Smyrna times., 1896-03-25
AN EXAMINATION OF THE
SINGLE TAX CINCH.
Special Correspondence to the Times.

the people" Nor is there any danger of
our estimating the evil results of land
but land monopoly has not
as yet reached anything like a con-
gested stage i'll this country. Nor is
there much speculation on land values
except in cities. The holding of farm
lands for speculative purpose is little
indulged in, is unpopular and unre-
The ''owning" of farms
is not at all popular in these days.
The farmers are kept exceedingly busy
to keep the mortage and sheriff from
them. Thus, the desideratrm which
the Single Tax is to bring about (mak-
ing land holding difficulty is already |
here so far as the farmers are con
cerned. The witnesses of this are:
The numerous sheriff sales OF farms |
and agricultural implements:
The appalling and increasing number
of farm mortagages:
And the testimony of the farmers
themselves
The gospel preachers of the Single
Tax's explanation of this distressing
state is Speculation in land values"
Difficulty to hold land is desirable, ~
then to remedy the difficulty and the
poverty, according to the Single Tax
is to shift Theoretically all taxes to
the land, and the poverty and the diff
ticulty will be abolished. The most
sanguine figures given of the Single
Tax do not show it would benefit the
average farmer more than few dollars
year and it is likely these figures err.
So it appears the farmers are not
largely interested in the great Single
Tax crusade. It seems to be a very
firm belief among the people that
taxes are already too high. But when
we have a single tax assessed on land
the higher the taxes are the better the
times will be. 1t is so strange you
can't understand little thing like
that!
A single tax should not necessarily
mean land tax. We might have a
Single Tax on incomes, Single tax on
railroads or wines and liquors, any of
which would give some advantag ges.
Why land deserves to be taxed alone
there has been no sufficient reason
given. Titles to land were not from
on High, but was the title to the vast
hords of capital of our millionares,
which was not reaped from land values
given from on High? According to
Single Tax catechism these are to be
white elephants-to sacred to be taxed.
! Perhaps this is the reason some of
them take part in the Delaware cam
paign.
Let us admit Single Tax en- land
would put all the unemployed on farms
on their own account. Do we need
more people engaged in agricultural
pursuits? Say our unemployed num-
ber 100000, how will one million
more engaged in farming help the far
mers? Farm products are quite low
enough now and we produce millions
of bushels more than we consume al
ready. Our exports last year measured
in pounds and bushels were greater
than ever and at a smaller price.
If the Single tax will not benefit the
country then it must be in the towns
and cities that this readiustment of
taxation will enable us to tax ourselves
rich. Again let us suppose it works
as claimed by its advocates and
abolishes the landlords. From whom
are taxes then collectable? Theoretic-
ally there should be no taxes because
there are no landlords, but here they
shift the shoe to the other foot and fine
a man with heavy taxes who builds
upon valuable lots, houses or factories.
So after all, theirs is no better than the
present system. And those who toll
in them at their daily labor will pay all
the taxes. However great, they must
create the wealth out of which they are
paid. Of course, the worker can not
shift it, though the owner may not be
a citizen of the Republic, or he may be
a citizen but perfers to spend his time
at the gaming tables of Monte Carlo,
climbing Mont Blanc, with Partisan
wine woven and song, or shifting the
balmy atmosphere of the Mediterran-
can in his steam yacht not greatly
agitated about Single Tax theoretic-
ally put upon land values.
1t may be well to remember, under
this new scheme of taxation the poor
man will have no show for desirable
sites; that if he already possesses one
he must be compelled to sell and yield
to his richer brother, by this tax, who
can erect larger buildings The un-
employed man and the poor man will
have access only to the poorest and in
accessible places, the other being al
ready occupied. Single Takers may be
quite ready to prove that the poor man
with no other capital than finger nails
can even fairly compete with the steam
plow which plows and plants 10 acres
OF good land per day. The Single
Tax favors, primarily, tax on land
values and secondarily, the freedom Of
unused land. If he had put the free
dom of unused land first we might at
tach some Importance to his campaign
and given serious attention.
The authorized exponent of Single
Tax in Delaware Justice, and Mr..
Thos. G. Shearman both assert that
speculation and monopoly of other
commodities except land is public
benefit Then, it seems, we are in
debted to the money monopoly (the
associated Banks)the bond syndicates,
the oil monopoly, the whiskey trust,
the beef trust, and the railroad pools.
We are to agree that speculations on
the needs and necessities of the people
is beneficial to the people Indeedl
SoN OF DELAWARE.
, VI ~.