The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1905-09-05
THE SINGLE TAX.
(By Leo Tolstoy.)

The property right, Henry George
wrote in his book about the single
tax, is founded not on human laWs,
but ON the laws of God. 1t is undeni-
able and absolute, and every one wha
violates it, be it an individual or a
nation, commits a theft. A man
who catches a fish, who plants tree,
builds a house, constructs a machine,
sews a dress or paints picture,
thereby becomes the owner of the
results of his own efforts-he has
the right to give them away, to sell
them or to leave them to his heirs. AS
the land has not been created by us,
and only serves as the temporary resi-
dence of changing generations OF
human beings, it is clear that nobody
can own the exclusive right to possess
land, and that the rights of all men to
it are equal and inalienabie. che
right to own land is limited by the
equal rights of all others, and this III
poses upon the temporary possessor
of land the duty to remunerate So
ciety for the valuable privilege given
him to use the land in his possession.
When we impose a tax upon houses,
crops, or money in any form, We take
from members of society something
which by right belongs to them, we
violate the property right and COM
nit a theft in the name of the law;
while when we impose tax upon
land we take from members of So
ciety something which does not be-
long to them, but to society, and
which can not be given to them except
at a detriment to others. We thus
violate the laws of justice when we
place a tax on labor or the results of
labor, and we also violate them if we
do not levy a tax on land. Let US,
therefore, decide to stop levying all
taxes except the tax on the value of
land, regardless of the buildings erect
| ed or the improvements made on it,
but only on the value which natural
or social conditions give to it. If we
place this single tax on land the re-
suits will be these: l. The tax will
relieve US of the whole army of Of
| ficials necessary to collect the present
taxes, which will diminish the cost OF
government, while at the same time
making it more honest. 1t will rid
| us of all the taxes which lead to ly-
ing, to perjury, TO frauds Of all kinds
All land is visible, and can not be hid
den, and its value is fixed easier thar
that of any other property, and the
single tax can be determined at less
expense and less danger to public
morals. 2. 1t will to a great extent
increase the production of wealth. do
ing away with the discouraging ta1
upon labor and thrift, and it vii
make the land more accessible t,
those who want to work or improve
as the proprietors, who do not worl
themselves, but speculate in its in
creasing value, will find it difficult t,
keep such expensive property. TIL
tax on labor, Oh the other hand
leads to the accumulation of i'm
mense fortunes in a few hands, an
the increasing poverty of tn
masses. This unjust division O
wealth on one side leads to the crea
ton of one class of people who ar
idle and corrupt, because they ar
too rich, and the creation of anothe
class of people who are too poor, an
thus doubly delays the production c
j wealth. This unjust division c
wealth creates on one side terribl
3 millionaires. and on the other side va
e
q and social parasites of various kinds
& and necessitates an enormous expens
] for officials to watch these-police
!. men. judges. prisons and other mean
which society uses in seIf-defense.
The single tax is a remedy for a
these evils. I do not mean to say thu
this tax will transform human natur
| for that is not within the power {
man, but it will create conditions III
der which human nature will gro
better instead of worse. as under tt
present conditions. 1t will make 10:
sible an increase of wealth. of whic
, it is hardly possible to form an ide
4 1t will make undeserved poverty in
possible. 1t viii do away with Il
| demoralizing struggle for living.
/. viii make possible for men to
honest and just This is the PROBE