Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1898-08-13

the man who holds the poorest there
is vast difference of opportunity;
which, if all meh should have equal
opportunities, must be equalized. There
is something which exactly measures
the amount of inequality and this is
land rent. The betterment of one To-
cation over another is the source of
rent.
The Leader says Gle failed to make
clear to us how the possession of land,
which must of course be of good, bad
and Indifferent quality, can justify and
even up mems conditions" The
speaker did not say anything about
the possession of land evening up
things but about the terms of possess
ion and he stated it very clearly--sim-
ply that everyone pays taxes in pro-
portion to the value of the opportunity
or location that he holds. That land
rent-the inequality of opportunity
be put in a common pot for the bene
fit of all. That those who hold the
poorest locations pay no taxes and
everyone else to pay according as his
location is better than the poorest. In
short that land rent is to be the taxes.
Labor to be encouraged by it's pro-
ducts being exempt from taxation.
If the land rent is taken for the
taxes, no one will pay rent for more
land than he can use profitably; hence
there will be no land poor" Now
the least estimate is that five-siXths of
the land is not in use. Men will not
use poor land when they can get bet
ter; gradually only the best land will
be taken. 1t is not necessary, neither
is it possible, to use all the land. There
will be the poorest in use, which
would be practically the same as the
best out of use. This is what is called
the margin of cultivation and on it
depends rent wages and interest. Any
thing that raises the margin of culti-
vation to better land reduces rent and
raises wages and interest and vice
versa.
The best land out of use will be an
open opportunity for anyone to work
for himself and have all that he can
make; no one will squat" on poorer
land; and he will not work for any
body else for less than he can make in
this open opportunity.
yuonac 5onand ~, , ~, oDoo,t,,;t,
of working for himself. If a large |
class have no such opportunity, COM |
petition for work, as that class in |
creases must bring wages to the level |
of mere existence. This, as anyone
can see is the tendency now.
Under the single tax use or the own
ship of improvements that bring inter-
est are the only reasons man will
hold land. The man who holds land
better than the poorest in use, must
use, it or he will let it go, to be taken
by some one who can and will use it
and help keep business moving.
The Leader thinks the rich will es-
cape taxation largely and so increase
the burden on others. If he will in
vestigate he will find that under the
present system the rich largely escape
taxation and that it Is the present
system that is making millioraires
possible, with the host of tramps and
paupers that follow in the wake of
each. Besides, the tax on labor pro-
ducts is always added to the price
paid by the consumer. Tax
store keeper on his goods, he charges
t up to the consumer in higher prices;
AK manufacturer and it is the same.
Where will most of the tax be COL
ected? 1t will be largely on valuable
business locations. For example:
There is certain location in this city
where the improvement cost $4,000
Fifteen per cent would be ample re-
urn for such investment, cover re-
pairs and insurance, and still have
enough to make capital enter such in
'estment-$450, interest on invest
nent The owner gets 81 200 year
$50 rent for location ground rent,
f you please. This ground rent now
goes mostly into the pockets of indi-
7iduals who do not earn it, and be-
cause this is true the people are taxed
On everything they produce, eat,
rink or wear.
The single tax is not a will-'o-the
visp. 1t is intensely practical and all
hat is required to see it is a little
study and unbiased thinking Instead
Of the assessor going around and fin
ing everybody for being industrious
and economical and make everybody
swear he is only worth so much when
ne is worth more, he would simply
assess the rental value of every loca-
ion-not considering improvements at
Ill. 1t would probably be done in this {
way: He would post on every location I
hat was held the name of the holder,
dimensions and the tax assessed. max