The representative. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1893-1901, 1895-01-16
The SINGLE Tx
An Able Letter From Vice Presi.
dent ClOugh, of the Great
Northern Railway.
FIGURES SHOWING THE MUS
TICE OF THE METHOD.
The Question Exhaustiyely Dis.
cussed on Both Sides.

Hon. Ignatius Donnelly-Dear Sir: L
have read with much interest your very
able articles in the Representative upon
the single tax theory. If the advocates of
that scheme mean merely, that the moneys
needed to pay all legitimate public eX-
penses should be raised by direct taxation
of the naked land, they are wasting their
efforts, because this country is practically
upon that basis now.
1 have before me the report of the state
auditor of Minnesota, giving the detailed
figures of taxation and assessment in this
state for the year 1891. That was a nor
NAL year. so far as relates to those sub
jects. and it affords a perfectly fair ex-
ample of the fixed course of things.
In 1891 the state and it's various munich
pal subdivisions raised by direcet taxation
of property the enormous sum of 81, 707, $50
OF that sum. taking the state as a whole
the different classes of property contribu
ted the folio wing proportions
Per Cent
Personal property .....,................. 81
Structures and other improvements
upon land OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. 1I3
Naked land Observation-Disclosures. go
lOlti 1oV.U
Excluding Hennepin, Ramsey and ST.
Louis counties, which contain most of the
city property and population, the total
amount raised by direct taxation for the
year s4,5iS,i0S, which was borne by
the three classes of property as follows:
Per Cent.
Personal property Observation-Disclosures. 1910
Structures and other improvements
upon land Observation-Disclosures. ia
Naked land "a 6
Total Observation-Disclosures. 1oU.O
The &.159 l5i raised by direct taxation in
Hennepin. Ramsey and st. Louis counties
Were contributed in the following proper
lions:
Personal per cent
Structures and other improve
ments upon land .............. 1873 per cent.
Naked land ......................6S . per cent.
Total Observation-Disclosures 100 0 per cent
similar condition of things exists
throughout the country-even in the neigh
borhood of Manhattan island, where the
single tax doctrine has hitherto found most
advocates.
All civilized men agree that certain arti
Giles and the business of producing and
distributing them-tobacco and alcoholic
beverages-are the very best subjects of
taxation. 1t is not understood that even
MIR. George himself favors free whisky.
The earnings of railroad companies form
another confessedly proper subject. No
one would think of letting tobacco, whisky,
or railroad earnings go free of tax for the
mere purpose of allowing taxes upon some
other kind of property to be piled up a
little higher.
OF the public burdens borne through the
instrumentality of direct taxation. two
thirds in the country districts and seven
tenthS in the large towns are now charged
upon naked land. Would anybody, even
the tax payer himself, any very i'm
portant difference. if the small remainder
should go against it too? Impossible.
The only practical use of the aeitat ton
OF the single tax theory, in this country, is
to enable Mr. George and some other
bright minded men, to make a few sheckels
out OF the class of people addicted to vast
ing their time in trying to find some way
for getting on in the world other than
the old fashioned one of working and saw
ing. Very truly yours.
w. P CLOCGH.
st. Paul, Jan. 2.