The herald., 1896-05-10
SINGLE TAKERS NEW TACK
After al Amendment to the State Con.
stltutiOn
Article XIII Attacl<ed-A Substitute whic:
Would Permit Some Long Needed
Changes In Levying Taxes

| iHe SiHSlc-tdAeTS Oh CaI1rOrnfa, says
the San Francisco Call, are about to
make a concerted movement to secure
| an amendment of the state constitution
| which shall place it within the power
of the people of the state to institute the
| single tax.
At meeting of single-tax men held
| in the office of Joseph Leggett this ac-
tion was finally determined upon.
| The amendment proposed is in the
| form of substitute for article XIII on
revenue and taxation, and as prepared
| reads as follows:
ARTICLE XIII
Section l. The legislature shall pro-
vide for the levying of taxes and the
raising of revenue in such manner as
| 1t shall deem just
! Sec. 2. All taxes shall be uniform
upon the same class of subjects within
the territorial limits Of the authority
| levying the tax, and shall be levied as
| sessed and collected as the legislature
| shall direct.
| Sec. 3. The power of taxation shall
never be surrendered or suspended by
any grant or contract to which the state
shall be party.
Sec. 4. Land and the improvements
| thereon shall be separately assessed
Land of the same quality or similarly
| situated. whether used or unused, shall
be assessed at the same value
Sec. o. All lands which have been sec
tionized by the United States govern
ment shall be assessed for the purpose
of taxation by sections or fractions of
sections. The legislature shall provide
by law Tor the assessment of all lands
not sectionized by the United States
government.
Sec. 6. The legislature may provide
for the payment of all taxes by INSTALL
ments.
Sec. 7. The legislature shall have
mower 10 enact all laws 20
carry out the provisions of this article.
The adoption of this amendment"
said Mr.. Leggett yesterday, will give
to the legislature full power over the
subject of taxation and open the way for
the speedy attainment of such reforms
in the mode of raising revenue as the
progressive thought of the time de-
mands.. The vast number of amend
ments proposed to article Mi of the
constitution at the last two sessions of
the legislature proves that general pub
lie dissatisfaction with the present
method OF raising revenue is wide
spread. In 1894 amendments exempt
ing free public libraries and free muse
umS. fruit and nut bearing trees under
the age of four years and grape vines
under the age .of three years from tax
alton were adopted by the people by
overwhelming majorities.
This fact proves that the people of
this state are beginning to perceive the
folly of taxing the products of labor.
Inc Just and rational demand begin
ming to come from the manufacturers of
California for reasonable exemptions
from taxation of at least a portion of
their capital plant and product, and a
like demand from the ship-owners OF
san Francisco to be relieved from the
burdens of taxCtion upon their shipping
prove that a more feasible and direct
means of securing reform in taxation
than by the slow and expensive methods
or constitutional amendments has come
to be an absolute necessity. The ext
gencies of business and the necessities
OF manufacturers; at the present time
call for prompt relief. and the only way
in which this can be secured is by giving
to the legislature full jurisdiction over
all matters of taxation"
James :. Reynolds said last evening
on the subject: "One of the greatest
obstacles to the adoption of the single
tax is the dense ignorance as to the
present mode of raising revenue Not
one man in ten can describe, even ap-
proXimately, the grotesuue scheme of
robbery which we have devised for tht.
bedeVilment of every person unfortun-
ate enough to have any thing ne cannot
hide. and by courtesy called taxation.
So it is often necessary to acuuaint a
man with the law as II is before he is
amenable TO argument in favor of a
better way.
Show him that the state constitution
requires land. improvements. personal
property of every description to be tax
ed. with poll taxes thrown in. and also
how unequally they bear heaviest on
those least able to bear them. and ne is
then able to appreciate the simple meth
cd of the single tax on land values.
Then give him few short lessons.
showing how single tax on land val
ues cannot be otherwise distributed
equitably among the people in exact
proportion as each makes use of lard.
and then let him go and think il out for
himself He will come around a sure
enough single-taXer all right"