The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-09-23
THE MAGUIRE SINGLE TAX ISSUE

THE MAGUIRE SINGLE TAX ISSUE
Mr.. Mcguire is an earnest, devoted
inflexible adherent and diligent advo-
cate of the theory of Henry George
that all taxation should be laid upon
lands, and that to effect such pur-
pose the State should take the rental
value of lands by taxation. Mr. Ma
CURES election would therefore amount
to an Endorsement by California, of that
peculiar and untried theory of taxa
ton. From that conclusion there is nc
possible escape.
The doctrine Of the single taxer is
that the State should be the universal
mony with unadulterated socialism
which would invest title to all things,
movable and immovable, in the State.
Now, how would the change from the
present system to the new be effected,
should Mr.. Maguire's odd ideas ever be-
come law?
Mr.. George tells us very frankly In
his works, which Mr.. Mcguire holds to
be his gospel and creed in this mat
ter, 81 do not propose Says Mr..
George either to purchase or confiscate
private property in land. The first
would be unjust, the second needless.
Let the individuals who now hold it
still retain, if they want to, possession
Of what they are pleased to call THEIR
land. Let them continue to call it
THEIR land. We may safely leave
them the shell If we take the kernel.
IT Is, NOT NECESSARY TO CONFtS-
CATE THE LAND; 1T IS ONLY
NECESSARY TO CONFISCATE
RENT. BY leaving to land
owners a percentage of rent, which
would probably be much less than the
cost and loss involved in attempting to
rent lands through State agency, and
by making use Of existing machinery,
we may. without jar or shock, assert
the common right to land by taking
rent for public uses. We already take
some rent in taxation. We have only
to make some change in our modes of
taxation TO TAKE 1T ALL. What I
propose, therefore, as this simple, yet
sovereign remedy is AP-
PROPRIATE RENT BY TAXATION"
Mr.. George then still more fully tx
plains that by this means all other
taxation may be, and would be abol-
ished, and thus, as he claims, make
living cheaper to every one; If the land
tax exceeds the existing revenue, then
he would return the surplus to tax
payers in the shape of public works, or
otherwise; this would, he claims, pre-
vent land owners from keeping land I'M
occupied in expectation Of a rise in
value, and the result Of it all would be
TO make rents lower.
Mr.. Mallock has shown, however, that
IL living became cheaper wages would
become less and things would soon be
Just where they are now. The posi-
BILE surplus suggested to be returned to
the community not as wages Of labor
but as a gift, could not afford relief to
poverty unless it was invested in food
and that was distributed. But Mr..
George was not a socialist clear
through, having expressly repudiated
the doctrine that every one should work
according to ability and be paid ac-
cording TO wants.
Distribution then, under the George
single tax theory, would not be in con-
sonance with the single tax idea advo-
Gated by Mr.. Mcguire. As to the other
proposition of Mr.. George and to which
Mr.. Mcguire attaches himself, that the
single tax would obiiterate land mo-
nopoly and enable all who wished to
use all the land they could use to ad-
vantage. its fallacy has been shown
over and again; rents would not be
lower. lands not easier to get, and the
beggar. as Mallock well puts it, would
rove the streets and go houseless TO
he'd as he now does, and this because,
nc we have once before said in quoting
Maliock's crushing reply, If the single
tax would turn all land owners into
tenants of the State, its advocates DO
mot propose TO make them tenants at
will.