Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-08

men, In either case great public in
convenience and damage must result.
The single tax is deceptive in that 1t
processes to provide the poor man 4
home. Not for all the world would we
place the smallest obstacle in the way
of him who hasea desire to possess ?
home But it is not less cruel to awak-
en- hopes for which there is no posi-
bility of realization. or to awaken hope
without putting into motion machiner?
that will render realization probable.
Industry, energy and frugality are tim
bers which the poor man must build Rl-
to his home. The single tax, if it
should do all that is claimed for it, can
not supply these.
The single tax is objectionable like
wise, because of the uncertainties that
attend its administration.
According to the statements OF it,
friends, it has never been reduced to
practice on any large scale in a COM
pick society. y few partial attempts
to apply it III isolated cases and in eX-
CCDjlCIdi CONUtllOlS tdlilOl pOSSlDls
demonstrate its universal utility.
It's advocates are not at all agreed
as to the methods of working it, One
authority says the amount of the tax
will be determined as it now is by tha
assessors. But in the next breath We
are told that the farmers are now pay
ing two and one half or three times
more than their fair share of tax. If
the same assessors continue to deter.
mine the amount of the tax this in
equality may be expected to continue.
and even increase, since with persona
property and improvements exempt the
amount to be raised and the iuequalit'
multiplied in the same ratio.
Another authority says the amour.
of the tax will be determined auto
matically, almost unconsciously by tn
law of supply and demand. Thus tn
amount of the tax. which equals tn
rental values of the land. will be as
certamed by that rental value in the
open market This differs from M
Sheaman's land auction scheme on,y
in that it is private bargain i'll which
the shrewd operator has decided al
vantage. while Mr.. Shearman's is Q
public transaction wherein there ca
be fair free and open competition. But
many uncertainties attend even this
method. Thus, in the case of the %
foot lot in the city more valuable thar
any acre farm. the demand must be
t1 tryhr q ln nnn viii
ling to put up the value Of the improve
ments in addition to the tax. So that
a few capitalists by mutual consent re.
fusing to bid, at public or private sale
makes little difference, could control
the situation in a large city, and pre-
vent the collection of any tax on these
most Valuable lands. The government
evidently must interfere and fix By
assessors or otherwise a definite
amount of rental value or tax, and
evict those who. refuse to pay This
will avail little in the way of revenue
! since only men of wealth can meet the
conditions resting on these valuable
lands. And now the single takers pro
pose ,at.a stroke of the pen to abolisf
all. kinds of fictitious wealth; soFcalled
stocks;S1 bonds, notes, mortgages, credits
etc, with all accumulated wealth OIL
surplus capital wiped out of existence
Very few would be able to assume any
financial obligation. The resulting con
ditions can perhaps be imagined, bu
cannot very well be described.
The single tax is Objectionable, fin
ally. because its uncertain tenure war:
directly against domestic happiness
and individual and national prosperity
| Upon a tenancy from year to year
which is the best the single tax can b,
said to amount to, it is difficult t.
build up a happy home, to establish (;
successful industry, or a prosperou
business. At rough estimate some
thing less than half of the families il