The Providence news. (Providence [R.I.]) 1891-1906, 1903-03-13

thereon and all other kinds OF property. |
This ts the single tax proposition, and he |
holds that IL Is equitable" and IN ac-
cord with the Canon OF taxation which |
says the citizen should contribute for the |
support of government in proportion to
the benefits he receives from the govern
ment."
Now, the benefits which the citizen re-
ceives from government consists OF the |
protection Ii affords 70 his rights to life, |
liberty and property. The common law
and the Declaration OF independence and
our reason teach us that governments are
instituted 10 protect these natural rights.
Not ono of them, nor one Kind OF one OF
them, but all OF them. Not one KIND OF
property, but all kinds Of property. Land
is property. improvements upon land
ara property Chattels, money ana
whatever is of pecuniary value are prop
erty These all need, and they all re-
ceive, the protection OF government; and
hence the citizen is benefited by govern
ment In proportion to the value OF has
ownership OF any of them, not or land
alone for land is not alone protected.
1t follows, then, that the single tax Is
not '1n accord with the canon OF taxa
tion. which says the citizen should con-
tribute TO the support OF government In
proportion to the benefit he receives from
government.
The single tax, then, is not equitable
because II places the whole burden of
government support upon one kind or
property and one class of property own
ers 1t Is clearly inconsistent with your
correspondents Democratic doctrine;
equal rights to all, special privileges to
none"
Would he were he the owner of land
only, submit without protest to pay the
! government for the protection OF both
| his own land and also that or his neigh
! bors personal property? Now this is pre-
cisely, In principle, what the single tax
proposes 10 make him do. and II requires
hut little intelligence to perceive its pal
pable absurdity. w. +. w. w.
Manton, Feb. Is.
The above is a clever letter. 1t shows
some hard thinking on the knotty prob
lem OF taxation.
The single tax, however, Is not
scheme OF taxation, pure and simple but
an attempt 10 use our present system OF
taxation to give land values TO those who
produce them.
The basis of the single tax argument is
the great undeniable truth that every
one has an equal right to the use OF the
earth" We say If every one has an equal
right to the use OF the earth. he has
right to his share OF the value OF the
use of the earth" and II Is only ques-
tion OF how the individual can receive this
value We say II can be done by using the
yearly value annual rent OF land to sup
port government.
In our vocabulary land is not property.
and the value" which attaches to land
is not property. we consider property
only those things which are the product
Of labor of course, name makes no diff
ference as to the principle involved and
IL w F. w. w insists on calling land
values property, why well and sood,
| providing he realizes tNe fact that there
is n fundamental difference between
property in land. and property on the
= products OF labor. This difference Is very
: apparent when we come to consider our
present system OF taxation. The results
/ are startling Take for instance the tax
[ laws" OF Providence. They read: "All
property shall be assessed for purposes OF
taxation at its full market value" The
city Of course, considers land as property
the same as improvements and personal
: property. and what Is the result. large
2 part LAND OF the values" which are ere
ated by the community go to a part OF
, the community, and he makes UP the
4 required amount we tax our improve
Z ments and eersonal property. a most stu
1 pid and vicious thing 10 DO, as the re
A suits show.
4 What are the results?
g Land speculation! The buying OF land
1 not TO use but to keep out OF use, which
. produces an artificial scarcity, raises the
4 price. and lessons the opportunity for la
= Dor TO anu Nntn hHts 'loI AdSts
3 are but a finc) tho laborer .0l6 per cen
. yearly on all he produces. We single
. voters consider wealth a good thing, anC
= idle land" bad thing. and so thinking
D consider Il n great blunder TO encourage
Q the latter, and to discourage the forme
a and that Is exactly what our presen
system of taxation is continually doing.
{ Now where does the individual come IN
v His share OF the land values OF the city
e which he produces goes To the land spec
ulator, he not only receives none OF 1
g whatsoever but is robbed OF all his prof
n It's by the land owner (all but bare sub
II sistence) for the privilege OF using valua
) BILE lands and after he does get sufficien
y saved to buy lot. and a mortgage tn
assessor pounces on him for his pound o
n flesh And vet we continue the same oil,
X laundering scheme OF taxation. Is IL no
n time TO change it2 The only radica
change offered Is In line OF the doctrin
q OF Henry George "a single tax on lan'
J. values why not give II trial?
JOHN A. MLAUGHLIN
ON Monday next THE Woman II