai
there Was some difference between the
theory Of Mr.. George and that held by
himself. The former held 20 the San
limited. !" while he himself believed IN
. single tai limited 10 the simple needs
OF the Government. 1t wss not i'm
~ so&4&t %0&S$O4s 4k0 (kAGn kItakC vi
The something which ali conceded 70
be wrong in the workings of society.
Men leading honest and pure lives are
TOO often eompeiied TO struggle along
IN poverty, aud even IN uistress. l.ess
than 81, 600 zoe. 600 ,.ss is shown by sta
tistacs. he said, are 20 he divld-
ed among about sc, 600 900 people.
Twelve million families 90 not average
more than S55o or 5000 each year per
family 100000 families receive $500
and 400, 900 families nave a living IN
come of less than $3.50. Mr.. shearfaan
then referred 20 the Iowa farmer. who
he affirmed, on q sixfy-acre farm, got
but 1850 per year, and that too,
with the labor of his good wife. Ont
OF this there must come taxes of Is
per cent. Under the present system
about one-elghth Of the taxes are really
indirect Wealth Is concentrating
throughout the country, continued the
speaker. Even In Boston there are
200 persons worth 81 900 900 each. TAX
ing the proportion IN which wealth 10
distributed ~ this city and applying IL
70 the United states IN general, the
result Is shown that less than AZ. 900
persons own more than one-half of the
total wealth. What is the reason for
this concentration and the etsgnstion
OF the poorer peopley asked the
speaker.
Mr.. Sherman thought that there
was larger proportion of strictly vir-
tuous, honest people among the very
poor than among the very rich. The
reason why the former failed 20 keep
the great wealth which they created
was because of the crooked taxation
which we maintain. They are them
selves, he said, largely 70 blame, for
they support IL. Mr.. Sherman refer
red to Cornelius Vanderbilt as q good
rich man, yet of his annual income Of
S, 00o.0 900 be pad taxes on perhaps only
$3.50, 900. The other taxes be shifts
upon the backs of the poor lie con-
cluded that the latter class pay ten
times as much II taxes ~ do the we'll
Oh. Tho single tax men propose 20
abolish this unequal taxation. A sys-
tenn had been provided by nature, and
that system was ground rent. Under
this all would pay their fair proportion
for the maintenance OF society.
Ex-Congressman Horr, on being intro
duced, humorously said that be had
come to the debate proposing TO make
Mr.. George take his own medicine, bat
Mr.. Sherman had said: You can't
put it down mel" He then asked:
"What is this single taxtheory"p He
had been led to suppose that If was a
cure for almost evil IN the United States.
II affirmed that ownership in land is
not right; that the fee simple can't be-
long TO any person; that the unesrned
increment of the farmer and Others
ought to be taxed. True, he said that
the farmer going into q new and grow
ing country did find that the value of
his farm increased, but be, by going,
added value TO every other farm there.
Then give HIM credit for what be did.
The first objection which the speaker
had TO the single tax was that il Was IN
sufficient. Three-fourths of all the
farms in the country, he said, would
oever pay the owners for the owners
for the actual work they dad in i'm
proving them and building them up. Ii
is unfair and unjust, reiterated the
speaker vehemently. The great bulk
Of taxation is expended 10 protect per
sonal property, not real estate. Why
should buildings be free?
Mr.. Horr proceeded TO show the i'm
possibility of fairly sssessing the single
tax, so far, at least, as farms are con
cerned, and then broke out in further
denunciation, calling the proposal
simply confiscation." AT this there
were murmurs Of disapproval ia the
audience. He then read the auction
clause in Georges book in support of
bis position He continued "what 10
there about land III IT there IL not about
the horse7 They were made by the
same great creator. Henry George
Gays that every unborn babe has q right
to the land What more right has u 10
that than 70 anything elsey Mr.. Horr
then said that Mr.. George had entered
his books according TO act OF Congress
10 secure q monopoly.
whats that got to do with the
casey' interposed some one in the audi
ence.
an tell you" said the ex- Congress
man; THAT hook would not be worth
anything were Il not for the conmun-
ify which we al built mp. All except
the cost of writing that book 10 un-
earned Value
Mr.. Horr laid down the proposition
that no tax should be levied that 10 not
for the benefit of the people and .
blessing.
ADJUSTMENTS.