Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1891-12-10
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
PROMINENT DETRoITER's ON
THE SINGLE TAX.

In the Detroit News OF Sunday, May
II, appears a series of interviews on
the single tax with leading citizens of
Detroit, which will have a wonderful
influence in stirring peoples minds in
that city because of the positions the
interviewed occupy in the city govern
ment and in business.
Hazen S. Pingree, the mayor, is
boot and shoe manufacturer and owns
about $3.50, 900 worth of real estate. He
was absent from the city, but his bust
ness partner, j. B. Howarth. author
lied the News to state that Mr.. Pin
gree favored the single tax theory be-
cause he believed that its enactment
into law would relieve both capital and
labor from the present unjust and op-
pressive system of land tenure.
J. B. Howarth, of Pingree & Smith,
boot and shoe manufacturers, and own
ers of $50 600 in real estate. said he had
been an advocate of the single tax for
seven years; first, because it was just
tax. and second, because it was expedi-
emit Here, it might be noted. paren-
thetically, was another influence that
may have swayed Mayor Pingree in the
gallant fight he has been making.
L
terested in real estate, was single
taxer, because he believed that the
adoption of the system would prevent
speculation in real estate; that through
it the land now held for speculative
purposes would be forced into the mar
ket to the benefit of all the people, ex-
cept land spectators. who now thrive
at the expense of the industrious.
James E. Scripps, who, with his broth
er. owns about $500, 900 worth of Detroit
real estate, favored the single tax be-
cause it seemed to him that tax on
land values was the fairest and most
equita BILE system that could be devised
The present complicated system of
taxation, he thought, offered too many
opportunities for evasion and fraud.
Cornelius J. O'Flynn, lawyer and
owner of S25, 900 in real estate, said that
in his opinion Henry George had pre-
sented the only feasible remedy for the
evils connected with the land question.
That remedy is to make the holding of
large tracts of land burdensome by
placing all the expenses of government
upon real estate. There is as much
suffering among the poor in our large
cities caused by the present tenure of
land as there is in Ireland
John Bridges, assistant superintend-
emit of the Detroit water works and
owner of So, 500 worth of city property,
favored the single tax because it will
be to the future generations what
Christianity was to the plebeians of an
cient Greece and Rome. The single
tax will elevate the human race by Civ
ing labor it's full reward.
James Gourlay, of Gourlay Bros,
owner of about 500, 900 in real estate.
said the single tax was much to be pre-
ferred to the present system.
Ex-Congressman VIM. c. Maybury,
owner of about $50, 900 in real estate,
said that when first presented to him,
the single tax appeared preposterous;
but now he confessed it was gaining in
favor with him.
Edward T. Hance, lawyer, postmaster
of Detroit. and owner of $40, 900 in real
estate, believed the single tax to be the
only correct method of collecting the
money necessary to defray the expenses
of the government.
Theodore P. Hall, grain dealer, and
owner of about 5000. 900 in Wayne coun
ty real estate, said that, in his opinion,
land values ought, alone. to bear the
burden of taxation. Said he: 1.-THE I'M
earned increment argument is really
unassailable 1t comes within every
mans experience and observation. A
landowner who fails to improve his
property, and stolidly waits for the
community around him to work, plan,
build and produce, to the end that his
real estate shall increase in value with
out any exertion or expense on his own
part. is taking a legal but unjust adj
vantage of his fellow-man. Ninety
nine persons out of one hundred will
reprobate his conduct as mean and sell
fish, but it is less his fault than that of
the present system of land tenure and
taxation. The single tax will stop all
this. 1t goes without saying that any
law that will stimulate improvement of
property will do the greatest good to
the greatest mum Der, which is the end
of all good government. This, l firmly
believe, the single tax will accom-
plish."
Joshua Waterman, retired lawyer,
capitalist and owner of $500, 600 in real
estate, said he believed the principle of
taxing land values alone, as advocated
by Henry George, was the only correct
method of raising revenues for the sup
port of government
John G. Talford, boot and shoe deal
er, and owner of SO. 900 in real estate,
favored the single tax because it would
Immediately stop speculation in real
estate so that the great mass of men
who now placed their surplus capital
in land and waited till the labor of
other men had enhanced the value of
their property. would then, under single
tax, be compelled to invest it in manu-
featuring or other industrial pursuits,
and thus increase the production of the
community.
Victor Collian, engineer, inventor, :
and manufacturer and owner of about
$40, 900 in Detroit real estate, said that
the single tax idea seem to him to be
the very essence of economic truth.
J. w. Donovan, lawyer, and owner of
81, 900 in real estate, favored the single
tax on land values because more men
are made rich by city being built on
a farm than by either earnings or saw
ings. and such men owed it to the COM
munity to bear the burden of taxation.
J. l.. Hudson, clothier, and owner of
$50. 900 in Detroit real estate. favored
the single tax because, first. he be-
lieved land values should pay all the
taxes, and second, because he saw no
other way in which labor could secure
its full reward. He believed the single
tax would do more to alleviate the hard
ships and relieve the wants of the poor
than any other reform now proposed.
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