The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1905-03-09

l.
Agricultural and grazing lands wer,
not considered in this estimate, blu
their value is comparatively insight
cant.
The single tax program, outlined by
Henry George in 1871, and compre
hended in his Progress and Poverty
published in 1879, includes the repeal o.
every privilege.
The American public is robbed an
nually by the benefciaries of the tar
i'll and internal revenue systems anG
other unjust taxing methods, of pub
lie utility privileges, of banking privi-
leges, through the operation of the
Roman or quiritary system of land
tenure, etc., of several billion dollars
] The application Of the law of equal free
dom, upon which Henry Georges phil
osophy is based, would eliminate each
and every one of these privileges. Moth
| ing else can do it.
| You speak of the concerted action
Of wealth, etc. What you consider
wealth, is largely not wealth at all. To
| illustrate:
Say that Blank is situated on the Sa-
vannah river, that there is no other
water within thirty miles, that Blank
is considerable town, that the state
legislature or the county commission
ers grant the exclusive right to the
Savannah river within thirty miles
OF Blank to Mr. G. S. j., that the PEG
pie of Blank are laW-abiding citizens
and will pay you one cent gallon
for water. An enterprising individual
approaches you and offers you 100000
for your monopoly. You reply, mo,
| will make that much every year out
OF my monopoly" Another keen bust
ness man offers you million, but you
say, No, will make that much out
OF my monopoly in ten years and still
have the monopoly left. If it is worth
million to you, it is as valuable to
me-"
AS you pass on the street people will
point at you and say, "There goes a.
millionaire" Perhaps you have not
cent OF wealth in the world except the
clothes you stand in and you have not
yet sold your first bucket of water
Still you are classed as a millionaire
You have a legal right to rob the pub
lie OF 100000 annually. This future
trlbute-levying power you capitalize at
one million dollars. AS Blank grows
your income increases, and you "wat-
err your stock up tc two million. three
million, etc. You have not a single
dollar of wealth (abor product) or
capital (Wealth used in the production
OF other wealthy invested, yet you are
IN common parlance, multi-million-
aire. Such is The bulk of the so-called
wealth of Rockefeller, Morgan, ct al.
AS their privileges are withdrawn,
through the operation of Henry
Georges program, their power for |
concerted action" for harm will di- |
minish. When all their privileges are
repealed, their reputed fortunes will
shrink woefully. They will include but
their buildings, rolling-stock, machin-
cry, etc., all labor products. AS all
Will then be equally free to produce
wealth, and as labor will retain the
wealth it produces, instead of handing
I over to non-producer, it will no
onger be dependent on the Rookie
oilers, ct al, for capital. AS these
can not comfortably
at more than one meal at time. or
year more than one suit of clothes at
time, or live in more than one house ,
t time, ETC., the time would soon {
ONE when their wealth (labor prod t
cts) would disintegrate unless ,nev t
Hered labor special inducements to II
Sc it. They would have to paw labor 6
$ much as it could make EMPLOYING q
self. They might even be glad to
ermit labor to use their capital. with q
ut interest, on condition that it he G
eturned intact. 8
Your illustration of the young man Il
wing land valued at $500 and taxed n
Ll5, who lost money working it for s
lree consecutive years just past. I'm Il
or the single tax such land would be D
and would yield no tax what g
yer. The young man could get much S.
etter land, simply by paying the taxes il
lt-land that would yield him a s.
BOD income. 1t would not be neces- V
Try for him to work year after year II
II less than nothing. People would b
sp the host land or tbo+ ,,oo,oo4 | n