Las Vegas daily optic. [volume] (Las Vegas, N.M.) 1880-1908, 1896-11-27
THE SlNGLE-TAX.
Land Value-L and Monopoly the
Cause Of Industrial Slavery
Which is More Degrading
Than Chattel Slavery.

RATION, N. NJ, November 25th, 1896
We who are single takers and who
talk and write about the single tax,
always have In view the welfare of the
majority. We believe and are sure
that were conditions such as Il assure
to the producers who compose the
majority, the natural and just proper
ton of their produ It, the whole social
problem would by this simple PROPOSE
lion be settled. And what has indeed
seemed so complex and complicated to
so many writers and statesmen regard
ing this question Is to the student Of
the new political economy, a matter
easy of solution.
So simple are these things, so easy
of solution when one is started in the
right direction, that sometimes we are
almost appalled, at the dense stupidity
exhibited and the utterly inconsistent
statements that are often brought as
arguments against the single tax.
In the first place, the single tax is
not a tax upon land, but upon the
value of land, and again, in referring
to the people we always speak of the
majority. These two points must al
ways be remembered.
Here is the simple fundamental plat
form of the single takers, contained in
but W planks: The ethical: "That
every man shall be free to do as he
likes, provided, he interferes moi with
the like freedom Of others.n The fis-
cal: :sThat every individual shall pay
to the government, exactly in proper.
ton as to benefits received from. the
government"
AS anyone about to build a house
would, as a matter Of course, COM
mence work IN the foundation, so in
discussing this question, we begin at
the foundation of all things pertaining
to mankind, which is the land.
As land is the base Of all beginning,
it is therefore obvious that all persons
must use the land. 1t follows then that
with a monopoly upon the base or
of things, that a person or
number of persons having such monop-
oily, have the absolute key to all mo-
nopolies, and are, therefore, in posi-
ton to extract from the people ssall the
traffic will BEAR" SO long as life en-
dures.
But we, as single takers, hold that
there is a natural difference as to the
OF properly in land and rights of
property in other things. First, that
land in itself is a natural thing that
nature intended the land for the use of
all mankind. Certain 1t Is that no man
made the land.
1t is clear that under u present
system, 1t IS possible that one man
become the sole owner OF the
entire earth. AS long as his title was
recognized, what difference would it
make to his tenants what laws were
enacted or reforms consideredP Should
he people be enabled by wiser observ-
lnce of natural laws to obtain greater
Would mol the landlord raise
he rentP Who would stop himP Is
he not the owner of the earthP From
he fact that the earth isfnot absolutely |
owned by a single person, makes no
Inference in the illustration. In fact,
he tendency at the present time is
in the direction OF fewer land
ords, and the time is now in sight
when the proportion OF landlords to
enaDts will be On q par with England,
I our present system is continued.
In this article SO far, l have only at
empted to direct attention to the fact
hat land is 10 itself a natural thing;
hat all people must use land and that
control of the thing which all people
re Of necessity bound to use, is as
complete control over that part OF hui
who are landless, az though
hey were bound hand and foot 10
hattel slavery.
Indeed, it is generally conceded that
be condition Of the Industrial slave In
he southern states, is worse to-day
han at the time the fathers of the
resent generation of black men were
reed from cbattel bondage. And is
the reason clearP During the time
hen it was profitable to employ slave
lbor to till the soil, there were thous-
nds Of miles Of land which was as yet
comparatively free. As a matter OF
curse, this almost bouudless area OF
acant land would naturally come into
competition with that which was al.
in cultivation, thereby keeping
emit at its lowest point upon the Guilt
ated land, thus allowing to wages the
Hest remuneration.
What ] want to make clear & this