The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-04-14
II AM A SINGLE TAxER-BUT"

OluSle JdNeIS, VIII dic SuCu DSSouoN
Of the acceptance of all the postulates
upon which the philosophy of Henry
George proceeds and which define the
relations of land, labor and capital
to each other, are familiar by per-
sonal contact and through newspaper
articles with the remark, 20, yes, |
am a single taxer-but;" and after
hearing the "but' amplified by the
so-callei single taXer, Is at loss to
know upon what grounds the but
people fix their claim of being single
takers at all. This but" when fully
analysed, is generally only bubble
and very stupid one at that Pre-
Quently, the "but" Is the result OF a
very meagre understanding OF the
George philosophy and it is also used
to safeguard some special graft which
the single tax but" man would like
to preserve to himself in the event OF
single tax regime. Then there are
those who claim to be single takers
who "go farther than Mr.. George"
These are easily located by asking
them what books of Mr.. George, il
any, they have read. O, yes, they say,
I've read most of them-which ones?
o, I've read Bellamy looking back
ward and Carl Marx and The Coming
Nation and Ten Men Of Money Island
and The Great Red Dragon and some
more. The problem of wages, capital
and interest as illustrated by the
workman, the planks and the pain
and also the growing calf is like an
unwritten book to them, as is also the
bull that had twisted his rope. The
invincible logic that capital, though
1t is often made an auxiliary to labor
In production, is not necessary fac
tor, has lost it's force with them from
the fact that il ever read at all By
them was read when half asleep, or un-
der some other abstraction. Mr..
Georges clear cut insistance that in
terest as a return to capital, unaided
by monopoly or special privilege, is as
legitimate as wages for service rend-
cred; the conclusiveness of his reason
ing, its ethical support, has never en-
gagged the consecutive thought of those
who qualify witt a "but." Hence we
have so-called professors who sub.
scribe in part to the single tax, but
who find that Mr.. George was very
faulty in some of his reasoning" Of
this class are Prof. Behrens, FANNY,
ct al, who are surprised that Mr..
George failed to see that the taking
Of the whole of land values, i. e., IN
earned increment, to the use of So
ciety would eliminate interest and
also that capital is as necessary to tae
production of wealth as land or labor.
presume it is the complex sophistry
of these gentlemen that has caused
Ernest Crosby to say in the January
number of the Single Tax Review that
the last fallacy | have to consider is
the trite saying that the interests of
capital and labor are one" But Mr..
Crosby better examine this supposed
'fallacyp again, using the word mu-
tual instead of the word "one" SO
also does Mr.. Patton in his article in
The Independent, under caption,
Progressive Democracy" tumble in
to the Behrens pitfall and since he has
been more specific and less obtuse than
his peers of greater fame we will take
him for our scapegoat.
Patton says, Capital and labor are
In fact partners up to a certain point
but when they sit down to di-
vide their profits, their interests are
absolutely hostile and every dollar
added to the pile of one Is subtracted
from the pile of the other"
in the light of this sort of driyel.
The associate editor of The Indepln-
Iv.s Mr.. De France. is justified in
saying few weeks ago. when COM
menting on single tax dictum: AS
some single takers state It," and con-
corning which that peerless SUPER
critic. Mr.. j. II. billiard. should take
nctc.
aeco' 1ing TO the Patton philosophy
X could not be to the interest OF any
Proprietor Of nm Industrial plant, such
rs cotton mill or shoe factory. III he il
required To pay fair wages TO those
who work for him nor. on the other
hand. II could not possibly be TO the
interest of the employees 20 have suCh
Industrial plant In operation. paymg
fair wages, unlcaa the workers could
take 10 themselves all there was Of the
gross product Of such mlll or factory.
According to Mf, paton's reasoning. 1t