The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1893-09-16

| were sufficient to the acre.
| Mr.. Sutton said that last fall he bought
of II Armstrong & Co, two tons of
Leibig's Ammoniated Fertilizer at $26,
per ton and used it on his wheat at the
rate Of 80 pounds to the acre. Along
side of this fertilizer he used under pre-.
ciselg the same conditions ard at tie
same price the same quantity to the acre
of Scott Sure Growth. The result OF
the crop as grown and testified to by
the personal observation of two of his
ueighbors, was. that the Sure Growth
| produced one third more wheat to the
acre than the Leibig fertilizer.
There being no other reports of expert
ments and the regular essay being in
order, Mr. Sutton said he had invited the
| Rev. William Nottingham TO be pre-
sent at the meeting OF the club and offer
some remarks on the question of
| THE SINGLE TAN.
| Mr.. Nottingham i'll addressing the
club said, that he should have preferred
presenting a written paper on the sub.
| ject, but had not been able, after accept
ing Mr.. Suttou's limitation to prepare
one. That his objecs il speaking en- the
subject, WAS rather to correct the gen
eral Misrepresentation existing as to the
nature and benefits OF the single tax in
raising necessary governmental revenue,
than to enter into recital of its origin
and history. While Mr.. Henry George
had br, ught keen intellect to bear
upon The problem OF t!xation, and had
wristen vuluminousiy on the subject OF
the single tax. yet he as not the Ollgi-
before HIM, it been advocated and eab-
grated by an eminent French economist
II fact said }ir. Nottingham, the single
tax advocate found inspiration for his
theme in Divine Law. The land is niue
saith the Lord" The history OF the
Israelitish nation suggested ii, in thei.
system oi land hOlding, and the return
to ownership of lands under the Jewish
|
years.
| The single tax principle did not mean
a tax on land itself, but OF land values,
making this the single and sole source OF
| Governmental revenue. Coufiuiug to land
values the collection of revenues, 1t
swept away the grand army of assessors
and tax gatherers, since every man be
came the assessor of his own land in its
value as source OF income. The State
would say to the land owner "wha5 do
| you hold your Land at?' what is its value
as subject Of taxation? He wouli rot
| be apt to place too low Il valuation on it,
since he would be bound by that valua-
ton on it, and if for sentimental reasons
he valued 1t too high, It would be only
right that he should pay for his seati
mcnL
Mr.. Whiting ham sail, tn II the ohjec.
ton had been generally raised TO tie
single tax on land values by farmers,
upon the idea that it would add increased
tax burdens to others already heavy. He
forcibly illustrated the idea of the tax on
land values in equalizing the burden OF
taxation, by citing the well known mech
anical paradox, Of one heavy weight be
ing added to another weight instead o!
resulting in the fall Of both, one balan
ced the other. Take the familiar figure
cis5 in metal of a horse i'll the posture
Of rearing. You cannot balance the
figure in that position. Bat instead,
attach Il bent wire, at point well fer
ward on his body, curvIng the wire in the
proper direction, and heavy ball fixed
at the end OF the wire behind the figure,
will balaECc It, as II rocks TO ana fro upon
the edge of 4 table. The mechanical
balance secured by adding the weight OF
the bali to that of the metal horse illus
trates the equalizing balance of the single
tax when imposed upon al land values.
The heavier tax laid upon the valuable
and improved lands owned by the rich,
balanced ths burden of taxation imposed
upon the css valuable and poorer lands
OF the less favored land holders. Mr..
| Nottingham then irstaEced the in
creased revenue that would accrue to the
govern ment under a system of taxing
land values, in the case Of holders of
large tracts of laud which now pay a
meagre proportion of taxation. The
recently deceased Senator Leland Stan
ford Of California owned about 200, 600
acres Of land which under the present
sy stem contributed but small revenue
20 the government, but which under the
burdens of thousands of smaller holders
# lands.
So in the case of large railroad cor
poratlous, now escaping taxation, under
the single tax system would pay their
just and proper proportion of governor
tai revenue and thereby lessen the tax
burdens OF those who now pay disp:o'
portioGate share OF the public burden.
So in the case of large mining corpora
tions, which now practically enjoy
exemption from taxation, under system
of taxing land values would pay their
, jus, proportion and thus lessen the gen.
eral burden.
; The burdens of taxation said Mr.
Nottingham, now fail uujustly upon
Il the poor man who rents his house, since
his store eff worldly goods must be taxed
to pay his rent. Under the land value
system his burden now lily born, would
fall upon the shoulders better able to
. bear it, since now five eighJhs of his in
: come through tho medium of rents &C
into the government treasury. Viewed IL
y any light, Mr.. Nottingham said the
/ single tax on land values was the most
y equitable, since it distributed justly The
general burden.
The impression had gone abroad
said Mr.. Nottingham, that the S!ns Ii
II Tax idea was losing ground. tHe
i contrary was the case. There ar. today
six thousand Single Tax societies in THU
country. Three prominent senators @
the United States Senate, and ten promi
nent and able congressman had becom
its enthusiastic advocates Mr.. Within:
II ham is an engaging aud pleasant speaker
! his address throughout was iustruc.iv
P and entertaining; and indicated research
/. learning and scholarly attainment. W
n regret, that we have not the entire ad