The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-06-29
Communication.

of correcting the false Impressions under
which he apparently iabor>. and under
hich his unanswered assertions might
leave some of your readers who may not
have seen or may not have carefully read
my article ON that subject. He quotes the
platform of principles OF the Single Tax
League of PennSy ylVaUia. ! am under obi
cations To- him for this. "a he will pres
emily perceive.
He says that the graduated tax is the
single tax idea IN "a crude aud imprrlecI
form. aud that If had studied the single
tax would have seen that all the good ia
the latter i contained IA the former and
ali the eVi' II left out. | have already said
that | have studied it sufficiently To bc
convinced that il X not what many we'll
meaning p+r>ouS-my friend J. r. among
the number believed il Ia be. My priuci-
piles are, he says. nearly the same as those
of Henry George. and sound "a if they
were copied from the writings of that gen
tleman: do not copy from any person.
When i quote | give due credit | held
these ideas before | knew tina; Henry
George had al existence.
In the fourth paragraph he asks if each
one IL Ia be the Judge of how much land he
shall have. ! answer No The guam
iity would depend largely on the claraC-
ter of the land. the size of his family and
the avocaIion of the individual. The fish
rrman would not need 80 much land as the
farmer. This matter can be decided 10y
legislative enactment. allowing to each in
dlYldual certain number of acres U1 good
land.
| said each individual is endowed by the
fact of his existence with the right Ia the
free use of 80 much of the earth aS iS
necessary for him. If all persons respect
ed the rights of others, no government
would be needed. hence no taxation. and
each individual would have the use of his
POI tion absolutely free.
In the sixth paragraph he says: The
hrSt proposition that all land shall pay Il
tax on fair valuation for the support of
government. Is the essence OF fairness and
equity. but upon what principles can the
Others tmeaning the increased rate of tax
dtlOn of land ia excess of what a man 10y
virtue of the principle enuuciatrd should
hold. and the creation nf "A fund TO
SiSJ persons to secure hOmeStrad>) be de
fended?H As he evidently believes in il.
/ cite the first principle laid down by the
Single Tax League of Pennsylvania. a
follows: We trt as our fundamental
principle that all men are equally entitled
To the use OF the earth"
The greatest blunder my friend makes
Is In TINS same paragraph when Ii" claims
that my idea put into practice would be-
the entire cOnfl>CatiOn of all large estates.
improvements and all. This he terms IAN
utter absurdity." 1t would bc. were such
the intent, an utter" injustice. The per
son who now holds a large estate would.
under the workings of the graduated tax.
be secure in his homestead, forever ina
lienable and inViOlatc: and tina. i a guar
antce that even the monOpOliStS of land do
not now enjoy. How many once mill
iOnaireS have become beggarS under our
present system? The advocates of the
graduated land tax do not want To pull
those now rich down to heggary-wr wish
To secure for all competency. We would
not put a tax on industry or improvements.
We would value the homestead at its nat
ural worth. not at the value to which it
has been raised by the toll or outlay of the
holder. Suppose. aS | said. 100 acres of
held 2D acres OF such land worth S,i.tnn. hr
woulu not be- taxed at the increased rat.
for all of this land-Only for amount in
excess of 100 acres.
The graduated land tax would not con
hScate all lands of the land lord: only that
In excess of the natural right of the holder.
ana this won Id work no injustice. ltwuuld
be but simple Justice. There i no such
thing "a the right of acquisition in land.
which belongs To God alone.
! think this explanation of the graduated
tax l. sufficiently clear and answers j. F.'>
objections. Let uS now review the single
tax from the platform of the Single Tax
League of Pennsylvania and see If my OBJ
JectlonS TO II are not we'll founded.
After asserting the fundamental princi
pie which quoted above in answer To Il
question put by j. f. and which
heartily endorse. we pass to the
reasoning thereon. the conclusions drawn
theretrom and the measures proposed. Ii
proceeds: Therefore, no one should be
permitted to hold land without paying the
community the value of the privilege thus
accorded: and from the fund raised all
If all men are equally entitled To the use
of the earth, why pay TIE community = ~. I
value of the privilege thIS az -.orded2 The.
holding of Suftci@:fcy of land i "a right
uod-giSen aud iualieuable Tight-and
muI a privilege. We pay government for
protecting Us in the exercise of our rights. ]
not for our rights which God gave H.
gratuituouSiy.
We would therefore abolish all local. |
state and national taxation except Il tax
upon the value of land exclusive of i'm
prOyementS. This tax should be collect
ed 10y the local government and certain
proportion be paid To the state government
National revenues should be raised by
direct tax upon the several states"
Then the state tax now paid 10y corpora
tons viii have TO be paid by the holders of
land, and also the cost of the national gov
ernment now betrayed by commerce and
excise duties.
Further on we are told: 1T wouId give
us with all the world that absolute Tree
trade which now exists between the states
of the Union.'
That is one very good reason why the
American people will never accept your
single tax. 1t is not absolute free. trade or
anything approaching it they want. What
they do want II protection for American
manufactures and equal protection lur
American labor. Protection. with is
benefits shared between the laborer and
the manufacturer once assured, the Amer
lean people will never cry for free trade
Why, there is scarcely Il corpOral'S guard
OF free-traderS i'll congress. The election
OF Cleveland was not "A demand for free
trade, and the Democrats would be guilty
OF political lnfamy did they follow the ;id-
vice OF Tom l.. Johnson To repeal all tariff
laws, dismiss all custom house officers. and
sell the custom houses and revenue cutters
That Is what neither the Democratic parry
nor any other party will ever do.
1t would relieve the farmer. the work
man and the manufacturer of those taxes
by which they are unjuSIly burdened. and
take for public uses those values due To
the presence of population"
1t would be II great relief To the farmer
To impose on him the additional taxes for
the support of state and national govern
mentS. Then he would have To pay an ad-
dItiOnal school tax or dispense with the
great educational advantages now bestow-
ed 10y the state appropriation to our
schools. Then he will have To paw to
Dulld navy. To protect our SeapnrtS. ETC.
while the man of capital can build ships to
carry on commerce which will be project
ed without mis- paying cent of remunera-
ton therefor. Corporations will onIy as
sald before, pay taxes for the land on
which their improvements stand. They
may import foreign labOrerS To competp
with Americans, and the American farmer
VIII be compelled To pay taxes to keen
them IN SubJection, To take care of Them
wheh iheY come To want. on equal terms
Win the corporations that receive all the
prOnt from their labor \ striking ilIuS-
tration OF the injustice done by the i'm
portatlon of foreign labor occurred in Al
toona several years ago. An Italian who
mad worked FOR corporation long enough
TO accumulate 81 .2pD. was on his way buma
from the express office where he had CON
signed II To friends in Italy was killed op
the railroad and Blair county was com,
PEELED To pay his funeral expenses. Either
the employers o. foreign contract labor or
the laoorers themselves should pay a taN
To defray such expenses. whirh- if I,nd
alone Is To be taxed, they will NOT. of ,.ours,.