Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-11-08
THE SINGLE TAX--FINALLY


Port Byron, H., Nov. 2.-Editor
Argus: AS SO much is said and writ
ten on this subject it seems proper, by
way of closing the debate. to set forth
some obvious objections. These oh
jections are not altogether products Of
my own imagination or exhibitions of
my ignorance; they are founded on
representations of the single tax pub
licly made by its champions. | claim,
the right to use my own judgement as
to the probable outcome of any policy
proposed.
The single tax is Objectionable be-
cause it is deceptive 1t is deceptive
in, that it promises to furnish land to
the landlesS and thus give to all an
equal opportunity to enjoy the good
gifts of the Creator. Because OF tlis
promise it wins adherents. But if We
look little we find that it furnishes
land only To those who are able and
willing to meet the conditions. 1t in
deed assumes that the charge will be
trifiing, but consider, ont of the pro.
ceeds all pubic expenditures, national.
state and local, must be met, including
all contingencies of national defense
whenever threatened by foreign aggIes
sion, all cost of public administration
of every kind and nature. all cost of
education, of public improvements suca
as buildings. roads and waterways, and
thnCn i'm
and all are to be thrown upon land
values. Does that look like free land?
Moreover the assertion that the tax
will be Insignificant does not agree
very well with the claim to be cOnsid-
cred later of its effect upon mOnopolias
and other forms of accumulated wealth.
l make no attempt to explain the dis
crepancy
Consider also the affairs Of improve
ments. Improvements. according t.
the single tax. do not belong to the
land but to him who makes them. We
have not data at hand for exact state
ments. but will assume a case quite
within the limits of probability. A plot
of ground in the business center Of
Chicago rents for a long term of years
at. $4,000 per year. Upon the Ian
thus leased the lease holder erects q
building costing $1,000,GO0, The single
tax is put into effect The ground REM
is $4,000 payable to go-u-l-..e-,s in.
stead OF to a private owner. But the
building? 1t belongs to the man whl
built it and he who takes possession
under the single tax must pay for the
improvement. One of two things must
happen He who takes possession mus;
pay just as he now pays in purchasing
either leasehold. or an estate in fee
simple. Or, no one will care to assum
the condition, and the present occupant
will retain possession and pay no tax
In either case access to land is very
far from being improved, and "thG
word of promise made to the ear il
broken to the hope" -
Again. the single tax is deceptive ir
that it promises to break up mon0polies
that Cypress and rob the public. These
monopolies, whether of transportation
OF, heating and lighting plants, of. wat
er, supply, of Illuminating fluid used il
a million homes. cannot exist withOu
land on which to operate The single
tax proposes to place upon the land :
tax so heavy that the monOpolies cat
not pay it and must go out of business
But these monOpolies perform a nece5,
sary public function without which
society cannot exist Whoever take:
the place of the present monopolis
must, in justice. be subject to the sam,
tax, and with the same result Nor j.
it possible to construct other system'
5 to serve the same necessary purposes
The money and the labor is not avail
able Or, if the present manager.
should abandon their plants. the ia,
will still hold against the land with tn
added disadvantage of having to en-
trust the business to inexperience'