The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1895-04-22
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THE TENEMENT HOUSES.
Might Be Removed by AboilshlnG Pow
erty Single-TaXer Thinks.

Philadelphia. March II, mo-
To the Editor: Your editorial of the 18th
ult on the tenement house problem was
sound ard sensible. II is useless 10 try 10
solve this problem in any other way than
hy removing It's cause The squalid and
nlthy tenements in New York and other
large cities are not Inhabited from choice,
but necessity. The people are too poor
70 afford anything better; Il they could
they would move away. or. 10 retain
them, landlords would he compelled 10
construct decent habitations.
The first and most important step, then.
IN the solution of this problem Is 10 abol-
ish Involuntary poverty. and this is not
so din alt as many people suppose.
Now. since all wealth Is the result OF the
application Of labor 20 land it goes with
out saying that under natural conditions
the more the laborer produced the richer
he would become: but under present con-
4Itions. the very reverse Of this Is true.
The fault. then can be directly traced 70
our laws governing the production and
distribution Of wealth All labor pro-
ducts are didvided between the th>ee
factors Of production. g. c. land labor and
capital. interest 10 the capitalist for the
uso OF capital: wages 20 the lahorer
Imanual or mentaD for services rendered.
and rent TO the laudlard for what
furnishing land2 The land owner. as such.
ir no sense aids production. on the con-
'rary his function is ~ hamper produc-
tion hy Withholding iaud from use, or ex-
acting from the users thereof the lion s
share Of the produce without rendering
any equivalent Is Il any wonder that
mon are IMPOVERISHED. or compelled 10
compete With their fellowmen for the
privilege 90 ~ working The earth was
created not FOR a few, but for the use Of
all men FOR all time. therefore. private
ownership in the soil is unjust. but pTi-
vste possession is both necessary and
JUST The single tax Viii secure TO all
EQUAL rights 70 the Use % the earth 81
viii destroy land monopoly by making
IL u1prodtabls 70 hold valuable land out
az use for = rise tn value. Under this
system ali taxes on labor and labor pro-
ducts would be abolished. 70 he substi-
turef by the collection 0f ground rents
for all public expenses Ground rent Is
the price Of exclusive possession Of any
locality and IS dsteFmi incl ~ the num her
~ people the Owner or taat 10 Atty IS
enabled 70 exclude, iu other words by
supply and demand Ground rents are
Iue exclusively - social growth and DE-
Reiopwent and are in TO sense created by
Individual exertlon. therefore. that which
fhe community creates belongs 20 the
whole community and should - used 10
paw for community expenses. II al the
people ~ Seattle moved await ex-ept the
att3e DE WORTH The adoption 81 the SIN
gle FAX would compel the owners Of val
uahle vacant land 60 either improve IL
themselves or allow Others 40 50. thereby
creating opportunities for the employ
rnent q labor and capital 70 such an ex-
tent that all men could hn5 work without
difficulty Instead o. five men seeking one
sob the reverse woult ~ trsIe and. as A
~ezss,t wages would rise - the fun earn
inrs % labor The huT!liatiDg spectacle
q ablebodiea nen begging work from
'heIr felIow-r.en would no longer dis
grace our free COUNTRY" and unaer free
conditions whlrh the single tax viii GER
rsfrfv Insure every mar. - he 50 desired.
could employ himself snf earn xuffS~teat
tn ou-r his own home. No. until men are
f~sa can the labor question. ~ which
49,, tenement house problem Is but one
rheer ever be settled TIE masses are
e-r,sutnE under the yoke % Industrial
slavery and seek - release themselves
hv every conceivable method but the
-asht one- The single lax IS the only way