The great West. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1889-18??, 1892-06-24

force their owners to sell, or else operate
in the same manner as would the single
tax. Such q tax could not be shifted,
as it must come out Of the land owner.
otherwise the tenant could not compete
in business with those who occupied
their own untaxed land All other land
being freed from taxation, rent would
at once be reduced by just the amount
of the present land taxes.
No other tax should be levied upon
any kind of property, real or personal,
excepta graded tax upon all net incomes
of 81 900 and over, and a graded tax upon
estates, inheritances and requests Net
incomes of individuals, corporate or
firms represent the residual increment"
after all demands for consumption or
it is what is left after rent, interest and
profit have taken their portion, and food,
clothing, shelter and fuel, as we'll as all
other necessary contingent expenses
have been met. AS a rule, the property
or wealth upon which such an income
tax would be levied would be ''unearned
increment" being the product of either
rent, interest or profit, or else the resi-.
due above consumption, and 81, 900 be-
sides, of unreasonable and dispropor-
tionate salaries (wages). There should
be very little difference in the wages
paid to different laborers. Such differ
ence-that is, all honest and fair differ
ence-would be covered by the better
style of1iving, in the ascending grade,
and the $1,000 net income exempted
from taxation.
I am aware that single-taxers and
others will contend that an income tax
cannot be- collected; that it will be
fraudulently evaded or sworn off, or
charged up to expenses, or be recouped
in higher rents and prices, or lower
wages, etc. To this l answer that
if use and occupancy were made a pre-.
requisite to land ownership, there
would no longer be any rent, high or
low, while the competition of those
business exploiters who did not receive
any taxable income would prevent the
income tax from being recouped in high
er prices or lower wages. So far as
evasion is concerned, the efforts in the
direction of such evasion would be
matter of Indifference to all those whose
net incomes did not exceed one thousand
dollars. An interesting struggle might
be .waged in the ranks of plutocracy,
but labor would not be IN 1t. Labor, be-
ing assured of it's total product, free
from rent and taxation, could look on
serenely, while the plutocrats watched
and fought each other.
But in case or rather for fear, that
some would yet accumulate too large
portion of the net production of the Ia
Dor of the nation, every estate should
be administered upon by public adj
ministrator, or where there is will,
probated and executed by public ex-
acutor, and heavy, graded tax levied
upon all wealth left by deceased per-
sons, above certain set and deter
mined amount.
Brethren in the reform movement:
Read the foregoing article carefully and
then compare with the following planlks
of the st. Louis platforms:
We demand graduated income tax.
The land, including all-the natural resources
of wealth, is the heritage of the people, and
should not be monopolized for speculative pur-
poses, and alien ownership Of land should, be
prohibited All lands now held by railroads
and other corporations in excess of their actual
needs, and all lands now owned by aliens,
should be reclaimed by the government and
held for actual settlers only.
Has anyone better plan to offer?
GEOPcE r. WApD