The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-27
Fiuc tuatiOn
OF the
Greenback.

remember that the legal tender notes of
the United States from the time their Is
sue commenced in 1862 down to January
1879. when specie payments were resumed,
underwent tremendous fuctuation which
injured commerce, made business difficult
and dangerous and produced endless con-
fusion in all the financial relations of the
citizens of the United States with each
other. Nobody but greenbacker will
fail to remember that in 1864 these notes
fell in value to 49.2-that is to say, that
every bushel of grain. and every ton Of
hay, that every article manufactured that
all service and labor rendered, involved a
sacrifice at that rate of 81 cents on every
dollar due.
From 1865 to 1869 greenbacks f1uctuated
from 6S cents to rs cents, in the year 1870
the year In which the tranco-Prusstan
again in 1873, rose to s. in 1874, and
dropped again to 81 cents in 1915. At this
time agitation began in favor of the re-
can measure initiated and carried through
by the Republican party, and, under the
stimulus of this hope, greenbaeks. as
advancement went to par when specie
payments were resumed.
Does any man having property, or ex-
pecting to have property, desire re-
newal of such conditions?
In fact, no sensible or reasonable per-
son does but Mr. MaguiTe, with With his his a hair
adorned with imitation straw, goes
through the country standing upon a
platform and shouting for a condition
of things which he knows would be alb
the country. He is in favor of depriv
ing his fellow citizens of the right to
make contracts for the payment of money
in whatever coin the debtor and creditor
may select. He is in favor of having
the Government borrow gold and repay
it's debt in deprecated silver. He is in
favor of an income tax as a means of
public revenue, although it has been de-
cided by the Supreme Court of the United
States that such tax is unconstitutional.
He is in favor Of the Government owner
ship of all railroads and telegraphs, and,
more than all, he is in favor of the Gov
eminent taking possession by some
method of all lands which are held by
the citizens of the United States in ex-
cess of the actual present needs of the
owner thereof.
And here is where the single tax is ex-
pected to play its part. OF this fallacious,
dangerous and socialistic dogma Mr.. Ma
guire has been an advocate to the utmost
of his ability.
Not later than November 9Th, 1895; in a
communication % the Examiner news
paper, he declared that the land question
was coming and was then near at hand,
and that the single tax idea had largely
and generally taken hold of the popular
heart. He declared that already the sin
gle takers demanded that practical efforts
be commenced Immediately to force the
issue into politics in California. He made
the following statement:
The Legislature will be asked at its next
tional amendment RENTING the whole
question Of taxation for State, county and
municipal purposes to the Legislature as
a first step toward the single tax. The
moment that amendment is submitted the
battle will be on in earnest"
And / here call your attention to
amendment No. 2, being Senate .constitu-
tional amendment No. 10, providing for
the framing of local county government
acts by inhabitants of counties for their
government, and proyiding that each
the method and mode of taxation for
county and municipal purposes.
This proposed amendment to the con-
stitution is now before the people. and.
State of California, this single tax bat
tie will indeed be on in earnest. In this
every human. being has natural rela-
ton to the land, the common heritage
of all mankind. from the immediate gift
OF the Creator or, WHICH no common n, law
any form or system Of land tenure
He denies that the ownership of land
has ever added the value of farthIng to
stock of happiness; that it is a sordid and
extortionate system which compels the
masses OF Gods children to pay tribute to
Gods earth; And ..e allowed that the
only scientific and effective remedy for
what he calls land monopoly was .ne sin
This single tax dogma is commonly
understood to mean that the burden Of
taxation for national. State and county
and municipal purposes shall fall upon
the land alone; that personal property of
all kind, stocks, bonds, money, buildings
of all kinds In cities and In the country,
shall go free of taxation; that the great
railway CORPORATIONS shall be taxed only
upon their right-of-way. leaving fran
chises.. depots, shops. machinery and roll
ing stock free of any charge or burden
whatever which may aid 10 support the
cost of government.
1t would naturally seem that dogma
so absurd as this would furnish its own
answer. And SO 1t does from every eco
nomic point of view. The real object of
the single tax Is not to place the burden
upon all property of all kinds and wher-
ever situated, but to so burden land that
its owner cannot afford to hold any more
than is absolutely necessary for his i'm
mediate personal needs while living and
for his grave when dead and that the
balance of his present holdings shall go
into the public treasury whence the
usufruct OF. the land shall be given out
to the people according to the Govern
ment's comprehension of the necessities
of the people. If this is not Socialism
of the most advanced and pernicious kind,
no man knows what socialism is
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