Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1897-05-21
THE lSINGLE TAX PROBLEM
ED. STANDARD:

ED. STANDARD:
have been investigating the single
tax problem and have arrived at the
conclusion that it is going to be the
principal issue in the coming CAM
paign and suggest that all parties in
terested in the welfare of the masses
give it their earnest consideration.
There seems to be too much lethargy
amongst the laboring classes in regard
to political affairs. They don't seem
to realize the fact that thought pro-
duces action, and that untiring en-
ergy is the price of success. They go
plodding along in the same old ruts of
their fathers, without ever considering
that there might be better way.
Man seems to be more or less a crea-
ton of habits; in fact it has been said
with good reason, that man is a bum
die of habits" and they become, in
course of time, part of his being.
How necessary it is, then, that we
should form such habits as will re-
dound not only to the benefit of the
individual himself but also to the COM
munity at large, for it is hard for one
to get rid of bad habit of long stand
ing. In looking over the history of
the human race, it is surprising to
note the small minority who have
contributed directly to the welfare of
the human race through the medium
of the senses.
Among this number, who may be
rated as the great leader of reforms
in political economy, stands Henry
George, who was among the first to
proclaim the fact that "The earth
was created for the benefit of all and
not for the benefit of few"-that all
men are equally entitled to the use
and enjoyment of what God has ere
ated and of what is gained by the gen.
eral growth and improvement of the
community of which they are part,
and that therefore no one should be
permitted to hold natural Opportuni-
ties without fair return to all for
any special privilege thus accorded to
him, and that pal,e, which the growth
and improvement of the community
attaches to land should be taken for
the use of the community; that each
man is entitled to all that his labor
produces, and that therefore no tax
tax should be levied on the products
of labor" 1 look upon the exemption
clause in our revenue law, passed by
our last legislature, as being step in
the right direction, and, if l am not
much mistaken, will result in the
adoption of the single tax in the State
of Washington, the outcome of which
will be a greater development of the
latent resources of this wonderfully
favored region than was ever exper-
fenced. Why? Because capital is al
ways asking investment and when
manufacturers learn that they can
construct their factories without being
fined, or taxed, for their efforts, and
farmers once learn that there is State
which doesn't fine 'em for every post
hole they dig, every ditch they dig,
every acre of land they clear, every
ton they plant, every house they build
and every head of stock they raise,
they will fall over each other in get
ting here, for it is generally conceded
that we have the finest climate, the
grandest forests, the most magnificent
mountains, the most fertile valleys
and the purest water to be found from
the Atlantic to the Pacific. The ma.
tural opportunities of the State OF
Washington are nearly double those OF
the average State in the Union, ac-
cording to the State Auditors report
The same report shows 14,454, ,5O2
acres of land in this State subject to
tax, of which but 2,211,1 ,162 acres are
improved, leaving over II, 100000 acres