Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1901-05-05
Single Tax Progress.
NO. 2. }

throughout the world. 1t says:
1t is surprising to learn from the re-
port of this chamber of commerce COM
mittee how great a hold the local OPP
ton idea has taken upon the minds of
men actively interested in taxation
problems. At a state commerce con-
vention held at Syracuse last June, |
which consisted of forty presidents of |
villages, twentysiX mayors of cities
and sixty -one delegates of boards OF
trade and other like associations, the
following reso ution was passed:
Resolved, That the best way to re-
form the system of local taxation is to
grant local option in taxation to the
cities and counties of the State.
TO the same effect, the report pro-
ceeds, have numerous local bodies ex-
pressed themselves. Among these are
the boards of supervisors of O5wego
and Oneida counties, the Merchants
Exchange of Buffalo, the cham Der of
com merce of Rochester, the Manufac-
turers' Association OF New York and
the W orklngmers' Federation of the
State of New York. Such newspapers
are cited in favor Of the reform as the
New York Tribute, Times, Post, Jour
nal, Commercial Advertiser and Daily
News; the Brooklyn Standard Mon,
and Citizen; the Albany Argus and
the Syracuse Herald. Mention is also
made of the actual operation Of the re-
form in New Zealand since 1896, and of
the fact that III Ohio, Michigan, Cali
fOrnla and Colorado one house has
passed local option bills. To this rec
ord Is added the statement that Glas-
| gov, in Scotland, and over 266 munich
ps.lities in Great Britain. have petioned
parliament for local option in taxation.
IL is no secret that the followers of
Henry George regard this local option
tax reform as the probable practical
beginning Of the great industrial aud
social reform which George expounded
in progress and Poverty." Not that
this tax measure would be an entering
wedge in any unfair way or misleading
sense, not that it would amount to
stealing q march; but:that local option
privileges in taxation once given, local
tiles would grow in Intelligence regard
ing tue principles Of taxation and the
economic laws of wealth production and
distribution until, step by step, the
people would come to accept George s
proposal in its fullness. 1t was in that
spirit that the late Thomas G. Shear
man proposed, and George himself
adopted this line OF practical, as dis
ting uished from agitating work, and
that Mr.. Sherman in 1888 prepared
the first local option bill ever drawn.
After twelve years Of persistent etf""'
unreieved by specta ..,iar aiso1a g
"'o ''"' rally dear to the reform
! ueart because encouraging to his
hopes. effort whose astonishing success
singularly underestimated, the practi
: cal beginning of Georges fundamen
= tai and reaching reform seems tx
be almost at hand.
One Of the many signs that this da,
is near is the recent acrion OF the Lon
don county council. At its last meet
ing before the Christmas recess, tina
metropolitan body debated proposed
parliamentary bill for the local taxa
G ton of site values fhe bill provide
for the appointment of site valuer i
e each parish, who is to make valuation
every five years. The rate of taxatio
proposed is two schillings of tax to tn
Il pound of site value-about sos cents t
s., or ten per cent. 1t is to fall eXclt
sively upon the value OF sites, improve
g ments being exempt and unoccupie
- property is to be taxed for site value 8
if it were occupied. The burden
ii fastened upon the owner, tenants VIII
pay it being allowed to deduct it frol
it their rent. This precaution was ne
essary in order to reach the owners
v. land under lease. Economic condition
would, in new transactions, make tt
+ owner bear the burden better tia
- legislative provisos could. Thong
ten per cent OF site value has conf
catory sound on this side OF the Alta
ty tic. " here site value means selling
OF capitalized land value, it is really a vel
light tax; for in London site val
means annual site value. If the bill b
~ comes law it will yield about $50, 900
> 900 annually. And there is stroT
probab ilty that il will become la
of At the conclusion of the debate up,
he it, mentioned above, a hostile motto
t.. to refer the bin back to committee W
rat defeated by vote OF 63 to u, al
'iI thereupon it was adopted without q
sent. So the bill will be introd uced
or parliament at the next session with t.
ne. backing Of the county council.