The Opelousas courier., 1894-10-06
New InERiA. Sept. 90, 1894.

EDITORS COURIER:
Your recent c~ommendation of Henry
Georges work, "The Condition of La
bor," encourages the writer to trust that
you will give space to the following ex-
PLANTATION of the object of the single
tax.
1t proposes the abolisbing of all taxes
on labor and the products of labor, and
the raising Of all revenues for national,
State and local purposes by a single
tax laid upon Land values, irrespective
of Improvements. The object of this is
to make it Improbable to hold land out
OF Use for the purposes of speculation.
For to land speculation may be traced
most OF the evils from which society is
suffering.
AS broad and as extensive as u
country is, all The lands available to la
Dor (by which we mean the lands on
which it is possible for one to make a
livlng) nave been grabbed by specula-
tors, not to use, but to simply hold idle
until, as the population increases and
the demand for land becomes greater,
they acquire an increased value, and
they are able to force those who wish to
use 1t to pay them an extortiOnate price.
These spectators hold land at its high
est figure. Lands near cities or conven-
lent to transportation or of great natu-
raj fertility are held at prices too high
for labor to pay. And the average poor
man wishing cheap land is forced off of
the rich, we'll located lands to those re-
mote and of inferior productive power.
So that we find many of our farmers
obliged to pass by the rich prairies near
the villages with the conveniences of
churches, schools, railroads, etc, aud
nhlio1l En- anf f1a ~ 1", 4, NJ q, -, H.. l,.l.
prairie. They are condemned by land
forts and enjoyments of the town. 1t
is this which makes the farmers life
dreary and unattractive. Besides, by
being forced back to the inferior lands
be is unable to get the returns for his
labor that he would get ii allowed &C.
cess to the richer lands lying idle on
speculation and so does not get q fair
return for his labor. The curse of land
monopoly both deprives him of society
and condemns him to hardship and pow
erty.
But its effects do not stop with this.
from becoming farmers by
the prospect of lonelieess and want, an
unbaturally large proportion of men
and women are driven away from the
laEds to seek employment
III the centres OF population, and thus
oyercrowd the labor market. The sup
ply OF labor in the cities is therefore
greater than the supply of work for
them and for every job We find two or
more applicants. There is IL surplus of
laborers, but this surplus must live; and
ito get work they cut wages. And then
brings wages down to the starva-
ton point. Men aud women are forced
to do anything which will appease the
cravings of hunger. It ia the despair
and decentralization of starvation that is
for the vice and shame and
misery of our great cities.
We have thus directly traced the
evils to land monopoly ; and it only re-
mains to inquire how the o~pportunities]
ut nature can be restored to the people. |
We single takers would do this by con-
all taxation upon landSy val |
ues only and not the personality nor the
So that the man who |
had improved and was cultiyating his
land would pay no more taxes on his
land, his buildings and implements,
than would the %specnlator on his idle
acres. This is but just since it is alb.
surd to tax a thrifty, progressive mar
the fruits of his energy. Snch taxa
tiun discourages industry and. promotes 1
the evil of land monopoly; while to
all taxation on land values
would render it Improbable TO hold
and ont of use and oblige the specula-
tor to use his land and TO sell what he
could not profilabIy, nse to some one
who could, thus destroying land monop-
by and this evils of poverty and vice
which it produces.
Again we would tax not according to
it's area but to its Gdlue. So that a
but we'll located city lot would
pay more taxes than would thousands
Vt acres of farming land. Indeed, an
Ter the single tax three blocks along
Canal street, New Orleans, would pay
more taxes than would the farming
.ands Of St. Landry. Lands of great
Falue are found only in cities and the
cities therefore would bear the greater
part of the burden of taxation. And
his ia but right for the Inhabitants of
,he cities enjoy many of the benefits of
society such as paved streets, electric
.ars, lighted avenues, fire and police
churcha, colleges, libraries,
md the like, of which the farmer is
either wholly deprived or enjoys inn
perfectly. And it is bnt fair that the
burdens Of taxation which now Cypress
he farmer should be lifted from his
and placed upon those who
a SO much greater share Of the
blessings of society.
Respectfully