The Dolores star., 1903-06-26
known. Laws which would bring
about the taxation of land values would


about the taxation Of land values would
be of more service to humanity than
any legislation ever yet enacted. Farm
ers are large owners of land, but not of
land values. We have land in our city
that sells at the rate of five million dol
lars per acre; have any of you farmers
land as valuable as that? In New York
city there is land that sells for fifteen
million dollars per acre; is there any
land in this neighborhood at thai price:
To answer my friends question,
will relate little talk had one day
| with Congressman Pierson of Tuscara-
was county, when we We're in WASH
ington together. Piersou WAS farmer
and he said to me one day: Tom, can
not go your single tax, as it would be
hardship on the farmers, and they al
| ready have more than their share of
the burden of taxation. said: Look
here, Pierson, if l thought the single
tax would increase the farmers burden
l would not stand for it for one minute.
In fact, if did not know it would be
the greatest blessing to the farmers and
to the workingmen in the city ms well,
l never would advocate 1t again. | can
show you that the single tax will lighton
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 pres
ent tax burden do you think the farm
ers bear"?' Well he answered, the
farmers constitute over half the popula-
tion Of the United States, and | should
say that they pay al least 80 per cent of
all taxes Very well, let. call it 30
per cent to be safe NO, no. said Pier
son, that's too low. They pay more
than go per cent, rather than less All
right but to be safe, let's call it 80 per
cent
Now, Mr.Pierson, want you to tell
Inc how much of the value OF land the
farmers have in the United States?
Please take into consideration all the
valuable coal lands, the iron, silver,
gold, copper and other valuable mines
the water power privileges, the rail
roads and their rights of way and ter
minals, including street railroads. telc-
phones and telegrapbs, for these are
built on the most valuable lands; all the
the gas and electric lighting rights of
way, built on land of great value: all
the city lots, some of which are worth
more than whole county of farming
land. l want you to take all these into
consideration, and then tell ME how
much Of these values in the United
States the farmers have
Nr. Pierson replied: Well, l should
say, less than 5 per cent said, Call
it 10 per cent to be safe oh, no, no:
that's entirely too high; that's double
Well, we will call it 10 per cent any
way. Now, don't you see that if the
farmers are paying 90 per cent, that if
all the taxes were raised by a single
tax on land values the farmers, since
they have out 10 per cent of these val
ues--you say 5 per cent-would pay
less; that their taxes would be reduced
five times? That instead of paying one
half as now, they would, under that
plan, pay but one-tenth?'
4 declare, Tom, | never looked at it
in that light, and guess you have got
me-
$50, l say to you farmers here tonight
that this single tax, of which am
proud to be an advocate, would be to
the overburdened farmers and working
men the greatest boon, the greatest
blessing, the greatest Godsend that any
country ever knew. / wish you good
night"
THE STAR gives place to the above,
because ii places the single tax idea in
different light from the commonly
accepted opinion of it.