The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-10-29
WHY

81, Contender number of Frank
nth. ~ admirable little single tax
,i6liaation "Why?", is devoted to a
puDnoduction of Tom l.. Johnsons
lsp paob in the house, January 30, 1894,
s y onnosition to the income tax bill,
~ m,, yF' however, he supported under
spl..,t and as a G. dice of evils" He
mp.otorred II to arr tariff tax, but pre-
erred the single tax above all others.
!. Tom is now living Mark Hanna
10 o. higoest scar he ever had, the re-
sallication of his speech is timely.
pnt while on this head. The indie
,ondent would lille TO ask the single
AYERS a few questions All this talk
sboot taking lald values for public
sDg Is so vague and indefinite
% 10 raise doubts as TO the sanity Of
,bo nerson indulging in IT, unless we
accent A. outs f. Posts explanation that
4 ls an "ellptical expression" OF
nnrge. every sane man knows that
the real revenues Of government are
no services and commodities used in
n oneralions. Neither land nor land
valaes can be used as revenues; but
pitber may be made the basis of COM
mfafion to ascertain how much the
possessor Of land shall contribute to-
ward the support Of government.
SUPPOSE we admit that the most
fepltable assessment of taxes may be
made by ignoring the value Of every
hind of wealth produced by mans la
bor and computing the taxes simply
upon the value Of land holdings-lN
WHAT shall the taxes thus com
paled be paid? Not in land. Not in
land values. Then what? ooh, in
money Of course" chorus the single
takers
But that "money"-how about that?
Do you intend to continue the prac-
flee Of stamping Ten Dollars" upon
every 2jS grains Of standard gold pre-
snted at the minis, for any individual
who Is lucky enough to be the owner
o. gold, and make the coin SO stamped
tie exclusive thing in which taxes
nay be paid? Or, do you intend to
confer a like privilege upon each
brshe Of corn, or wheat, or potatoes?
As The Independent views II, II Is
more important to determine IN
WHAT taxes shall be paid than II Is
TO determine ON WHAT they shall |
be computed. SO long as men are
compelled to sacrifice their services
and products in order to procure from
some privileged fayorite small disk |
o. his gold, upon which paternal- |
ltlc government has stamped It's |
money symbol free of eharge-and |
thus conferred upon that disk Of gold |
Exclusive power to cancel tax leyiec-
I 50 long will some men be the
eaeieiares of special privileges, and |
aler men Injured thereby no matter |
whether we have single tax on land
values or the present chaotic system.
SSSSSSS&
When the populists proposed to loan
Money at moderate rate of interest
farmers, which never went further
l1an a tentative proposition provid-
81 some better way of relieving the
distress then prevailing could not be
ioahd' the scheme was not only de-
lolheed as absurd, but anarchistic by
Ie whole republican press. Now that
me government has loaned to ma
uohal bankers $3.50 900 without in
uiesl, the same editors not only do
aol aenounce 1t, but actually approve
u Il, Yet there are some millions of
pople who believe that the republic
al. .an press Of this country is honest
Ana uhsubsldized. While the republi-
l s party has under its control a pro
,tsal like that, voting for them
s ,sah year after year, while thou
,sa OIL farmers stay in their fields
w.. .ys. shuck corn election day, we can
iApeel nothing else than that the pro-
n ~ oil wealth will continue TO turn
' ~ VI II over to the millionalres, eX-
WI bare living.