New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1905-04-06
DENOUNCES TAX BILLS.
Measures Would Burden the People,
Says Henry George, Jr.
sditor Of The Tribune.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: The stock tax and mortgage tax bills now be-
ing damned through the legislature at Albany BY
mandate Of the Republican caucus, II lighter IN
measure similar In principle 70 the 10 per cent
tax all sales imposed by the Duke Of Alva IN
the Netherlands. That distinguished butcher was
there in the killing business with his Spanish army
and his Council Of Blood In the name OF His
Christian majesty Philip II he put to death eigh-
teen thousand persons besides those killed IN bat
tie. And while he was at it he almost killed all
business in the Netherlands. for his tax OF 10 per
cent on all sales gave such sudden and general
halt to business transactions great and small that
civilization itself seemed about to cease. Trade Is
the lfeblOOd OF organized society. To check its
flow Is to cut of the sustenance Of social life.
The murderous soldier could go on killing great
number OF individual men with some degTee OF i'm
punity. but he had to abandon his 10 per cent tax
on sales OF he would have all but killed the bush
ness Of exchange throughout the country. which
would have made II little better than q dead eOun-
try. while getting little revenue.
Similarly. to get more revenue. the legislature at
Albany Is proposing to tax sales and mortgages
These bills will discourage stock sales and mort
cages and become heavy and Fauhfytn6 burden
on the body Of the people The mortgage tax VIII
be especially burdensOme. because u VIII reduce
the borrowing power Of builders. There VIII be less
building. and ths rent Of buildings will accordingly
rise Taxes that directly indirectly fall on pro-
duction add the cost Of production, and thereby
check Il But all taxes are not like this. the
conservative NJOQTua4 OF GOulnl6lCo uA1 NSSSA1J
named a tax that Is not IL suggested that the
legislature get the revenue by putting a tax on
economic rent. This wise proposal. A tax
land values Il not tax upon value from pro-
duction. II is a tax upon monopoly value, for
ground value-the value OF land. regardless Of I'M
provements-springs from social growth and social
Improvement. It Is not made by this or that tndt-
vidual, but is caused by increase Of population.
Manhattan Island originally bought from the
Indians for SEA- To-day the value Of the ground Of
this island. aside from the improvements IN ana
upon IT, Is more than one hundred million times
that $2+-that Is, the site value Is more than S+0-
O00OO0 Individuals made the value OF buildings ana
increment OF ground, or SITE or economic value.
Therefore there would be no injustice in taking by
taxation. for the OF all. what Is In effect pro-
duced by all; while, the contrary. not TO tax
ers 70 enjoy exclusively that publicly made value.
To tax mortgages Is. IN effect 20 tax houses which
viii check all manner OF building operations But
to tax land values could not lessen the amount OF
the price OF land On the contrary. Il would lessen
its price, because. falling on all land according to
its value-on unused as well as used land-lt would
discourage land speculation. The man holding land
Il 70 use get rid OF IT, That would bring IDLE
land into competition with land already IN
Hence the value OF land generally would fall.
IL the value Of land should fail everybody IN the
latOrs. and we should properly have no more con-
sideration for them as spectators than did for
the slave owners. as slave owners when we con-
fscated their slaves As matter OF fact. the spec
that everybody IN the community would be bene-
hted and nothing more than that so1ld they ask
In justice. HENRY GEORGE Jr.
NeW-YorH. April s 1896.