The Columbia herald. [volume] (Columbia, Tenn.) 18??-1935, 1902-04-11
Tom Johnson to Fa' mers.

Extract from an address delivered
just prior to an Ohio election, by Hon.
Tom L. johnson, Mayor of Cleveland.
After speaking on the issues in State
and county for some half hour, the
mayor, as is his custom, called for
questions. A venerable old gentleman.
with long white whiskers, arose and
said: "Mr. Speaker, | have a sus-
picion from what have read in the
papers, that Mayor johnson desires to
please tell us about that?" Some one
then called out "Tell about the
Single Taxi Replying to the elderly
man, the mayor answered: Most
emphatically, Nor He paused, then
have desire to place all taxes on
land values, | answer most decidedly.
Yes If you want to hear about the
Single Tax, will stay with you little
while longer and let my tent meeting
in the city wait, while say to yol,
that if it were not for this idea. called
Single Tax, | would not be here to-
night. This is the reason that l am
what am, and making the fight which
we are now in. A tax on land would
be an unjust and iniquitous system of
taxation. but tax on land values
would be the most just and blessed
system that the world has ever
known. 1t would be of more service
to humanity than any legislation ever
known. Farmers are great owners of
land, but not of land values. We have
land in our city that sells at the rate
of five million dollars per re.-Any of
you farmers got land as valuable as
that? In New York City there is land
that sells for fifteen million dollars per
acre. Got any land in this neighbor
hood at that price2 To answer my
friend question / will tell of a little
talk had one day with Congressman
Pierson, of Tuscarawas county, when
we were in Washington together
Pierson was farmer and he said to
me one day: Tom, cannot go your
Single Tax, as it would be hardship
on the farmers. and they already have
more than their share of the burden
of taxation. | said: Look here.
Pierson, if thought Single Tax would
increase the farmers burden. / would
not stand for it for one minute. In
fact, ii / did not know it would be the
greatest blessing to the farmer and the
in the city never would
advocate it again. l can show you
that the Single Tax will tighten the
farmers burden as compared with the
present method. Let me ask you some
questions, to see if we can get at the
facts in the matter. How much, Mr..
Pierson, of the present tax burden do
you think the farmers bear2' Well,
he answered, the farmers constitute
,ver half the population of the United
States, and should say that they pay
It least so per cent. of all taxes.
Very well. let's call ii 80 per cent. to
10 safe. No, no, said Pierson, that's
90 low, they pay more than 80 per
ent., rather than less. All right,
nut to be safe, let's call it 80 per cent.
low, Mr.. Pierson, | want you to tell
ne how much of the value Of land the
armers have in the United StatesS
'lease take into consideration all the
aluable coal lands, the iron, silver,
old, copper and other valuable mines :
he water power privileges, the rail
Dads and their terminals, including
treet railroads, telephones and tele-
rahps, for these are built on the most !
aluable lands; all the gas and electric :
ghting rights Of way, built on land
I great value all the city lots, some |
{ which are worth more than
ounty of farming land. / want you
} take all these into consideration and
hen tell me how much Of these values Of