The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1891-09-26
A Single Tax Congressman.

A Single Tax Congressman.
4 Hon. John Dewitt Warner, congress
man-elect from New York city, in an
article for the Statesman on How will
the Single Tax Affect tho Farm. y
said:
1T is proposed to assess all lands at
their unimproved value, and not other
wise. That amounts to this: that all
improved lands are to be relieved some
what of present taxation. and all unim-
proved lands are to be somewhat more
heavily taxed; that all more improved
lands are to be less taxed in compari-
SON with all less improved lands-gen-
orally speaking that all extensive es-
tates the worth of whose broad acres,
irrespective of their improvements. IS
greater in comparison with such inn
provements, will pay more, and small
farms, q greater part of whose worth is
made up of buildings and improvements,
will pay less. Which are the moro
numerous? Which would the single
tax tend to make more and more numer.
GUS? Which is it good policy for tho
government most to encourage? To
ask these questions is to answer them,
and to demonstrate that in its compare
tive incidence upon improved and UNI
improved rural property respectively,
the single tax is ut once more just and
polite than our present system
But any general system of taxation
involves questions of general as well as
local Il. IL IN
would rural communities, as whole,
pay under the single tax, as compared
with what they now pay, or as conn
pared with that paid by urban commu-
mites? Let us see. 1t will be admitted
that unearned ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
IN the value of land, due not to inn
provemeut of the land itself. but to inn
provement of lands about it--as in the
Ease of city lots. is more important
actor in the city than in the country.
L will be admitted that in a state
where there are no cities or villages,
10 cause for unearned increment in
pecial localities, it will be perfectly
air to assess all lands at their present
'alue for use equally except as present
or availability of each
ract may differ. Now as the state, as
whole. increases in productiveness
nd wealth its lands become more and
aorc valuable for use in two general
vays-frst by actual improvement of
he land itself and the buildings placed
hereon; second by increased available
y for use of certain parcels in or near
lllages and citics-which will aggre-
ate themselves about certain natural
artificial vantage points This in
rease in availability, this so-callcd
unearned increment" is SO intensified
cities, and so minimized in strictly
lrai districts that it may be considered
factor OF land values in cities and VIII
ges alone; and when it is cons sid.
ed that the worth of city lot-unlike
ZEN half cultivated land-is scarcely
tected by whether it is fenced or
tched, cultivated or not; and how
lormously out OF all proportion to the
'lue OF farm land is the value of city
nd as such, without reference to any
'provements whatever on the partict.-
parcel. 1t will be seen how hard it is
en- to imagine village. much less q
y, where the value of land. without
ference to the improvements, does not
ar greater proportion to the value
all real estate there, including inn
ovements, than does the land in auv
raj district considered as wild or mn.
proved land, bear to the actual yalue
the real estate of such rural district.
'luding all buildings, fences, bitches
1 improvements of every kind that
ve made it moro fertile and mort val.
Die. And it is impossible to imagine
tate, including growing cities, where
comparison in question will not be
re conclusive in the same direction
the proportion of urban to rural de-
opment increases.
TO sum up: Not merely is the single
as compared with our present svs-
of taxation, the more Just and no
as between the several members Of
urai community; hut, If put into
ration, 1t would decrease the propor-
OF taxes which the farming com
aity would have to pay as compared
our cities; and would increase
er than would our present system
proportion OF taxes which the cities
I'D have to pay"
urity Of Possession An that :.