The times., 1897-03-25
DOESN'T LIKE Its ORIGIN
The Secretary of Agriculture Con-
demns Mr.. MOrtOn's Pamphlet.
Thos. G. ShearInan, the WeT.Xnown
Attorney and SingIe-Taxer, Men,
toned as Part Author.

| Ex-secretary Morton's document entitled
Local Taxation as Affecting Farms had
a very narrow escape from being burned
in the market place like the bad books of
| Boccacio. 1t is taboo at the Department
| of Agriculture, and it has very inter
| esting story as revealed yesterday morn
| ing by Mr.. Wilson, Secretary OF AgIieui-
| ture.
| This pamphlet went out with the i'm
| primatur of Hon J. Sterling Motion,
| Secretary OF Agriculture" and Henry A.
| Robinson, statistcan." 1t was cne OF the
| last things to go TO press, and 1t was
| being turned off at the rate of 40 900 q
minute when the new Secretary of Agri-
| culture stepped in and ordered the press to
dead standstill. When you ask them
about it at the Department now they shake
their heads, look wise, and are silent
1t was reported that the book had been
suppressed. A reporter for The Times
called at the department yesterday morn
Ing TO get copy Of the pamphlet and was
furnished with two without any difficulty
These were then taken 60 Secretary Wilson
TO find out what was the matter with them
The Secretary said that when he assumed
charge he found this book being printed
and he stopped the printing as he wanted
to see what was going cut from the de-
partment. He examined the pamphlet and
didn't ike fJ. It is full of political and
economic heresy, from the g. o. p. stand
point. Secretary Wilson blue-pencflled Part
of the work at which be takes umbrage
and characterized It's conclusions as-being
top-heavy sGperstructure, considering the
foundations on which they were erected
The milk in the cocoanut eXuded, however,
when Secretary Wilson put blue ring
around the following extract:
SIN compliance with these instructions,
the experts personally visited ia farms
in 1895, selecting the extreme eastern and
western sections of the State of New
York. They obtained from the owner OF
each farm his personal eStiinat te of the ac-
tual market value of his entire Visible
property, separating buildings from land,
and also separating from the natural value
of the land in it's primitive form the value
given 20 it by cultivation, for the purpose
OF studying the possible effect Of that pro-
vision in the constitution OF California OF
1879 which directs that cultivated and un-
cultivated land shall be assessed alike,
interpreted by the courts as meaning that
the most highly cultivated land is to be
assessed no higher than it would be IL it
were absolutely without cultivation
The foregoing was stated to be single
tax doctrine, and then the further fact
was commented on that the pamphlet was
prepared to great extent through the
suggestions and counsel of Thomas G.
Shearman, esq, of New York, the author
OF National Taxation" and one OF the
foremost exponents OF the single-tax
doctrine These facts queered the publ-
cation in the Judgment of Secretary VIII
son; but, he has not, as reported, sup
pressed its distribution Certain Con-
gressmen are getting 1t, and everybody
can get It who calls for ii.
Secretary Wilson was asked If there was
anything in or about this obnoxious
pamphlet to show that, going out under |
the auspices CT the department, he, the |
present orthodox Secretary, did not ap-
prove of it's teaching.
"There is nothing about it," he re- |
piled sententiousiy, "to show that I do |
approve It."
1t will not be burned. therefore. or
mutileted, or even revised. 1t viii go |
out duly credited to ex-Secretary Nor |
ton, and the Republican party washes its |
hands OF it. Secretary Wilson did not |
wish to show any dfscourtesy to the re-
tirlng Secretary, OF whom he spoke in the |
highest terms.