Washington standard. [volume] (Olympia, Wash. Territory) 1860-1921, 1908-05-08
The vexed Question OF Taxation.

The Vexed Gu sstiou OF Taxation.
At the avproa, hing State election
in Oregon. nrNt month. sinGlc-ta>
proposition wa BE Submitted 20 IL,
,ot,rS which signifies. If adopted
:haI al taxes br placed upon land
values. and thai moneys. credits ant
personal property be- exempt from
taxation The Ort4"ri1a, is vigorous
~ opposing the proposed enactment.
Numerous writers on the single taX
propaganda appear in that paper, al
most daily. The paper seems to be
willing to give both adherents ard
opponents Z fair hearing with regard
80 III" merits OF their respective con-
,cntious. The former assumes to
write .earncd.y a,"ut Ricardo law
Of ccohoG.c Int, loon which the
ip"rv George tl'ory Of taxation is
0l>ri, thereby evolving the claim Of
Iuaacned increment, meaning the
land values created by society should
be appropriated 10 the common use
There appears to be no escape from
the conclusion that this doctrine
spells. in plain English, confscation.
and il would seem that this PROPOSE
::on Of " uucacned Increment proves
100 much H. .ehan Of ,he claims Of
single takers, that if the presence OF
the people, taken in connection with
their thrift and intelligence creates
all values wherein there is u margin
of profit in all lines of business, why
not call this profit unearned mere
ment," and tax it along with land
values?
In The last analysis, all values are
created largely by human labor, and
the liquidation of taxes must of ne
cessity be paid out Of the products of
labor, without regard to the kind OF
property against which they are
levied. In many respects, conditions
in Oregon parallel those found here,
in Washington. Persons of moderate
means see that their property is taxed
much higher, proportionally, than
the holdings of railroad corporations
and timber companies, and listen
readily to any new plan of taxation
thinking without understanding the
complex subject of taxation, any
change desirable.
If this unequal taxation shall con
tinue long in our State, in connection
with high levies, we need not be sur.
prised if we may soon encounter a
vigorous growth of this Henry George
propaganda. The railroad corpora
tions and large landowners hold the
the key to the situation, and ought
to be willing to pay their fair share
of the public burdens instead of shift.
ing them upon the shoulders of citi-
zens of moderate means.
Again, we think our Tax Commits
sion made serious mistake in not us.
ing greater efforts towards reducing
public expenses in State, county and
municipal affairs, instead Of devisine
schemes for raising more revenue,
for officials to expend and in paving
the way for larger legislative appro'
priations. Our Republican friends al
the Statehouse need not be surprised
that the time has nearly arrived wher
they will note the discomfort anddis
satisfaction among our voters in re
spect to the conduct Of public affairs
in the past four years. The'harvest
may not be altogether pleasing.
A NOTED LOUISIANA WOMEN GONE
In the death of Mrs. Caroline E
Merrick, of New Orleans, Louisiana
loses one of her foremost citizens
and the cause of woman suffrage
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