The herald., 1894-10-02
THE SINGLE TAX PROPAGANDA.
Features Of the Club Meeting
Last Evening.
A. ]. Gregg and Frank Finlayson
Make Addresses.
A Presentation of Their Theory OF tho
Principles of Taxstion-what
the Club Hos Accom-
p1ished.

A largs audience congregated in Unity
church last evening to hear the question
of wages discussed by the new school of
political economy-ths single takers.
The first speaker Of the evening was
Mr.. A. ]. Gregg OF Oakland, candidate
for lieutenant-governor who, being
thoroughly versed on the preblsms of
the day, made some strikingly iorcibe
points. which were readily compre-
hended BY sll present.
Hon. Frank Finlayson, the speaker of
the evening, then spoke substantially as
follows
In the production of wealth two fac
tors are absolutely necessaay--land and
labor. Capital is also generally factor
in its production, but without it wealth
can be produced, Previous to Henry
George it was believed that wages de-
pended upon existing capital to employ
labor. Let us see if this is true. Where
are wages high. in new or old countriee7
In the new countries, OF oourse. 1t is
not in the new countrirs, however. that
you find the most capital. On the con-
trary, capital is scarce in new countries.
Therefore the old theory of wages was
false. The Malthusisn doctrine OF
over-population was combined with the
old wage fund theory. and the two to-
gether made such O confusion of the
science of political economy that the
learned professors of the colleges them
selves did not understand their text
books. IS .-
In order. to understand the law Of
wages we must first find the law of rent.
All economists agree On the Law Of rent,
pamely-that rent Of land is deter mined
by the excess of product it will yield
over the poorest land in use. To illus
trats: II the poorest land in use Yields
say 10, and own another piece of. land
which with the same application yields
20, il is plain that the difference between
10 and 20 is rent. For the first piece OF
land could get no rent, while the seo-
ond piece can, be rented for 10. On the
other hand, as long as the first land can
be had free OF rent, the second piece cam
not be rented for more than To-. H..
We have found the law Of rent, The
law of wages is now readily determined.
II all the excess of the produce Of land
above that of the poorest land in use
goes to the owner of the land, all that is
left for wages is what the laborer can
produce on the poorest landin use, That
explains why wages are higher in new
countries than in old countries, because
in older countries q greater proportion
OF the total wealth produced is taken by
the owners of the land. Hence less is
left to pay wages to labor. gssci,f.
An original poem was here recited
with fns effect, by Attorney VIM. S.
Creighton. e s.,..a arsa
The order of the programme then
turned to questions and answers. p, a.,
Question-Are hard times due to too
many, farmers or by farmers leaving
their farms for the cities? fs,- 81.
The chairman here read appropriate
answers out of two Chicago papers which
fatty contradicted each other. iGreat
applause. .aaa + 1 .ffaai3sssp
Quaations came up go fast and thick
that .members OF the club were in their
glory answerina them. Short speeches
were made by %. P Smith of Oakland,
]. B. Woods, W. s. Creighton, S. Byron
Welcome, Mr.. Levi. Mr.. Norton and
others. u. s.,s J. . ,,.s,1,sess ai iastft
Ralph E. Hoyt. president Of the Single
Tax club, in announcing a. business
meeting for Tuesday evening to hear re-
ports and elect oficera of the club,
stated that the organization was. in q
vOLy uhtintuCtOIf OOAottitAs ltb kuom-
bership had steadily increased, a and the
interest in the movement had spread
throughout the community, many in
fuential citizsns, representing various
social and business classes having
evinced a desire to study into the
single tax theory and send such
literature as can be procured. The club
had heldlfree public meetings in Unity
church every week since the first OF last
February, except in two instances. once
being prevented by rain and once byin-
ability to secure the house. Thirty.two
meetings were held within period of
less than eight months. Nearly all were
we'll attended, even during the "recrea-
tion weeks." Several thousand copies
OF appropriate literature had been dis
tributed free in this city and surrounds
ing towns. Public meetings had also
been held at many outside places. The
club had paid sll bills as they accrued
and does not owe a nickle. Its work
was not political, in any partizan ssnss,
but broadly educational on the lines OF
political economy. tg alar "a a4s t,Da
The chair announced that next Mon
day evening there would be agreat dis
cussion on the tariff, Judge Widney
representing the side of protection and
several single tex speakers the free trade
side of the question.