The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1891-05-03
Our ChiIdren'S Clothing & Gents FurniSbip


and the other 100000 have larger incomes.
The average annual earnings of the United
States during the past twenty five years
are 81 SOC, 100000. OF this 50, 100 0O0, 900 is
expended In supporto the people On this
amount indirect taxation has averaged 25
per cent. The average poor man NAV SUD-
port MS family On $500 year. Their bur
den OF taxation is then % per cent on this
amount, or S15 year. Contrast this with
the case OF man whose income is s., OO0 600
per year, which fortune of 5000, 900
easily assures; 100000 will enable him to
i've IN modest style. On this the tax is %
per cent, or So, 900. Thus the tax on the
rich is less than 2 per cent, and on the
property OF the masses more than IS per
cent At this rate 800 rich men would save
s43i, 5OO, O0O per year, while IA, 000 900 labor
ers could not exceed S25 each, orS350, 000, 900.
But II Indirect taxation had been abolished
these poor men would have saved 81, 400
100000 and
THE EIGHT HUNDRED RICH MEN
would not have exceeded $3.50. OOO 600.
what then, is the remedy! 1t is three
1oIo. First, the abolition of indirect taxa
ton. Secondly, the substitution of a single
tax on ground rent. Thirdly, the gradual
increase of this direct tax sufficient To alb
rsorb ground rents
Every form of taxation upon the products
OF human labor is an indirect tax and is al
ways shifted from the original tax payer to
the final consumer. Thus, duty OF / cent
on matches caused an increase in price of
cents. All taxes on houses have but one
tendency, to raise the rent of houses. So.
II house IS valued at 81, 800 and a tax of
sou year Is levied the tenant pays the tax.
DuIles on imports have entailed an average
increase in prices of thrice the value of the
goods All taxes which increase prices are
monopoly taxes, since the more capital it
requires TO go into any business the fewer
the number of those who can enter it.
Ii we trace TO their cause a majority of
fortunes we shall
FIND IT IN MoNoPoLIEs
of some kind.
The tax on land values, or rent, will diff
1use itself equally throughout the commun-
1ty compelling each one to pay in proportion
TO the advantages he derives from society
and according to his ability
The tax on ground rent is the only tax
That cannot be shifted. 1t falls directly on
the landlord. 1t does not affect the value
or price of any of the products of the land.
IL merely takes so much from the landlord
and transfers 1t TO the state A tax on
houses may lead to the tearing down of
houses, as tax on fig trees once led to a
cutting down of fig tree IN Arabia. and in
or the price Of figs, but land cannot be in
creased nor lessened in quantity no matter
now high the taxes may become.
TIE Ii NIT OF RENT
is the maximum which any one will give for
the use of a certain piece of land The mo-
ment an attempt is made to raise the rent
beyond this amount the holder relinquishes
1t. To suppose that landlords can add the
land tax to tenants rent is to suppose that
landlords do not now get all their land will
bring, the mere supposition of which is alb
surd.
While all forms of taxation on the pro-
ducts of labor tend to lessen production and
discourage industry the single tax on land
values tends to increase production by fore
ing land now held for speculation into the
market and to encourage industry by not
lining man for what he produces.
The first great reform then necessary to
make our social adjustments conform to the
supreme law of justice is to abolish our
present form of taxation, which generates
inequality in social conditions and leads to
pauperism and low wages and the many diff
hculties that affiict modern society.
z. H. MONROE.