The Delta independent., 1902-10-10
FACTS ABOUT THE BUcKLlN
AMENDMENT.
Radical Differences Between It and
tho Real AustraIasian System OF
Taxation-ciass Legislation in the

tho Real AustrdidStah oysteW oI
| Taxation-ciass Legislation in the
Extreme.
| In order that the voter may not be
] deceived by the plausible platitude OF
| the advocates of the (Bucklin) Austria
lasion" tax system. it is essential that
few important facts be emphasized.
First-The term Australasian tax
| amendment is misnomer.
Second-The Australasian tax is
| federal tax and a small land tax.
amounting In New Zealand at its maxi
mum to only 6.07 per cent. OF the total
revenue raised, and in the other colo
/ nies 1t Is less.
Third-P,tor to the adoption OF the
I, land tax in 1891 the landowner OF Aus
tralasia escaped all taxation.
Fourth-The purpose In instituting
| the small land tax in Australasia was to
equalize the burden of supporting gov
| ernment, and TO break up large estates
held by residents abroad. who reaped
| the pecuniary benefit OF government
| but contributed nothing towards Its
support.
Fifth-AlI lands under the Australia
sian system valued at less than $500
are exempt.
Sixth-The land tax is graduated on
all lands valued at s25, 900 and over. bu.
Mt its maximum II does not reach over
| IL mills on the dollar.
Seventh-Under the workings OF the
New Zealand law according to Henry
ID. Lloyd in Newest England'D. out OF
10000 landowners only l3,C00 pay
| land tax
Eighth-The economic conditions OF
Australasia have not been materially
affected by the law OF 1891. according
to Senator Bucklin's own statement in
his report to the Legislature.
Ninth-New Zealand raises about
$iS.000. 900 for the purpose OF revenue.
The enormous sum OF &lO.VVo,o0o Is
raised by tariff on imports and the
balance OF 81, zoo. 900 is raised by n tax
on mortgages. incomes and by other
devices. and the tax from land values
alone amounts to only 81 100000.
Tenth-The pretext that the pro-
posed amendment is local option In
taxation is a political subterfuge. 30
long as the power to exempt land
values is expressly forbidden.
Elcventh--The average landowner In
Colorado under our present system
pays five times rs much as the average
landowner in any OF the colonies OF
Australasia.
Upon such serious proposition as
the complete overthrow OF one system
OF taxation and the substitution OF an
other. no man is justified In decelying
the public. for the material welfare OF
the entire commonwealth is In jeop-
ardy.
Should the amendment be ratified
and It's purposes be carried out. the
lands In twenty-four counties In the
state would be taxed from two to three
times as much as at present
In Gilpin county the land would be
taxed forty-thrce times more than
under the present system.
In Arapahoe county lands are taxed
20 mills on the dollar Mt present
Under the Bucklin amendment the tax
would be doubled and the land would
be taxed 40 mills.
Senator Bucklin. in his report. states
that land values deprecated In South
Australia upon the introduction of u
I mill tax.
In South Australia where tho land
tax. as well as the increase Of popu.a'
uou. uhH Uteu NeIs hmHu. huu tnt
inal assessment was made at time
when prices were very much inflated.
there have been two considerable re-
ductions in the valuations: the frst ono
because the valuations were made on
the inflated. untRxed values. and the
second one succeeding the local option
law OF 1893 and the increased land tax
OF 1894. page 81, U. s. Senate Docu-
ment No. 209)
II the above Is so. what In the name
of common sense would be the depre-
citation In Arapahoe county II the ratio
were Increased twenty mills!
The land values OF Colorado amount
to 5000, ,0O0. 900. Senator Bucklin's tax
medicine will cut this value In two
and reduce the purchasing power. or
wealth. Of the state TO that extent. and
the further application Of an increasing
tax on 4 declining value will impover-
ish the commonwealth.
The purpose Of the Bucklin amend
mcnt Is to Introduce the single tax in
Colorado.
This is denied upon the stump and
in the press. by the specious special
plea Of local option and home rule.
but only little light is necessary to
expose the Interior purpose Of this mis-
called "Australasian tax amendment"
It has been stigmatized as anarchis-
tic. socialistic and revolutionary. When
the radical character Of the change
proposed is contemplated tho conclu-
sion that It Is decidedly revolutionary
is inevitable. When the proposed vio-
lation Of constitutional vested rights
and the deliberate subversion OF our
organic laws is closely examined. It be-
comes as anarchistical AZ secession It.
self.