New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1895-02-23
CUEAPNESS THROUGH TAXATION.
CHICAGO Man OFFERS \ PANAcEA FOR HIGH
RENTS GAS. COAL AND TELEPHONE RATES

RENTS. GAS. coal AND TELEPHONE RATES
To the Editor OF The tribune.
Sir: la your issue OF January YOU said: Now LEI
us have cheaper gas. cheaper rents cheaper coa
and cheaper telephone service Well, that sounds
good but why did YOU not suggest a method OF
bringing about "a contamination so devout.y 70 be
wished? why do YOU not show the people thdl
the gas coal. rents and telephones were IN the
hands q monopolies. all created by law, ana thdt
these laws are made by the alleged representatives,
OF the people ostenslbly for the people rea'ly
against them. ana for the reason that the peop.e
are ignorant OF the science of making equitable
laws? The reason you have not cheaper gas Is pe-
cause you allow the gas company 10 mohopolze
your streets In laying their pipes without RETURN
ing anything like an equivalent to the people LOT
the monopoly they enjoy appea's 10 'heh are USE
Less and there is only one thing that VIII reach
,,e,, a fax on their franchise. This Will squeeze
out the water take all the dividends. when right
fully belong to the people who pay then III aia'-
tion 10 interest on the money invested IN the pant
This will give you an ample fund 10 puy OUT the
plant AMI the gas pcop.e VIII De slau 10 lex 20
"a soon as the dividends stop. This and this alone.
will give YOU cheaper gas you can then furnish
yoursolves with II at cost, same as water. See?
WHY II is dead easy. You want cheaper coa.; then
ston taxing yourselves for the benefits of govern
mont which the coal barons get 50 largely ana Tor
which they pay little and without when coal
noronoiv could not exist Tax coal lands whose
rho borons: tax IT up to a point where the owners
will he compelled coal mine or abandon IT,
This Is simple justice; 1t would make miners wages
hgh and coal cheap. and this exercise of the taxing
now.r il the only thing that car do 1t; see? Dead
easy. -. ,rAo, ,,v al and alike
used or unused and stop timing people by increased
taxaton for putting up buildings employing iaDor,
t1kIng risks and being useful; in fact stop taxing
Industry and tax monopoly force All ana mo uS
hv "a wing the Idle land same as the improved don
ane neope for being useful members OF society,
SIN This insanity force the idle land into USE thiS
wili Increase building raise wages ana ower ten'S.
anJ nothng else will. See how simple? You ask
T Sar cheaner Telephones What Is their cnch? same
"a thc gas companys franchise. Tax II. anu as the
~ ,,,es IN the rates vii. come down, down 10 a
noint thai will surprise you; just try It,
~ YOU honestly want these things you VIII puphsh
this letter and give it a prominent place and IN
add,tion YOU will advocate the methods herein set
Sor,h "a they are the only ores available. ana
thew viii do it, and you ought TO and probably do
know IL II you are builing and strongly suspect
IT, this VIII go into the waste-basket along with
every other sensible. practical suggestion of like
nature which meets at the hands OF the sou.iess
.dItor an undeserved fate, untimely death, or,
what Is just bad oblivion. -
Chicago, Feb u, 1885. H. H. iARDlNGE.