Los Angeles herald. [microfilm reel] (Los Angeles [Calif.]) 1900-1911, 1907-08-13
OFFERS SOLUTION OF
STRIKES BY TAX SYSTEM
Los Angeles Citizen Believes a Mod
crate Application of Henry
Georges Method Would
Help Settle Troubles

ITO the Editor Herald: Every thought
full and honest citizen who takes interest
in his country's welfare must be panied
upon reading the daily papers to find so
much turmoil and strife and it's often de-
plorable effects, poverty and murder,
caused by strikes and disagreements be-
tween labor and capital. The question
arises in his mind, Is there no peaceful
solution by which labor and capital can
get what each is entitled to? L believe
that there is a solution and will endeavor
to prove 1t provided 1 can obtain suf-
ficient space in your columns.
In the first place, we must recognize
that any monopoly, unless it is owned by
the government, is wrong and should
not be tolerated; that trade and business
of all kinds should be as free as possible
from taxation, for a tax upon trade is a
tax upon labor. In the fight between
labor and capital there is a third party
that is always lost sight of in the strug-
gle, and he is the landlord the one who
reaps where he has not sown and who
takes the lions share of the profits. What
good will 1t do a laborer to strike for
higher wages provided even he gets
them, If the landlord raises his rent next
day. together with increased prices of the
butcher, the baker, the candlestick
maker?
Points to New Zealand
There is only one way that the laborer
can obtain his full reward in wages, and
the capitalist his interest. In the colony
of New Zealand ten years or more ago
the country was often greatly disturbed
by strikes. It's people, becoming tired of
the poverty and misery following them,
came to the conclusion to take taxes off
of labor that produces all wealth by TAX
ing them off of improvements, and to a
certain extent off of capiatl, and place
them on the landlords, who produced
nothing. The effect of this moderate
step toward the Henry George system of
taxation has been so beneficial to the
laboring man and also to the capitalist
that nearly all the Australian colonies
are beginning to follow New Zealand's
footsteps. The particular good effect of
exempting improvements and also to
certain extent capital, has been to de-
crease the price of rent and to increase
wages.
Great Britain is now following New Zea-
land Only two weeks ago the Scotland
land bill passed its second reading in
the house of commons by vote of 294
to 76 The bill was bitterly opposed by
Mr.. Balfour and other able speakers upon
the ground that it was a bill leading to
the single tax. Nearly all cities in Ger
Frankfort has commenced to take some
of the unearned increment.
Wage Increase Is Useless
In all large real estate transactions
it takes % per cent of any increased
values. The city of Sydney, N. S. W.,
is now preparing to place a heavy tax
upon unimproved real estate ''alues.' The
German colony of Kiachou in China,
takes SO per cent of the unearned incre-
ment in land values every three years. In
no country has ever any step toward the
taxing of land values been otherwise than
beneficial to its inhabitants.
1t is very unfortunate that the laboring
man at present does not realize the i'm
mense benefit that a tax upon land
values would be to him, but he will in
a short time, for he is beginning to dis
cover that obtaining an increase in
wages will avail him nothing if he allows
rent and cost of living to advance faster
than his wages. and he will also discover
that the only way he can remain a free
man and receive the full reward of HIS
labor is to take taxes off of everything |
except taxes on '1and values"
]. F. PONDER,
Los Angeles, Aug. u. 1907.