The morning times., 1896-05-17
JUST TAXATION.

LIN SpuCie VI JuSU tiOu Is HcceSSu-
rlly limited exclusively to the just and
equitable collection OF the necessary gov
erhnent revenues. Its province is neither
10 restore stolen property TO its rightful
owners nor to confiscate il to the state
Iliat is the function solely of criminal la W.
IMeVes and robbers can Justly be dispos-
sessed OF their plunder only after due trial
ahd CONVICTION III cur courts. To attempt
retrieving stolen property by unjft rm
assessment on ali property is to punish
ahke the innocent and tie guilty BY thus
taking from the innocent what is not
hers, the state commits the very crime OF
theItIo which she Furnishes the individual.
JUST OWNERSHIP FUN AMENTAL
Underlying the whole question of Just
taxation is that OF the just rights OF prop
erty ownership. Indeed this fundamental
question underlies the wage question and
most all other social and economic ques-
tons. Accurately decide what constitutes
the just rights Of property ownership and
you thereby settle all THESE questions.
For. if labor, capital aud the state each
accurately receive All, and no more than
what belongs to them, none can suffer-
leastwise not unjustIy.
ORIGIN OF PROPERTY RIGHTS.
If seizure or appropriation constituted a
valid title, then thieves, robbers, slave
stealers and body -snatchers would thus
acquire valid titles TO their stolen booty
However, even though might thus made
right, that right would expire with
expiration of the might. AT death the
mans or generations rights would lapse
or expire. Likewise, superior force could
ut any moment nunify the rights which
depended only on superior force. Hence,
there must be some higher, stabler, safer
basis OF property rights than mere appro-
priation or might
BASIS OF OWNERSHIP RIGHTS.
All rights OF ownership originate and
center IN the right of the individual TO
own himself. Unless you can own your
self you can't own anything lying beyond
yourself. The slave who did not own
himself did not own even the clothes on
his own back. for they, too. like himself,
belonged to his master. Hence, without
the foundation OF individual self-owner-
shin. all rights Of ownership completely
vanish.
As the rights of the State or government
are only such as the individual first pos
sessed and then delegated to the State,
even States rights are based on individual
rights. Hence the right of individual self
ownership is paramount to all other owner
snip rights, not excepting even that of the
State.
FROM SELF-OWNERSHIP SPRINGS
PROPE ERTY OWNERSHIP.
Because you own Yourself therefore YOU
own the product of that self When your
skin, muscle, or Hfetime-a part OF your
very selr-has been consumed by or gone
INTO the making OF an article, it should.
as transformed part of yourself be
yours as against all The world, TO morally
use, trade. sell or bequeath as you choose.
And just recipients thereof acquire all the
rlghts-,hereto which you previously pos
sessed ana can likewise transmit them.
6-TAX
INDIVIDUAL OWNERSHIP BARS STATE
OWNERSHIP.
But, If one man can't justly wrcSt froIs
you this product or any part thereof, neither
can 10, 100. 1000, 900, 900 nor 65.-
600 900 men justly do it, even though
sheltered under the euphoniOus names OF
government agd taxation. Hence, taxing
individual labor products is unjust. So
sacred is The individual right to the products
lie creates that even the State cannot
rightfu!ly tax a share thereof away from
him.
THE STATES SHARE.
But values which the State or com
munIty creates belong as sa CredIy to the
State or community rs values the individual
creates belong to the individual. Since
the richest land is valua bic only in pro-
portion as it lies ACCESSIBLE TO a populated
area, the community iointly-rnot the land
lord-creatcs It's value. Hence, its ground
rent, which the community creates, be.
longs to and should be taken by the COM
munty. through taxation, to defray the
joint expenses OF the community-that of
government.
All wealth belongs to the creator. And
thus government would take for her Sus-
tenance what she creates. leaving to each
individual for his stlstenancc all that he
creates.
TAXES THE WAGES OF GOVERNMENT.
So long as government permits landlord
ism TO absorb her product she must, in lieu
thereof. take the individuals labor product.
As two wrongs do not make a right. tie
single tax would right both wrongs sim
ultancously by respecting the just rights
of all concerned.
Taxes are simply the wages of govern
ment. And groups of individuals have no
more right than single individuals to eX-
act wages except for services rendered.
AS landlords. through increased rents
reap all the pecuniary benefits of better
government, they, for services rendered,
owe the government the wages We call
taxes. ID. W. G.