The Colfax chronicle., 1891-05-23
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
SINGLE TAX MOVEMENT IN
BRITISH COLUMBIA,

ter concerning the progress OF the sim
gle tax movement in British Columbia,
says:
some time in Victoria, Vancouver, New
Westminster and other towns through
out the Province has had very encour-
aging results, and we have abundant
evidence to show that public opinion is
being slowly, but none the less surely,
nodded in our favor. This new cOun-
try. like most others, has been and is
now handicapped in its development by
land grabbing and speculation. To such
an extent had this evil become manifest
that the Provincial Government last
August withdrew all that remained of
the public lands under its jurisdiction
from sale, pending legislation on the
subject. As several good single tax men
have lately been elected to the Provin-
cial Legislature, we hope that their in
fiuence, backed up by the pressure that
will be brought to bear on the outside,
will have the effect of procuring legis-
lation in accord with our principles
In municipal matters, too, there is
steady movement towards the final
abolition of taxing improvements. In
the city of New Westminster q petition
was presented to the city council last
week containing over four hundred sig
natures of the most influential citizens
there, praying that body to enact by
law exempting improvements from tax
alton. The indications are that the pc
titions will be successful and score a
victory. Victoria has also been moving
in this direction, and Single Tax men
there are active in spreading the light.
They have a well-attended club, which
has been a powerful factor in directing
public attention to needful reforms, and
that the single tax idea is not mere
fad" but has come to stay and grow up
with the country.
In Vancouver we have several out
and out single takers in the newly
elected city council, and some others
more or less favorable to our views, SO
that we feel confident of good results to
the city generally and the single tax
cause in particular. Some of our min
listers have been interesting themselves
in the movement, and alluding to it in
their sermons as being worthy of con-
sideration; but, like some OF our East
ern professors, they are not snxious to
accept its teachings and forsake the
moss-covered fallacies concerning our
social and economic conditions that
have played their part so long in the
worlds history. We believe, however,
that their conversion, inwardly If not
outwardly, is only question of time.
On the 10th inst. the single tax men
of this province held convention in
Vancouver. Delegates attended from
the principal cities and towns, and alto
gether it was most successful in the re-
suits attained. An organization was
formed to be known as the British
Columbia Tax Reform Association"
and the following officers were elected:
David Evans, Vancouver, president;
Alexander Hamilton, New Westminster,
vice-president; W. A. Wilson, Vancou-
yer, secretary, with an executive COM
mittee having one or more members in
each city. The following platform and
resolutions were adopted:
world have an equal right to life and
the means of living. The earth is the
only source from which the physical
wants of mankind can be supplied
Therefore, mans right to the use of the
earth, the common gift of the Creator
to the race, is the one essential condi-
ton of his existence. With a reason
able amount of labor the earth is capa-
BILE of producing abundantly for the
support of its population, and it be-
comes the duty of all citizens to use
every reasonable effort to secure to capi-
tai and labor free access to the land
which is the source of all wealth.
To carry out these principles we ale
in favor of raising all revenues for
governmental purposes by direct tax
on land values, irrespective of improve
ments.
The adoption of this method of taxa
ton would be of an untold benefit 20
all classes of the community. 1t wouli
stimulate industry, reward enterprise
and secure to every man just and
equitable return for his labor, and at
the same time would render it unprofit-
able to hold valuable land for merely
speculative purposes.
With respect to monopolies other than
the monopoly Of land, we hold that
where free competition becomes impos-
sible, such monopolies are then prop
er social function, and should be con-
trolled and managed by and for the
whole people concerned.
The following resolution was adopt
ed:
Resolved, That this Association would
impress upon every voter in the Prov
ince who believes in the views advocat-
ed by Single Tax men, to take q careful
interest in the matters discussed by the
local Legislature. and especially the
action taken thereon by their represen-
tatives in that body, in order that they