The independent., 1904-01-28
HOW THE SINGLE TAX WOULD
DESTROY THE MEAT TRUST.

HOW THE SINGLE TAX WOULL
DESTROY THE MEAT TRUST.
The meat trust is often cite1, among
others, as one which woulo not be
affected by the single tax. First, lei
IL be understood what the single tax
is The single tax program compre-
hends the abolition of all taxes, di-
rect and indirect, from the tariff and
internal revenue taxes down to direct
taxes, licenses poll taxes, ctc, and
the substitution therefor of all OF
ground rent. 1t also contemplates
public ownership of all public utili-
ties, which are based upon monopoly
of highway rights, such as railroads,
telegraphs, waterworks, etc. In adj
dition it includes the repeal Of ey-
cry special privilege now dlsgracing
the statute books.
The more powerful trusts, such as
the steel trust oil trust, coal trust,
etc, practically control the source OF
supply, through land monopoly and in
addition are buttressed by tariff on
highway favors and, to lesser ex-
tent, by patents.
If the single tax were in operation
no trust could be fostered by land, tar
iff or highway monopoly. With all
natural resources open to all on equal
terms, upon payment of their rental
value to society, labor would demand
higher wages. 1t would not be Salts
fed until it received natural wages
its full product. The meat trust
would have to pay higher wages. 1t
would have to pay in taxes the full
rental value of it's lands, whether the
locations Of its stock yards or pack
ing establishments or it's grazing
lands. 1t would be subject to the
competition of Mexican and Canadian
live stock and of frozen New Zealand
and Australian mutton. Farmers
would be so prosperous, the demand
for their products beng Unlimited,
that they would no longer be obliged
to sell to the meat trust and al the
trusts prices. Colluslon with rail
roads, to break down competition,
would no longer be possible. In each
and every case of these ways the
meat trusts profits would be cur
tailed. 1t no longer would have such
vast surplus profits to invest in ex-
tensions of its business toward a
complete monopoly.
However, if the meat trust sur
vived at all, it would have to do SO in
spite of paying full value for its
products and their transportation, as
we'll .as it's labor and in free competi-
tion with the world. This it could
do only by giving to the public the
benefits accruing from the greater
economies incident to vast undertake
ings-in other words, the meat trust
would have to render the best and
cheapest service. 1t would have no
power to depress the price of live
stock or increase the price OF meat
Then, instead of being a curse, the
meat trust would be a blessing to So
ciety.
Labor is robbed principally in three
ways-through land monopoly, high
way monopoly and unjust taxation.
Eliminate these forms of robbery
and labor would receive it's entire
product Under the single tax labor
would soon possess its own capital.
Then it would receive ground rent,
in common benefits, economic inter-
est, the return due to its own capi-
tai, and economic wages, or the re-
turn due to labo- exclusive of the re-
turns to capital end land. Thus it
would receive 1t0 per cent of its prod
uct, or natural wages.
rrANYIT II GIvIsIJ