New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-02-08
which we are compelled to use under our nresent
| plan of managing public affairs

which we are compelled TO use under our nresor.
plan of managing public affairs.
Another objection is this: This value given 70
real estate BY the advancement of civIi1ation
this "uncarned increment" exists az IN all
property In the world. 1t pertains 10 every
species OF property. The very book written by
Henry George himself would have been Of little
value had IL not been for that which was given
1t by the education and civilization Of orr entire
people Mr. George has more right 10 conGs-
cate the farms of this country by his effort to
reach what he calls the "unearncd increment -
than the farmers of the country would have &
right to contiscatc the book which he has pro.
duced in order TO get at the unearned value given
to that book by The entire people He has taken
out copyright on the book TO give himself the on
tire Use Of that publication | think he had a right
TO do it. But what right have the people 20 give
him such title, which enables him 10 enjoy the
1cnchts OF that production. any more than the
same people nave the right to give the fec simple
10 a piece OF land which. as rule is nearly
worthless until improved and put in shape for pro-
ductivencss By human toll
Another objection 10 this whole theory is that
il puts the entire burden of supporting the Govern
ment upon one kind of property, whereas that
burden should he borne by all the property of the
country. The great bulk of our police system, the
organization and support Of courts, the sustaining
of fire departments, indeed the benefits of public
education are for the purpose of guarding against
depIcdatlons upon personal property and not
against real estate. A man who is worth 81 ,OOO,-
600. because he happens to have it in buildings.
or bank stock. railroad bonds should not he
exempt from aiding il support of the Government.
He is under Just as much obligation to aid in
tanning public schools as is the man who has
81 900. 600 worth of real estate
But have not time inclination in this ar
ticlc TO 30 into a general discussion of this ques-
ton. 1t is theory which, so far, has been ac-
ceptcd by very few thinking
am always naturally suspicious when person
proposing such marvellous departure from the exist
ing methods of the world. in the outset, claims
such wonderful results The moment man
tells me that he has found plan which will put
an end to all wrong, abolish misery and want, and
lead directly to universal happiness, | in
stantly upon my guard. | can see logical con-
sistency in the claim of the stFaightout Socialist,
who would have no one in the world own any
thing and who would have each individual in
the world working, not for himself, but for all
the rest of the world. | can see how man might
dream of such a condition of affairs and conclude
that it would lead to universal happiness In
deed there is a vein of sense running through
that theory The great trouble with il Is that
humanity was not started on that plan. The
human race is not built that way. The Author
of the Universe selected different theory. lie
made self-prcscrvation the strongest instinct OF
the human race. Why He did this | am unable
10 tell. But as long as He has done IT, sensible
men will recognize that fact in dcvsing methods
ior the benefit of the human family When
man starts out by telling me that he knows some
way by which he benefit the people Of the
world, | listen to him. and hold myself in readl-
ness TO join him in his efforts. But when man
claims that he has found cure for all the Ills
of life, remedy for all the hardShips Of getting
a living, / am almost certain that he has some
visionary scheme which will hardly compensate
one for the trouble of careful examination
After studying this Single Tax theory am
firmly convinced thai it is simply an indirect
method cunningly devised, for the purpose OF
curing many seeming evils. but that il Is so I'M
possible of execution and so unfair IN l,s appIlca-
ton that il would simply aggravate the dlhicnl'lcS
which it seeks TO alleviate. ] am very anxious
to have the millennium come here in tins world
But if we wait for it until it is brought about
by the coniscation of land values it will. in my
Judgment, be many years before even the dawn
of it will be perceptible X u. hohh'