The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1892-02-29

A New Platform Of Principles
-...-..,.-,. Formulated.
ALL TAXES SHOULD BE SIMPLE
ETzrw

Some Prominent Men Among tho
signers-No Definite Plans of Or
Ranization for Carrying Out the
Purpose.
NEW YORK, Feb. 2e.-The active agi-
tation in regard to questions of taxation
has resulted in the formulating of a new
platform of principles on the subject,
which has been signed by a number of
influential men, Is preparatory to o
wider circulation throughout the coun-
try. No definite plans of organization
for carrying out the purpose have yet
been decided upon, but it will doubtless
form the basis Of alliance among those
opposed to the different forms of in
direct taxation, either through one of
the existing associations, or through O
new one to be formed. The platform is
as follows:
Believing that public attention is concerned
as never before with the solution Of the social
problems which confront us, we declare our
adhesion to the following principles, and we
urge upon all American citizens a careful ex-
animation of them with view to their en-
bodiment of the law.
]. Taxes should be simple, Just, definite and
easily collected.
2. They ought not to restrict production or
saving, nor to favor individuals at the ex-
pense of the community.
3. Labor should always be able to find suit
able employment, and for this purpose only
the use of the land is absolutely necessary.
4. A tax on the rental value of land. exclus-
i've of improvements, is direct, equitable and
certain; 1t would encourage production and in
dustry, and hinder the Withholding of avail
able land from use. 1t would take for public
purposes only the value created by the public
growth, leaving to labor and capital their full
earnings, free from all tax.
8. Therefore, single tax on the rental value
OF land alone is the best possible tax.
Among the signers are: Louis Prang
art publisher, Boston; Hon p. B. Wins
ton, mayor Of Minneapolis; Frederick
w. Heinrichs, president Young Mems
Democratic club, Brooklyn; General
Herman Lieb, Chicago; Thomas G.
Shearman, New Worry city; Eugene v.
Debs, secretary Brotherhood Locomo-
tive firemen, Terre Haute; w. Lloyd
Garrison, Boston; A. j. Moxham, direc-
tor during flood, Johnstown; Edward
Good Brown, of the firm of Peckham a.
Brown, Chicago; Henry George, L. Wis
tar Brown, wholesale dry goods mer-
chant, Philadelphia; Rev. j. o. S. Hunt
ington, New York; Hon. Thomas L.
ooiiilooii, couBI esSLudu from OnlO, fOulU-
ney Bigelow, New York; j. B. Sargent,
mayor of New Haven; l.. w. Hoch,
mayor of Adrian, Mich; j. L. Ripley,
chairman western classification commit
tee, Michigan; A. b. Farquhar, presi-
dent Pennsylvania Agricultural works,
York, Pa. Louis S. Post, editor of The
Standard. New York Hon. Mark Bangs,
ex-United States district attorney, Chi
cago; Henry A. Robinson, commissioner
of labor, Lansing, Mich.
About twice as many signatures have
been received as are here given and be-
side the positive Endorsements of the
platform, interesting letters have
been written to Mr.. Z. J. Shriver (by
whom the preliminary work had been
conducte0 from such men as Congress-
man w. G. BIeckinridge, c. r. Breck-
inridge, William Baker and Michael d.
Harter, bishop Huntington, of Central
New York; Rev. DR.. Rainesford, Lyman
l.. Cage and William d. WINS, all of
whom give qualified acceptance to a
portion of the document.