Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-03-06
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
TAXATION AND THE LAND VAL
UE TAX.

IN the study of a question of so vital
import to n nation as is the question of
taxation, it is important that il should
be investigated anc weighed not only in
It's present aspects VT also in its his
torical features
therefor, prop~se to present a few
gleanings tom history that may be -
especial interest to Those who look upon
the land value ta:t as the ideal tax.
Space forbids giving more than a brief
glance at the subject; but it may serve
dis guide to those WIS wish to go more
fully into the matter.
The historical study of the subject of
taxation is attended with some diff
Guilty, as most historians, while record
ing battles and court intrigues, have
paid too little attention to the economic
side of history
The idea that the en- th is the COM
mon heritage of man, IS as old as hui
man intelligence, and the contributing
of individuals of wealth and services to
the common good as old as society But,
so far as | can discover, the idea of maxi
ing every man contribute, not in pro-
portion to his wealth, but in proportion
to the value of natural or economic OPP
portunities he controls, is matter of
modern history. Take, for instance,
the Jews. They had system of land
tenure to which the lords of England
could give hearty assent; for the land
IF a family, even if it passed from pos
.ession, reverted back each fifty years
they had system of taxation, but it
@as a tenth of the actual product; not
If the potential product.
The Greeks and Romans also had
highly developed systems of taxation of
property, occupations and individuals
In renting of the ager publicus, or pub
lie lands, like the Jews they had some
thing akin to land value tax. In Rome
the tenant of the ager publicus gave
tenth of the agricultural product to the
government called decumon. The oc-
cupiers of pasture lands paid tax on
their focks called scripton, though the
rate is not known. The salt mines were
rented out and the rent or tax was called
salmon. The other mines were also
rented out by the government
But In passing, as we may naturally,
from Rome over to England, we find
that while the primitive England that
succeeded Roman domination had no sci
entific idea of land tax, yet they had
Voc heel ~. -, - s .'I
onnortnnitiaS nsad ~. ,n,,sad h,,t 49, .,
ont,,al ~,,.,5,,at;o, Nv -. 70
might be an exception, was proportion
ed to population. The Danegeld was
after No,,,,a,, oor,o,,,ast 49, Sd, l'
fem began 10 dereion tha nanama,d Ss
b;d.re disan,aarad ana ~ -
,v.s o,,olo,rad - N,,,,,,1s. -, - -
liar ;,nnort Roth tba L;dar,o 80
oata fro,, iii, ~ 20. ~ -
were c,,,da ,naae,,ra - 1and IT,
oorno,+o ,,,os do.o,,;.5 -, - -.
n.;r of ox,ar ,,,d H., o,,',d o,,1.;.ts4e
IN ono se.son aod ,,,as ,.,.o1,ah1,, go
70 about ono h,,ndrad 80
Then o.me the so,,toc,a ~. sh;o,d +
which tho l,o;ob+s ,,bo ,,,a,.a aIso1..,
lords Maid in Communication Of +bose Oh
locations 70 tho CROWN Tb;s ,,,os .1sc n
direct tax ,,,,o,, bis whole ,ro,a,.+,r Az
tho Eprl;sb hacon,o ,,,r1,.o ~ -
industrial roor1a iarr,o ,,,.o,,ort;o,, -
tho +ox,es vow, [r,'od,,oIi,, sb;f.,d ,,o,,
tbe d;fferent for,,s 81 ;ra,,s+,.r trbolDi,
in 1880 ..laa - 49, .oa,,Ia.'1a
noid +bo whole 80
As the land o,yno,.s ,vora .,so Tho ,,,
;ng classes II ;s easv 20 COO boyy - r'as
+be, ,r,.,d,,a1,,, +,.a,,sfo,.ed ~ ,,,,s.5s
,,,,o,, - - -,
TO this d.y
In Cronvalrs +;n,o f,ese, , +av;rn ,o+
,yos ,,.ssod 1saa c+a,,ta,, no,,'ail,a rI;s
+o,,, 81 Torot;o,, III TT go. "a -
,--, - -, - f''e ~ "iiN
IN, 49, ~ -.
q, ~ ,.s-.:.AS ''.le'
tav r,+a -, ,,.a s,,al, 80 pa' '.i1 49,, 49,
81 ...... - - - -'Ai>'7
- 80 40 I'm " N.'uoo on
+, $500 - 49,. AZ. 81 -, - .aN 40
-. m. ,'1i. IN o's ~ W
IA. ~ "' i'i.
,.as,Saa.;,.a ;rtan. "eoo,uii,s " 'ieii
9'poe'i'U ii'eiesVs, are required 10 al
Nv, "pon ieoeip' VI fesiuue Vi rent IN
s.,a, !" taS -. " 'iie .'N 10 consul
,au pr '"n'o pay iieno VI REM 70 'ne
- - sNo' W .,.o "i'is-
,N1.' oo 'i.,, ~ se''io uiiieiehces
NV, ia"'''oi 10 anu IehanUs,
-, " =. A,' ~ '''i9 ao' 10
49, Nv. =. ' Ia eeoioiii1 sense u
-. Nv '"u pop ~, sense'
l..n eeoiolns ~ - iioioi9 hogers
,eNN =, '''.i'', u iiis'ois'
-, ar - uii "a Do
- VI no "'io "i'ei VIC ie
w.