The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1893-12-29
Friday. Dec. 20, 1898.
Those Single Tax Brethren.

Those Single Tax Brethren.
Mr.. w. E. Brokaw, present editor of The
Courier, the St. Louis single tax paper.
appears to be considerably disgruntled at our
criticism of paper he read before meeting
of that fraternity at Chicago during the
Fair. We have received many letters from
the propaganda corps intended to enlighten
us on the mysteries of single tax, and with
due Difference to the brothers, we would say
a plumber OF the writers appear to have a
very confused idea of Henry Georges
system.
The contention or point of disagreement,
however, doesn't appear to be over the
naked question of single tax, which is very
simple and easily comprehended BY any
person who cares to look into it. The single
tax is or would be taking the rent of land
wherever found for the use of government.
This is absolutely all there is Of the single
tax system.
1t is the Hypothetical results which would
follow such a change in taxation-the
unknown future as it were-and the skep-
ticism of some persons, to those utopian
results. that the contest is over.
But we are neglecting our friend Brokaw
whose feathers have been ruffled. He says
in his private letter of protest to our liberal
way of handling his dream of the future:
mo one thoroughly familiar with the
single tax would consider the moneylord
more powerful than the landlord"
To which we reply that mo one thoroughly
familiar with" the financial question would
consider the landlord more powerful than
the moneylord. Now this is fair stand of
to brother Brokaw's argument" He
complains that we didn't answer his argu-
ment. We have answered this one anyhow
Our single tax brother mails us an article
which he had published, in Social Prob
lems," which he thinks ought TO satisfy Us
that he has studied the money question
The substance of this article is that as &
matter of equity debt should be based or
the value of labor or staple products o.
labor. That the money which suficed tc
pay the debt when due should be the sum
which would represent the same amount o.
labor or the products of labor which il
represented when the debt was contracted
Well, this is not al all new. We, with
many others, baye advanced similar argu.
ments, but this is mighty small bit of the
financial question, and if brother Brokaw
has advanced no further in his financial
studies than this horn book lesson, we are
not surprised that he thinks landlord has
more power than moneylord.
But this is not our chief offense in the eyes
of the brethren, and in friend Brokaw's eyes
in particular. He closed his carefully pre-
pared article at the Chicago Single Tax
Congress with the following peroration
which we were so irreyerent and common
place as to laugh at.
SIT is obvious that Single Takers must
choose between government ownership and
operation free from toll, and government
maintenance of railroads with the carrying
trade left open to free competition. / hold
tudL tue ldticE Is All IDdL Is u6Ce5SdT1 10
secure equal freedom and if il is, for society
to do more would be for it to infringe upon
the equal freedom of individuals"
We admit it is pity 10 spoil this
"iridescent DREAM" but we dissent from it
in toto. And what is more 10 the purpose
the single tax in force as in allegiance would
not affect the conditions. The government
should not only own the railroads but take
the entire management of them not "free
from tolp' but charge each person according
to heservice rendered. the aggregate sum
being sufficient to defray the expenses, and
this would not infringe upon ''the equal
freedom of individuals" but render equal
and exact justice to all. This is good
single tax doctrine. The Don Quixote
attempt for the government TO lay down
railroad tracks and say to Tom, Dick and
Harry: ''Come on boys, put on your cars
and start on the race Of free competition,
and may the devil catch the hindmost,'
would be little short of an act of insanity.
Our single tax friend asserts that, enc
one thoroughly conversant with the single
tax theory as expounded IN Henry Georges
works would consider the one sided compe
tition of to-day most exhaustive trial o
competition"
Well, this is an admission that compe
tition "of to-day" has been dismal failure
and what has really taken place is the proc
we adduce and the argument we make
against brother Brokaw's dream of wha
might be. That the free access to land
would altar the ability of individuals to rur
railways is a singular fantasm.
The fact is that quite number of person!
appear to be suffering a mild type o
insanity on the single tax theory, and theil
philandering brain raises mirages where
eIysian fields and ''castles in Spain" appear
and poverty has no place, and where "fret
access to land" and equal opportunities
have made all men free, equal and happy
and all that is necessary to usher in such q
pastoral paradise, is for Uncle Sam TO collec
the unearned increment of land, the ground
rents, and presto, the thing is done
Wabbling Shysters.