The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1897-10-18
THE SINGLE TAX.
A Single Taxer.
To the Editor Of The Post.

To the Editor OF The Post
Waco. Texas, October 9--The Post in q
recent editorial, Law and Labor" recog-
nizing that the law Of supply and demand
regulates wages, asserts that mo matter
what legal decisions may be rendered, the
social relations can never be wisely and
rghteously adjusted and administered
| TIL every man who is honestly willing to
labor shall be able to live in this common
heritage. the earth, in reasonable decency
and comfort
| The problem Is, why are those honestly
Willing TO labor unable to live i'm decency
and comfort? Because they do not receive
natural wages, nor considerable part of
what they are entitled to.
| The following will show at what points
In production and distribution labor is de-
prived of Its earnings:
Inere are three factors in production
land, labor and capital. Labor and capital
are the active factors, while land is the
passive factor.
Land, the passive factor, is furnished
ny nature ireeiy to all. Labor applied to
the land produces all wealth. Wealth in
ciudes all artificial things external to man:
In other words, labor products.
capital Is that part OF wealth which "a
used In the production of other wealth.
Wealth is distributed among the three fac.
tors OF production as follows: Rent IN
land, interest to capitaI and u,,oo, -. "
Dor. es' W ="
Rest measures the value of super,or land
teither in fertility or location or botbI
over the poorest land in use. Interest ia
.ne return paid for. or secured from. the
use OF capital. Wages are the returns n
LABOR after deducting rent to land and in.
terest to capital, if any.
When land, the free gift of nature. h
heid in individual ownership. such indi-
aiuuals as own It collect for their own use
accrues to the passive factor In productinr
iaha' This gives land owners a great ad,
vantage over non-land owners. They can
1--WE out or the proceeds OF their rents ara
accumulate capital which they lend IN
lapor at interest or invest in prodnct;ye
enaerprises' hiring labor at wages. and re-
an, ING net income Interest on their
'' Th ana wages OF superintendent
mus, IN every country where the Roman
OF auiritary land system prevails ci,ss
spiihss up which absorbs the returns from
Two OF the three factors of prod,,ctinn
iand and capital AS land becomes conoar
Lated IN the hands of this class and onnor-
sui'iues Tor labor to employ itself becomes
lAle. the return TO land Increases as the
NJ "a. ior IL becomes greater, by reason
OF the increase of population and imnronaa
productive methods. AS the pronnrtinn as
production which goes for rent incraaso ~
the proportion which goes TO Iahor u,
minishes. 'aoor Ill
In all civilized countries the class WHIT,
controls the resources of nature ha,.a
accumulated the capital until now tbsn
NY hueu nop RAZOR. put can exact from labor ali
put a mere subsistence for the usa 80 ~ a.
poor is necessary consequence.
What a monstrous wrong has hoo,
r r....u against humanity. when few
her children. ""'ufe 10 all
me proposition that some men NAV
onarse oiher men for the privilege Of ac,
g, rn,s e storehouse of nature is mon
strous, abhorrent and absurd.
The return to the passive factor ,,o,,,,
e 70 all, as all are equal heirs to natu~ai
=, uouhtles The Post is right whom a. aa,I.
me earth the common heritage \. tha
ioiowing sylloglsm would show /, naturai
perception did not: "i
WI, ~ men nave an equal right to life
ali ,,,s 'anu men can not live. Therefore:
al men have an equal right to and
!. ~, men having an equal right to land
y toilows that all have an equal RIGHT ~
me rent OF land. II ground rent were rae
turned equally to all the people or ussd |
Ior their equal benefit flor common mr. eov
.tlinientai purposes). It would maintain
.ne equal right OF all to the land. Then |
mere would be no class living ON rent and
- result, accommodating all the capsfsi |
va absorbing the lions share OF the nro-
laets OF labor. This class would have IN
- 10 work and earn its own living. In.
~ wouia retain the capital which ii pro-
luced, and receive its return-interast
nus iapor. the producer OF all wealth
you'd receive the return TO land-renI,
ne earnings OF capatal-lnterest: and tho
srnings OF labor--wages. 'Ao
Tn would be natural wages--the fu,,
'Ioauct OF labor. When this natural law
.tnderlying the production and distribution
em~Sv MI, seneraiy understood. the
WIZ Do applied. and henceforth