The morning times., 1896-05-24
SUBSTITUTES FOR ARGUMENT

of real argument they are used to supplaHt.
Aware of this himself, he instinctiyely en-,
deavors, in true ''buSh waCker" style, to
veil his identity behind the vague initial
H as he probably is not yet so entirely
abandoned but that lie would feel someN hat
ashamed to be publicly known as their
author.
The report Of the Secular Leagues sin
gle tax discussion, May $, as published in
The Times next morning, was not written,
as H insinuated, by the writer OF this
column, as the editor of The Times can
testify. Furthermore, the audience, by
actual count, numbered twice what III"
says it did. But, possibly, HI can't
count 100.
Ii, as H. himself declares, the single
tax organization includes many names
Of gentlemen of the highest standing in
this city for attainments of scholarly
ma ture,' why has he hitherto called single
takers ignorant? Is he just beginning 10
get his eyes open TO their real intel
ligence?
Is he beginning to realize that he is 10
match for evena very green gle taxer,
and desirous that a ripper one should en-
tirely annihilate him to save him from
himself?
ECONOMIC VS.. MONOPOLISTIC KENT.
If all the vacant lots In a city were
equally open for use by anyone willing TO
pay the tax thereon, the rental value Of
these lots plus the taxes would be their
precise economic rent
Withholding some or the lots from use
increases the competition for the remain
ing lots, and proporuonally increases their
rent. This increased rent is no longer
economic rent" but economic rent"
plus eXtortion, or monopoistic rent"
Evidently a tax on economic rent can
not be shifted, because no one would pay
more than the economic rent for u
location that could be duplicated for less.
But, when private monopoly of all similar
sites debars hinl from them, he is then con.
PEELED TO pay the bonus monopoly asks over
auu above "econCTnIc rent wnlcn tonuS
the landlord pockets. That is why this
increased rent is termed "monopostic
rent because ii is a rent eXacted by
monopoly. Aud, if people today use land,
when they must pay not only the low eco
noiniC Ieilt," DuJ tfe higher 'mont Eo,lStic &
rent" they would certainly not use less of
it when obtainable by paying only the lower
''eConUuIc rent, n. H. the Contrar! iot,.
withstanding.
For, las landlords eventually receive
from tenants both the tax money they pay 10
government and the (mOnopoliStiC ground
rent profits they put in their own Iock-
cts, he thinks no person would be willing
to use this land, for which he would not need
TO pay the landlords tmonopolistic ground
rent) profits they put in their own pock-
dire Calamity-noOuew would use or pay taxes
on this land"
MORE LAND BETTER USED.
Furthermore, when, by the single tax
| economic ground rent is taken in lieu of
! all taxes. producers will thus be relieved
not only Of those indirect taxes, but of all
the burden enhancing profits thereon,
which every handler thereof eXactS irOn
each succeeding handler. They could then
afford. even better than now, to use land,
| even al higher ground rent. Notwlth
| standing this, however, under single tax
the ground rents would be cheaper by the
difference between economic rent and
''Inonopplistlc rent which would largely
| increase the use of land. And land would
then also be put TO its best use, whereas it
! now is frequently held vacant ard unused
! while that which is actually much better
| adapted for building than farming pur
| poses is now often devoted to the latter
! purpose.
SHIFTABLE TAXES
ACTIONS speak louder than words" SO
| long as men can shift the taxes aimed
| at them oRSto either persons they do not
| object to Such taxes. And when. as fire.
! taxes. but, along with the profit on III ar
| cle'S sale. they can also make profit on
the advanced "a TX money by which the price
| of the article is enhanced; they actua!iy Will
come such tax for the profit thereon accru-
| my TO themselves. Hence ma nufacturers he
| secch Congress. inviting taxes on manufdc-
| tured products. knowing they can SHIFT
| those taxes on to consumers of their prod
ucts. they desire an increase rather than a
| reduction OF taxes.
UNSUITABLE TAXES.
But those taxes which can't be shifted
are most vigorously opposed by all on whom
they fail Hence owners of vacant lots
| energetically assail the single tax, being
| well aware that it can't be shifted. If il
can, viii H kindly explain how? Why
| should land spectators so bitterly oppose
this tax if they, as H gravely asserts.
can simply shit it off their shoulders onto
some one else? win he please tell how
! they would shift it, and onto whom?
AS the burden of proof rests on him who
asserts All affirmative declaration, III. q
| is hereby challenged to prove that a single
| tax ON land values could be shifted Un-
less he can indisputably esta blish this
! claim. it is false: for. until proven true,
| every disputed assertion virtually remains
| untrue. Indeed, his former assertion that
| owners of vacant lots would refuse to pa
| ldAeS OH dllI luGltil tUelE
| is prina facie admission that the tax
thereon could not be shifted. For why
refuse to pay tax which thsy could in
| turn collect from others?
| The declaration he makes that the sell
| ing value of vacant lots would vanish, is
! prima facie acknowledgment that the tax
| thereon could not be shifted. For the very
| selling value of vacant lots is the capital
| lied rental OF those lots over and above the
| taxes thereon. And the very fact that
this selling value would diminish with in
| crease of the taxes is indisputable evidence
| that the re is no LosSibility Of shifting those
| taxes.
SINGLE TAX POSSIBILITIES.
| So the single tax would reduce the
| taxes of home-owners by making land spec.
ulators pay more of the taxes they justly
| owe. 1t would open up more opportuni.
| ties for men to procure land on which to
erect homes of their own. This would
employ more men in building and furnish.
| ing those homes, and naturally tend to raise
wages. More homes of their own means
less renters, which would naturally tend tC
reduce rents. These and many other ad
vantages the single tax would bring to the
producers.
And as Il mans natural perversity fire.
uueutly @emanateS from his unfortunate
social surroundings, consequent on our un
Just social system, it might even renovatt
the brain and quicken the understanding
of some who today lack the intellect tt
| perceive to obvious self-contradictions il
which they involve themselves in thei
feeble efforts to crticise the single ta1
| philos osophy. wv. G..