The herald., 1895-04-02
TO THE EDITOR
1.-THE Herald under this heading prints com
but does not assume RESPONSE
oility for me sentiments expressed.l


long since been convinced of the evils of
land monopoly, the writer is interested
in all that is said on the subject of re-
forming the present system governing
land and its taxation. And with t lie hope
of finding some method of reform more
efficient and desirable than that advo-
Gated by thoughtful philanthropists be-
fore the war came to set back for quar-,
ter OF a century all reform thought and
reform effort, she some months ago at
tended the meetings of the Single Tax
Club at the Unitarian church. But what
was said there did not convince her that
the theory of Henry George is in any way
superior to that of the old land reformers
or national reformers,as they we're called.
Neither does perusal of the speech of
Hon. James Mcguire before coDgr IS in
1898 divest the theory of some very objec-
tionable features.
So far as their desire to mitigate the
evils that are affecting the country, the
deprivation of thousands of our people of
their natural right to the use of the land
is concerned, she single tax advocates are
deserving OF great respect Any effort to
benefit mankind, imperfect though it
may be, is better than no effort at ALL
Doubtless they are doing much good, t
only by calling attention to the great evil
resulting from the present disposition of
land, allowing it to be a subject for specu-
lation, which. with the railroad monopo-
iv, and the various trusts, are destroying
the peace and prosperity of the people.
But. in the judgment of the writer ii is
inconsistent to denounce traffic in land,
Gods free gift to His children, and at
the same time to advocate placing all the
burden of the support of the government
on the land.
ferred to, Mr. Mcguire, when referring to
land. said: 1T is made, with all its
powers, elements and resources, by the
Creator, and freely given by Him as an
equal, common heritage, for the use, sub
sistence and comfort of mankind. in a |
generations, from the beginning to the
end of the world" Also: 1T is, more
over, with the air and sunlight the only
means provided by the Creator for the
support of life. F" If it is the gift of the
Creator, and the only means provided by
him for the support of life, as it surely is.
according to what process of reasoning
can it be considered right for man to
place tax upon it? What right to de-
feat the will of the Creator that it shall
be 'free?''
1t is the generous practice of the single
takers in Los Angeles to invite the pro-
pounding of questions by any one pres
emit On one occasion lady said Sup
pose two men settle in a new place. One
wishing plenty of air, light and land,
procures lot $50 feet by 200. and builds a
small cottage, such as his means will per-
nit, furnishes it and moves into it, hop
ing to spend the remainder OF his life in
that humble home. The other chooses a
ffty-foot lot, and builds a mansion of
three or four stories and furnishes it in
the best style. There is on this lot of fifty
feet probably ten times OF value to be
protected by the government than on
the other Is il the single tax idea that
the owner of this expensive place should
pay only one-thrd as much tax as he
who has the cottage house?' The answer
was: 1T is. We do not believe in taxing
the proceeds of mans effort. -
another question. II l understand
correctly the proposition is that as the
place increases in size or desirability,
although the land is really worth no more
to the owner who does not wish to sell
on speculation, will not produce another
potato or turnlp, or feed another child,
the tax on it is increased in that case
what is a man of small means to do when
the tax becomes more than he can pay?
Answer: He must sell out and go back
where the value is not so great.
After having heard so much said about
free land this sounded very harsh and
strangely inconsistent TO the writer.
The poor man, then, like little 10,
must keep moving on Or, like the
hero OF From Sea to Sea- is to be driven
from one place to another as the interest
of his fellow-men may determine, and
which we are told, with the air and
sunlight is the only means provided by
the Creator for the support of life. "
The result of mans labor should not be
taxed, it is said. But what caused the
increased value of this land of which we
are speaking? q use the expression
increased yalue' because, although
believe that land, being Gods free gift,
should be without money and without
price" the theory of Henry George is that
it is to be taxed at its full value, -
What but mans effort gives it its in
creased value? Is it not by mans abor
that streets are made and kept in order,
that houses are built, that hotels are
built, stores managed; in short, that
almost everything which makes it more
convenient and desirable is produced?
Let fire destroy the results of labor and
this land will be of as little value as it
was when the cottager first settled there.
Therefore the increased tax is the result
OF man s labor. That any of Gods crea-
lures should be denied their share OF II is
gifts to them, of ''the only thing that
can support life is gross violation of
His will, and shame, whether they be
deprived of it by excessive purchase price
of the land or by excessive taxation.
Man surely should neither speculate in
nor put a tax upon Gods gilt. Let each
have what and only what, he needs of
the gift for his own use, and let it be
ever free.
The question naturally arises, why
should the land be taxed at all to support
the government? Governments are estab-
lished for the protection-not of land-that
needs one. "Ihe earth is the Lord s." it
needs no protection; neither fire nor
violence can destroy His handiwork.
Government. then, is maintained for the
protection of man against the encroach-
ments of his fellow man. 1t is true as
Mr.. Mcguire Us, that every man is
the owner of himself, and that he has a
natural right to ownership in the things
and values that his mental and physical
powers produce. Chat is, it is true they
should have, and that evidently is what
he intended to say.) And it is to protect
his person and these natural rights from
imposition that governments are neces-
sary. The protection of these, and not
the land being the duty of the govern
ment it is but natural and lie Enable to
believe that they, and not the land,
should bear the burden of the govern
menj's support
There is another and very great OBJ.
lection to the taxation OF land. The un.
avoidable tendency would be to crowd
people even more than heretofore into
illy-ventilated houses, built skyward with
the attendant dangers. Land only being
subject to taxation, the temptation tC
build many rooms on very small lots
would be too great to be resisted by any
ordinary landlord, and there would be
more destruction of life by fires in tai
buildings and by sickness and premature
death from unhealthy conditions than al
present. and God knows there is enough