Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-03-03
The Single 7 ak.
BY J. G. H BUCK AND B R WEBB.

tionn my profits or make any sacrifice
VI my interest IN renting the 81 land
OF the " land Instead OF using the
hfst land rent-free2 Or, again:
open store in town or city
oh an out-of-the-way lot and pay 800
REM per year, and the next year move
70 more desirable lot and pay $1,000
~, ana yet hnd that with the same
enort, capital, etc, | close the year
with as much or more clear pront. do
l suffer any sacrifice In changing from
tne lower to the higher priced lot9
Asain' II tifed Of paying rent Tor taxi
on the land | want to use, / move OUT
TO some spot where the conditions Of
thc community have not put and do
not maintain any value on land. and
consequently, have no rent 0ax) to
pay, | find at the years close that
nave fallen $500 short Of the gains
resulting from my years business
where | paid 800 or $1,000 rent, do
conclude II was profitable to occupy
Naluelcss laud rcnt-frce? Would / not
see that the sacrifice, the deduction
from the produce of my labor. was
made in consequence OF my resortinE
10 the rent-free land2 In paying rent
on valuable land | made money at
certain rate: in resortlng to land lack
ing value and costing me nothing, J
lalled TO make at my former rate.
such facts show that in paving To
the community or public the annual
rental value OF land exclusive OF the
improvements which belong OF right to
the maker or his rightful successorl
the user gets the protection of govern
ment In the same way as he does I'm
paying taxes In other FORMS and at
the same time he receives, as above
shown, full equivalent therefor In
the value Of the holding he enjoys
Hence | repeat, the single tax is not
| properly named. II is not tax in
the proper sense of that word II is a
payment Tor value received In the
shape OF opportunity enjoyed.
Again, ] become pioneer, migrate
To new country and occupy section
of land. With no other human being
within a thousand miles OF me II has
no market value. | pay no rent. In
time city grows up on that section or
around 1t, Now. / am called on by
the single taNer TO pay rent on my
own section of land. Why Because
that city that community has brought
TO me the advantages. the blessings
Of an advanced civilization To main
tain that civilization revenues are
| necessary Now that section of land
is immensely valuable. At first II
grew grass for cattle which he must
drive hundreds Of miles to reach tnuir
market, II was the scene OF solitude
OF isolation from his race. II was the
site Of home that contained few of
the comforts, none OF the rlegancrs al
| life. The church, the school, the shop.
| the store the place Of amusement, the
| kind ncighbor, the trusty friend, the
| beloved kinsmen were many, many
| weary miles away Now all this is
| changed, happily changed! He is re-
4 quired to pay, and pay for what? For
! the change that has come about. and II
is well worth The price. In the lang
uage OF an eloquent writer:
'"The change witch has come about
Is the arrival Of n larger community to
| purchase his wares-to make IL posi-
BILE for him to find u ready market
for things which are more profitable tn
cultivate than his former crops-to
bring greater conveniences in the wa
Of transit facilities, refinement and
recreation. within easy reach Of his
! dwelling, The members OF the com
| munity have In effect come 10 his
| gate To receive his produce and thus
| TO save him the time formerly occu-
| pied in carrying it 10 them"
Now, these advantages would all be
| free gifts to him II he did not pay q
| fair price for them THY have not
come spontaneously. They are the
work Of busy hands and brains not ot
land spectators. II our pioneer gets
these advantages for nothing the loiers
lose what he gains Any boOkkeeper
can see that. The lahorers are sacri-
feed Tor the enrichment Of the land
owners. The single tax will do justice
to them. j. G. II. BUCK.