The San Francisco call., 1896-05-17
LETTERS FROM THE PEOPLE.
THE SINGLE TAX.
How to Promote the Pr rosperity of All
the People.


Editor Call: The Manufacturers and Pro-
ducers' Association of California is engaged in
laudable effort to encourage home industries
by requesting, through means of circulars,
local dealers to use domestic products and
thereby keep the money from going abroad.
But the folly of dealing with the effects instead
of the causes of financial depression, which
have given birth to such associations, prompts
me to ask you for space in which TO say some
thing upon the subject. The broad and liberal
view of THE CALL upon economic questions is
my excuse for offering you this
1t is surprising to me that the principles OF
political economy, which are so essential to
the promotion of business industry and
wealth, should be entirely overlooked by
associations earnestly endeavoring TO promote
the public welfare. There Can be but one
political science, just as there is but one
science of mathematics, one of astronomy, or
one of chemistry. That none of the Govern
ments of the world have adoped this one sys-
TEN, but are all governing on different nnes
in conformity with what custom has be-
queathed them, shows that something must be
wrong, more especially as the industrial de-
preston is limited to no particular people
Such being the case, it follows that IL must De
a common evil that confronts
So long as natural opportunities were open
to the masses. and the great West was unset
tied, the tramp was unknown and the man
who was willing to work could always find
something to do; but the westward march OF
civilization has at last brought US face TO face
with the utmost boundaries OF our country, be-
yond which we cannot go-we turn backward
By natural opportunities mean land which
is the parent of US all, and to whom we must
look as the child to its mother for sustenance;
and why III a country OF such vast area and
productive qualities, with population OF less
than seventy millions should there be want
and stagnation of business?
The land is the inheritance of mankind. The
community by reason of their presence give to
land certain value in direct ratio to the pop
ulation. What that land is worth TO the one
who uses 1t that person should pay annuallyto
the community for community purposes ac-
cording to the location occupied. The COM
munity made the value. hence they have the
right to demand of the person using 1t the
economic rental which the privilege is worth.
In no other way can man be free. IN no
other way should thisGovernmente exist. In no
other way can you prevent the making OF mil
Eonaires on one end of the line and paupers on
the other.
That we have been running on wrong lines
these many years is no argument we are right.
Two and two made four before the science of
mathematics was promulgated the planets re-
volved around the sun before the science of
astronomy was known, and the true science of
political economy existed before to-day
Why weste time and paper in fighting effects
such as we are now experiencing when the
parent cause is so plainly to be seen? Why
tax production and fine industry and build
tarlf walls TO hamper trade and commerce
when the annual rental value of land is more
than enough TO cover all governmental ex-
penses? This Government cannot be free until
its people are free. We cannot and must not
tolerate industrial slavery in these United
States.
For further light upon this subject l would
refer the reader 10 the Theory of Human
Progression" by Patrick Edward Dove, "Prog-
ress and Poverty by Henry George and "Soeial
problems" by the same author. Most re-
spectfully yours for reform,
GEORGE W. LOCKE