The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-02-20
SINGLE TAX.
A Californian Writes Very Clear
and Able Letter.


To the Editor
Henry George instructs his following that
1.-The only way to abolish private property
in land is by the way of taxation and
recommends the single tax. His theory
proposes the confiscation of land values
and the collection of a ground rent tax
from the tenants who and occupy
the land. This indicates Enthusiastically that
the real construction is not merely the
confiscation of land Values but the abo-
lition of all private property in land and
the notification of existing titles by a
confiscatory tax, or, in other words, the
confiscation of the land.
1t is contradiction Of terms, misuse
of the language which so great master
of it as Mr.. George is would not be guilty
of, to designate a land owner as a ten
ant" or to speak of one paying ground
rent" and it is expressly claimed by single
tax advocates that the tribute that would
be paid would be ground rent and not
tax When rent is paid there must neces-
sarly be a landlord or owner to demand
and receive it. Therefore, unless words
have changed their meaning, the state
must become the actual owner in fee of the
land before ground rent could be de-
manded; and the talk about taxing "land
values is misleading and merely a cover
to the real intention to confiscate the land.
There is no other way than by a prelim
mary confiscatory tax by which the single
tax could accomplish it's object of abolish
ing private property in land, and create
the tenants so that the ground rent"
tax could be levied and collected from
them. On any other theory the single tax
would be plainly a land tax and not
ground rent
The abolition of private property in land,
it's confisca ton by the state and the null
LITIGATION of titles is the pth and marrow,
the soul and essence of the single tax the
DRY. With this feature eliminated from the
theory it would cease to exist And in it's
practical operation it would have no more
regard for the farmer and the home owned
than for the land monopoist, the specula-
tor the colossal land thief.
| There is one feature of this subject that
is peculiar. One who has read the literature
of the single tax and weighed and consid-
cred it's argument must necessarily become
a believer. To express doubt at once SUBJ
jects the unbeliever to the charge that he
does not understand the subject. And if he
should venture the opinion that the theory
is a gigantic fallacy, powerless for good
and potent for evil the doubter is regarded
with suspicion a land reformer 1t
seems probable that if Mr.. George himself
were to announce to his followers that On
more mature consideration of the subject
he had concluded that he was mistaken
| in his views to the efficacy of the single
| tax, that he would be promptly told that
| he did not understand the subject
Now, there is an easy way to avoid this
QlINCultV. Let the S1IlSIe tdA tHcOIiSl OpcH-
| ly advocate in plain terms the confiscation
| of the land, the abolition of private proper
| ty in land by contiscating tax; the nulli-
| fcation of all existing titles and the vest
| ing of the same in the state; the transfer
| nation of farm and home owners into ten
| ants, subject to a perpetual ground rent
| tax Of whatever amount the politicians
! may demand; the exemption of all person.
| al property from taxation for instance,
the estate of the late Jay Gould, $50, ooO, 900
personal property, ST. 1900 real estate), and
| a guaranty to the wealthy class against the
| income tax, the succession tax, and all 9TH
| err forms of taxation except upon the land.
| This would be putting the single tax the
DRY before the people plainly, saying in a
| few words what in fact it really means.
| All could understand it and readily decide
whether they approved the plan or not
| The people should demand free homes;
| free from tax or execution; free from rent
| to state or individual landlord; to be held
| by an involable title Land monopoly and
| landlordism can be abolished by a grad
uated tax, without confscation. To advo-