The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1897-01-29
COUNTY OFFICERS.
SINGLE TAX.

dress of the Single Tax club to Gov.
Leedy and the legislature. Those of
our readers who have made study of
the single tax theory, will realize that
this is only touch upon the subject.
There is a large per cent of the great
minds of to-day who believe that an
adoption of this system of taxation
would be the best thing fer our civil
jzation, and we ask all to give serious
thought upon everything they can find
on tho question.
To the Governor, Members of the legis-
Iature and Citizens of Kansas:
We, fellow citizens with yourselves.
most respectfully cali your attentltn n
to our unjust and vicious system of
taxation.
There lie two pieces of land which
IN their natural state, are Of equal
value; but if there We're 10 people in
the state, these tracts would have no
value whatever; yet, on account OF one
and Il half million people and the ex
pectation of Increase of population,
these two pieces of land have capi
talized value of 81, 900 each; that is,
in order to use either one of them, a
man must give 81 ,OOG or its equivalent.
Therefore, when a MAJ. CONES into our
state with tie intention of becoming il
useful citizen, efOle he can commence
to produce wealth 10 satisfy the wants
of himse' and hose dependant on him.
he s compelle t. give up II thousand
. Ut his hard earnet do lars, Then. if
he puts all tie in,d into cultivation
he is taxed many lines more than i
lie cultivated Aut Il fraction of the
land. And # lie tuilds $1,000
dwelling, his yearly Gne will be mach
. mGe th:,n if he were te live in dug
ouL''. Ii he erects Il y, 200 barn for
the better sheltering Of his stock lie
will be taxed much more than though
he left them to take shelter and COM
a. i
o he, by his own eXertions, puts 81 900
worth of horses, cattle. hogs and farm
4ng implements OH his farm, his taxes
are Increased. In fact, the harder he
works, the less lie eats; the more he
saves, the more do We tax him for be-
ing so Industrious.
On the other hand, the speculater,
holdiug idle equally as valuable land,
continues To pay Il nominal tax. To
nIen who have studied the question it
is clear that this mode Of taxation is
al annual fine on industry, and an
annual premium Oh Idleness. For
with tie Improvement or land and
CONSTANT Increase Uf population. the
uable; but urder the present unjust
system of taxation, the holder OF idle
l;s'd does not Fay his just share of
taxes.
As in the above mentioned case the
user of land pays six or seven times AS
much taxes as tie speculator, who
holds his land idle. Is there any
equity in that? If man will not
work and produce ealth, we fine him
for vagrancy. II he changes his mind
or what some term ''refoIms," and
and goes to producing wealth, we fine
him again. Is this not inconsistant?
Is there any reason, common sense VI
morality about it?
We want labor and capital TO come
into the state and utilize our vast
natural opportunities in producing
wealth; yet we do rything we can
by legislation TO keep them out.
What is the remedy?
1t is simple one: Again take the
above Illustration. Why not make
the Spectator. holding his 81 900 plot
OF land idle, pay as much tax as the
: working farmer, using his lard? That
is, except All impr,.vments in ar on the
land, aud all other products of labor
from taxation: and raise al. public
revenues by tax OH land values
alone. Thus making speculators hold
ing idle land, pay as much AS Others
pay for using like valuable land.
In this manner of raising revenue
there is no injustice. Land values are
not produced by tile owners o. land as
owners, but lndependant OF, seperate
and apart from what they may Or may
not do. Land values in the economic
sence are produced by the presen e
and industry of the whole community:
and therefore should be taxed for the
benefit of the whole community. In
thus taxing land values Tor public eur
poses. you do not take the earnings #
labor or capital, but leave them to the
= le tuse and eriaymeut of the produ-