Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1894-03-11

cred at present, aud so these gentle
men voted for an income tax In pref
erenee 70 q heavier tariff. IL was with
them not a question Of the best meas
ure, but simply choice oil evils"
"Granting that we had q single tax
on land values tomorrow. Mr.. George,
how could the central government OBJ
tain through that means money 10 con-
duct its departments"
at could be done in one OF two ways;
the amOnnt to be raised could be as
sessed on the States. and collected In
that way, or the central government
has the power 10 assess the tax directly
by levying the amount on the value OF
land, irres pectiVe OF improvements.
"Is is not true that the single tax
theory has stronger hold on the peo-
pie OF Australasia than in America?"
II an not prepared 10 say that" re-
piled Mr. George. The seven colonies
Of Australasia have, all told, only
about 1000, 600 Of people, and then it Is
newer land, with conditions somewhat
different from those we find here. But
il is fact that in Australasia the
single tax is more vital issue than
with us Sir Henry Parkes, OF New
South Wales, is man of marked ability
and pronounced iree-trader.
Through his influence largely, the
single tax has become vital issue in the
politics Of that colony. The landhold-
ers have become alarmed, have formed
a Landowners Defense League. and
have issued a protest, on which they
propose to get the next Parliament to
act.
IN Victoria and other colonies OF
| Australia the single tax is a live issue,
and it will remain a living issue till 1t
is settled Ia the right way. But il Is 10
New Zealand that the greatest progress
has been made, along the lines with
which my name is associated. The
| Balance act in New Zealand has been
a wonderful advance. IL has not abol-
ished all other taxes retaining only that
on land values, but it comes nearit, and
in the near future the single tax will De
the only one collected In New Zealand.
There is no tax on improvements, the
tax is on land values, aud although IL
has only been 10 existence short
time, the effect .or good is al
ready perceptible. While there
is poverty and depression over
all the rest Of the commercial world, and
New Zeslend, by reason Of her business
relations, is not entirely free from IL,
yet there are no tramps nor paupers In
that land. aud soon poverty will exist
there only as a name. The conservative
New Zealanders. knowing that women
were naturally conservative, recently
gave them the right Of suffrage under
the impression that this vote would In
crease their strength. But the very first
election under this act shO we'd them they
had made a mistake ia counting on the
conservatism Of the woman vote, tor 1t
arrayed itself from the start on the side
Of progress and in opposition to the
monopoiiZation OF land. Speculation In
land has practically ceased In New Iea-
land, and as a consequence poverty and
its attendant evils will be banished.
do you know that the county coun-
Gil of London, England, has just insist
ed on presenting 10 Parliament peti-
ton asking that the local revenues be
raised entirely by a tax on land values?
Even IN Europe, where the same curse
of land tenures exist, the people are
forgetting that they are living in the
midst of armed camps, and are serious
ly discussing the question OF a single
tax on land values. forgot to say in
speaking Of New Zealand, that, while
the other colonies OF Australasia are
decreasing in population, since the re-
cent change in the laws 5000 families
have gone there to find homes.
THE first effort OF the landed interest
in England, the United States aud Aus
tralia has been to kill the single tx by
the conspiracy of silence. But the
Australian defence petition shows that
silence has not won, and so they are
driven into an open fight. The sig
nificance of this New South Wales
document, to my mind, lies in the fact,
as have from the first declared, that
whenever this movement got so far as
to compel the present owners Of land
TO come out openly and defend the
system which gives TO a few the ex-
lusivo ownership Of the natural element
on which and from which all must live,
our work will be practically done and
we can safely leave the rest 70 them.
So preposterously unjust is the present
system that IL cannot stand discussion.
"As TO the work Of propaganda, /
may say that IL goes steadily and cease
lessly on All over the country We
have single tax leagues, in which wo-
men as we'll as men are interested. The
cause has many able writer's and speak
ers, and people are reading on this
qestiou as never before. Tom L. john
son recently distributed /, 200, 600 copies
Of my work, Protection and Free
Trade and he Is about to issue ] 900, 900
COPIES of his recent speech In Congress-
1.-THE day has goue by when the sim
gle taXer was regarded as a crank Tie
is treated with respect, and men who
are always ready 70 cry down a new
thought or 20 sheer az what they cannot
comprehend, have learned 10 treat the
single taxer with respect, even where
they do not accept his theories. What
wo want is a full. fair and free discus
sion OF this as Of all other questions
that concern the people. aud The truth
will win 10 the end.
Not the least promising sign Of ad-
vance to me Is shown IN the fact that
professors aud students In colleges are
studying and discussing this question,
and amongst such men we have our
Warmest adhersnts and strongest
friends
II appreciate the kind hearts Of the
charitable, but they are degrading
labor. When justice IS done there will
no longer be need of this kind OF
charity" said Mr. George in conclusion.
IA LIE srnkn nzIth lha narnaalnnaa OF q