Middletown transcript., 1896-05-02
THE GooD IN SINGLE TAX,

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THE GOOD IN SINGLE TAX.
It would appear that the Sirgle Tax
agitation is not without its compensa-
tion. Its strength in Delaware is due
to the ..hard times,y workmen being
willing to accept almost any theory
that offers relief. the least thoughtful
of them not stopping to consider the
chaoi ic condition of affairs which the
adoption Of the Single Tax theories
would produce, the disturbance of all
values, meaning the financial ruin Of
SO many people, because the Single
Tax recognizes no rights In land value,
but absolutely denies all such right.
Tour farm is not yours but it is "God's
acres and belongs to his chil1ren," and
the Single Takers are the contesting
heirs.
The agitation serves good purpose,
however. The Single Takers are DEM
ocrats, or they have been and in Nat
ional politics are Democrats to-day.
They are such because they are free
traders. No well-read man can be a
Single Tax advocate without being
free trader, and free traders are not
found within the Republican ranks.
The Single Tax speakers have been
Democratic stump speakers, many Of
them, during the last ten or twenty
years, employed by the Democratic
National and State Committees. At
least this is what they claim and there
are no evident reasons for doubling
their assertions. These facts lend
force to their charges of unfairness
against the poor man In the manipula-
tion of the laws, and especially of the
assessment and poll tax laws. These
laws have given the Democratic poll
ticians great advantage and they have
been able to laugh at the Republicans
when they have denounced them, and
indeed it has been very difficult for Re-
publieans to get hearing. The Single
Takers are carrying the war right in
to Africa however, among the labor
ing people who have been swayed by
the cry, 81 am Democrat" and it is
having its effect.
Justice" the Single Tax organ,
gave last week list of nineteen prop
critics, located in the city of Whining
ton, giving the exact situation of each,
with the .selling value" and the 'sas-
sessed value" in parallel columns. The
total of the "selling value" of the nine
teen properties is $252. $50, and of the
assessed value" is $120, 400, or less
than fifty per cent. of the price that
the owners are willing to take for the
land. This is not fair to the produc ing
class, and the agitation is healthy, or
would be coupled with any real reform.
That the Single Takers can use it to |
their advantage, we have to thank
Democratic legislation in the State.
There is no getting away from that |
fact.
But the injustice of the assessment
is not all in favor of the Land mono
polists." From the published list it
appears that the relation Of the selling
value to the assessed value is all the
way from 20 per cent. to 100 per cent.
That is, some Of the land is assessed at
its full market value, while other land
is assessed at only one-tenth of the
price it is offered to the public. Here is
an injustice among the owners of the
land, due undoubtedly to favoritism,
political pulls, &c, and all under the
miserable assessment laws of the State.
These are more Of the Democratic
and they will seek, sooner or
later. the Democratic roosts.
But one of the strongest pleas
against the present system of taxation
Is the cost. 1t should appeal to every
honest tax payer, let him pay much or
little. 1t is charged, and without con-
that the cost of collecting
,he taxes in this Sta'e is twelve
per cent. of the total assess
nent. This is outrageous. Many States
collect FOR less than one-fourth of this
'um, and divorce the political machine
rom the financial management of our
.ffairs, changing the laws to suit, it
,ould be done in Delaware. People ,
lave been poli ically blind or they
would have done it long since. When
will men turn from the political dema-
rogue and listen to reasons that ap-
zeal to their own best interests2 s
The Single Takers are opposed to |
,oll tax, and that agitation is healthy. j
Through it bribery came into this State,
nd it has been SO manipulated that it
; curse. Republicans are not OPP
osed to poll tax. or many of them E
re not, if it is reasonable one and is
ot made the means of disfranchising
he voters. But that is what the law !,
1873 has made it and if the Single
AK agitation will only awaken sem
iment along this line then it shall
srve good purpose. Honest Demo-
rats denounce the outrageous manipu- Il
atoms to which their politicians have b
ut the poll tax, and some of them
ave become voters of the Republican d
cket for that reason. Il is only this il
eek that We have heard of the ASSESS ol