The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1892-08-19
Single Tax not a Cure for Poverty.

Single Tax not Cure for Poverty.
If the single tax diciples did not assume
that all they think and say is infallible they
would find more considerate listeners
Their accustomed swagger of know-all
repels more than it attracts. Such loose and
glib assertions as the following may disgust
but never convince thinking people.
"What men can get working for them
selves is the minimum for which they will
work for others. Abundant free land means
high wages"
The fact is that not one fourth Of The
working class can work for themselves, TO
speak literally. They must find some or
ganizer who will proyide them an opporIu-
nifty 10 work. An employer must find the
work for great multitudes Of people, who
are incompetent to conduct business single
handed, that in the crowded condition Of
society will create anything. How can
abundant land mean high wages?" If
land lay ou! a common there might be few
more squalters' cabins scattered over it,
but the squatters would be on the hunt for
employment, and failing 10 find it would
move to more thickly settled parts where
organizers of business were in want of labor
to carry out their plans. No one could use
the land to much advantage unless he under
stood agriculture and had the necessary
stock and implements TO make the business
yield wages While the single tax on land
values might equalize more justly taxation,
"free land" could never "abolish poverty"
The fuse of the land would insure as com.
plete title to it as fee simple deed. The
Improvements on an enclosed tract of land
would hold that tract in possession of a fam
lily from generation to generation so long as
the taxes on the assessed value were paid,
and that is all title deed will now do. A
change from the present system of taxation
to that Of the ''single tax" while it would
encourage improvements of property, by
exempting the improvements from direct
taxation, would not affect the ordinary wage
Garner, the day laborer, who can make use
of his hands and brain 10 advantage, only
when under the guidance of some other
person. The single tax system, when intro.
duced will exercise scarcely preceptible
influence on the great labor army. 1t can
never reach the conditions which create low
wages and resulting poverty. In fact such
change would not create so much as ripple,
or clothe with an additional ounce of flesh
the bones of gaunt poverty. The very poor
do not pay taxes-not to the State at least
and would not be affected by change in
tax laws. But tax on land values the
and a great boon 10 the enterprising and
industrious home builders. 1t would kill
off the ground rent men and land grabbers
which would be god.send. The single
tax would not effect the great manufacturing
corporations, but rather benefit them by
exempting their buildings and plant, while
the value of the land used by this class is
not enhanced very materially. In short if
the deciples- the propagandists Of the single
tax theory would curb their imagination
and point out practical results, they would
advance the cause much faster. When
Henry George tackled himself and doctrine
to the tail Of the democrat party he made
the mistake of his life. The party care no
| more for him and his economic theories
than they do for last yenr's birds-nests.