The record-union. [volume] (Sacramento, Calif.) 1891-1903, 1898-10-25

THE RECORD-UNTON,
failing in that, would let the land be sold
to the Stats for taxes No banker would
foreclose to become the owner of prop
represent twice the interest of Govern
ment bonds. for which a premium is PAID.
But the single taxer says improvements
would not be taxed. Very true, as | nave
already shown. Unable to pay taxes on
the land the owner could uproot his vines
and trees and remove his buildings OF
mining or other improvements where!
The home would be destroyed; we Woulo
become nomads. By rendering land SO
worthless by taxation that any person
could secure a portion OF it, 1t would no5
would ultimately fail to furnish even rev.
enue to carry on the Government.
Henry George in Progress and Pov-
provingly, as follows:
THE land tax, whether small or great
in amount. partakes of the nature OF a
State. In great part of India the land
is owned by the Government, and there
fore the land tax is rent paid direct to tne
State. The economic perfection OF this
system of tenure may be readily per-
ceived."
If the single tax works SO beautifully
in India as a cure-all for poverty, why
was it that in 1897 the Legislature Of this
State passed resolutions asking the Ma
tional Government to furnish shipping TO
| carry food donated in the United states
to the wretched and starving inhabitants
of that country?
Since the American revolution any vari-
alton at any time in existing methods OF
| taxation has been a political question
yet the fusionists claim the single tax is
not an issue. 1t is an issue. When the
Democratic State Convention indorsed
the acts of Mr.. Mcguire it Endorsed, his
acts on the single tax question as well as
his opposition to the. funding bill and his
opposition to Hawaiian annexation. IN
fact, the Democratic party is more nearly
committed by the acts of it's representa-
| tives to the single tax than to anti-fund-
ing. as Senator. White. failed to vote
against the funding bill. Mr.; Mcguire
has loaded the Congressional Record"
with speeches on the subject of the sim
verts, and, in the end, electing. men to
office who will carry out his views. On
the evening. of September 14th, in his
speech in San Francisco, Mr.. Mcguire
claimed it was not an issue, and then
forthwith delivered what constituted a
column of close print in a morning news
things, he. claimed that the single, tax
would break up the monopoly OF Miller az
Lux Of 100000, acres of land in the Pa
to explain that the Constitution of this
State requires that land, improved and
unimproved of the like quality shall be
as far as law can equitably go against
holding lots vacant or lands unused for
speculative purposes. He neglected to say
that a tax on land values that would
break up the monopoly of a greater acre
age would as effectually break the mo-
nopoly Of an acreage devoted to a small
home.
Prior to 1882 the EXAMINER" referring
to Progress and Poverty" Henry
Georges work on single tax, said: Pro
gress and Poverty" must in time produce
deep effects and give to the most impor-
tant discussion new turn. 1t cannot be
long ignored by those who regard its doc
At page 32s of the above mentioned
work George says:
"But when the times are ripe for them
IDEAS grow, even though insignificant IN
third estate covered their heads when the
King put on his hat. A little while
Louis rolled from the scaffold. The
anti-slavery movement in the United
Ste ties commenced with talk of compen-
sating, owners, but when. the four mill
ions of slaves were emancipated the own
ers got no compensation, nor did they
clamor for any. And by the time the
the United States are sufficiently aroused
to the injustice and Disadvantages of in
dividual ownership Of land to induce them
to attempt its NATURALIZATION, they VIII
be sufficiently aroused to nationalize it in
a much. more direct and easy way than
by purchase, that is, by taxation. They
pensating the proprietors Of land
Following the above predictions. we
have the. single tax before US. If Mr..
Mcguire is elected the single tax will be
Endorsed; and if as jealous in that be-
half here as he was in trying to secure its
strife on that question to the exclusion
of all genuine measures Of reform for four
years to come. But the single tax can
consideration by the defeat of Mr.. Ma
guire on the sth day of November next.
Two years, ago introduced an income
ton has provided for such law since
1879. believe in taxing incomes whether
derived from land or from stocks bonds
believe in taking a mouthful of food from,
any hungry human being by taxation. nor
DO I believe in taxing the homes from
better part Of a lifetime to earn or main
tain them Surplus wealth should be
taxed, and any person who has a net
income over and above operating ex-
penses and cost of living for himself and
family has surplus wealth which shoU'd
be taxed. The Republican majority in
the Assembly did not dare kill my bill.
but, as a matter of delay. referred it to a
committee of three to consider and report
upon to the Legislature which meets rext
Janaury. 1t should then be reintroduced
and become a law. But the election of
Mcguire would give such an impetus TO
the single tax, as I have before suggest
ed. that the income tax and other meas
uhes of reform would be lost sight of for
years to come in the strife on that ques-
DOn. w nile on the subject, L cannot re-
frain from stating that many otherwise
well-fnformed persons think a. State in
come tax unconstitutional by reason of
the decision Of the United States Supreme
Court on the income tax feature of the
Wilson bill. Instead Of so holding the
court held the income tax to be a direct
tax, and that as such the power to levy
Il was vested solely in each OF the States
and not in the Federal Government.
The way to reach and carry the meas
ures Of reform heretofore PROPOSED by the
Peoples party and TO restore the life OF
the party is to defeat Mr.. Macuire and
the single tax. If the defeat of the single
tax idea In its incipiency Is not a question
of politics 1t is a question OF patriotism
And to the end of removing the single
tax from public consideration i shall as
a member of the Peoples party vote for
Mr.. Gage, who, as a private citizen and
lawyer, recovered millions Of sCres of the
public domain from the :ailroads, who,
az a lawyer, never fore closed a mortgage
on home, and who, as n candidate FOR
Gov ernor. declares himself against the
single tax and against taxing land own
ershiD and homes out of existence With
his election. barter of principle for Office,
being all things to all men, the candidacy
on three platforms, the destruction o.
political party for personal ends, will be
rebuked. And the men, women and chill
dren Of California will rest in COMPARE
tive peace, knowing that the instru-
mentality Of destroying their homes by
an insidious and unjust method Of taxa
ton has been defeated
T. W. II. SJIANAHAN