Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1901-04-23
THE SINGLE TAX.
By Henry George.

Consider the difference between the
value OF building and the value OF
land. The value of building, like
the value of goods. or of anything
properly styled wealth. is produced
by individual exertion. and therefore
properly belongs to the Individual;
the growth and improvement Of tie
community. and Therefore properly
belong to the community. 1t is not
because Of what it's owners have done
but because of the presence Of the
whole great population, that land in
New York is worth millions an acre.
This value therefore is the proper
fund for defraying the common ex-
penses Of the whole populations; ard
it must be taken foi public use, under
penalty of generating land specula-
ton and monopoly which will bring
about artificial scarcity where the
Creator has provided in abundance
for all whom His providence has call
ed into existence 1t is thus a viola
ton of justice to tax labor, or the
things produced by labor, and it is
also a violation Of justice not to tax
land values.
These are the fundamental efsons
for Which we urge the Single Tax,
believing it TO be the greatest and
most fundamental of all reforms. We
do not think it will change human
nature. That man can never do; but
it will bring about conditions in
which human nature can develop
Whit is best. instead of, as nov III so
many cases, what is worst. 1t will
permit such an enormous production
as we can now hardly conceive. 1t
will secure an equitable distribution.
1T will solve the labor problem and
dispel the darkening clouds which
are now gathering over the horizon of
our clvillz alton. 1t will make undo
served poverty an unknown thing. 1t
will check the soul-destroyirg greed
OF gain, 1t will enable men TO be at
least as honest, as true, as consider
ate, and as high-minded as they
would like to be. 1t will remove
temptation to lying, false swearing.
bribery, and law breaking. 1t will
open to all. even the poorest, the co;i.-
forts and rehnements and opportuni-
ties of an advancing civilization. I
will thus, SO we 1eve1ently believ~.
clear the way for the coming of that
kingdom of right and justice, and
consequently of abundance and peace
and happiness, for which the Master
told his disciples to pray and work
1t is not that it is promising inven-
ton or cunning device that we look
for the Single Tax to do all this; but
it is because it involves a conformins,
of the most important and fundamen-
tai adjustments of society to the su
preme CIV of justice, because it in
wolves the basing of the most import
ant of our laws on the principle tha
we should do to others as we should
do to Others as we should be done by
The readers of this article, l may
fairly presume, believe. as l believe
that there is world for US beyont
this. The limit of space has prevent
ed me from putting before them MOI,
than SOM hints for thought. Let III
in conclusion present two more:
1. What would be the result il
Heaveh itself if those who got ther
first instituted private property il
the surface of Heaven, and parcee
it out in absolute nership anon
themselves, as we parcel out the SUI
face of the eartho
2. Since we cannot conceive of
Heaven In which the equal rights
Gods children to their Father
bounty is denied, as we now den
them on this earth, what is the dut
enJoined Oh Christians by the dali
prayer: Thy Kingdom come, I'll
will be done, on earth, as ii is
Heaveu?'