Morning appeal. [volume] (Carson City, Nev.) 1877-1906, 1901-04-07
AUSTRALIAN LAND TAX.

Word comes from Colorado tn,
that State is about to .llow her rit,
Gems to vote on Constitution Il
Amendment, which il carried will IS
tsblish land tax bas. on the Aus
tralian system. This is practically
the Single Tax system first advocated
by Henry George.
This is the frst State in the Unio"
to take the preliminary Steps for
trial Of this system in the United
States and the result will he watched
with interest. There can be but one
result following this experiment.
Colorado will SO rapidly augment in
population and capital under thi sys-
TEN that the inhahit ants of other
States will woncer why they did not
also have the sense to adopt the same
system long ago. Nevada can adopt
it and grow by changing her constitu
tion She had a chance at The last
session to take steps toward securing
a new constitution. hut the Senate
killed the bill which the House had
passed Notwithstanding that every
Senator who voted was pledged to
platform calling fur a new constitu-
ton.
Here are some of the moral advan-
tages of the Single Tax system out
lined by Harry George:
This unjust distribution of wealth
developes on the one hand a class
Idle and wasteful because they are
class idle and wasteful because they
are too poor-it deprives men of cap
ital and opportunities which would
make them more efficient producers.
1t thus greatly diminishes production.
The unjust distribution which is
giving us the hundred-fold million.
aire ON the one side and the tramp
and pauper on the other generates
thieves. gamblers, social parasites Of
all kinds. and requires large expendi-
ture of money and energy in watch
men, policemen, courts. PRISONS, and
other means Of defense end repres.
sion. 1t kindles greed Of gain and
a worship Of wealth, and produces 9
bitter struggle for existence which
fosters Drunkenness, increases insan
ity, and causes men whose energie!
ought to be devoted to honest Fro
duction to spend their time ant
strength in cheating and grabbing
from each other. Resides the mora
loss, all this involves an enormous
economic loss which the single ia,
would save.
The taxes we would abolish fal
most heavily on the poorer agricul
tural districts, and would tend t,
drive population and wealth iron
them to the great cities. The tax W
would increase would destroy tina
monopoly of land which is the grea
cause Of that distribution of popula
ton which is crowding the people to
closely together in some places, an
scattering them too far apart in otte
places. Families live Oh top Of on
another in cities because of tn
enormous speculative prices at whic
vacant lots are held. In the countr
they are scattered too far apart fo
social intercourse and convenience
because instead of each taking whs
land he can use, every one who ca
grabs all he can get. in the hope ,
profiting by its increase of value. an
the next man must pass farther Of
Thus we have scores of families Ii,
ing under a single roof. and 9th,
families living in dueouts on Il
prairies afar from neie hbors-son
living too close to each other
moral. mental, or physical healtl
and others too far separated for Il
stimulating and refining influences
society. The wastes in health,
mental vigor. and in uunecessa
transportation result in great &C
nomic losses which the Single r.
would save.