The Washington herald., 1909-08-30
Taxation.

Editor The Washington Herald:
Henry George says, in one OF his books;
Now, inasmuch as the taxation OF rent
or land values must necessarily be in
| creased Just as we abolish other taxes,
we may pvt the proposition into practi-
cal form by proposing 70 abolish all taxa
ton save that upon land values" And
in connection herewith he further states.
Il have seen that neither on the ground
OF equity nor expediency Is there any
thing to deter us from making land
common property by conhscatlng rent"
We can hardly conceive OF a more un-
Just and unequitable system OF taxation
than that promulgated by Henry George.
The wealthiest men OF our country do not
own much land.
Their millions are invested in stocks.
bonds. buildings. OF Improvements. which.
according to his plan. would not be
taxed. But the hard-working farmer.
whose property consists almost exclu-
sively OF land, is to be taxed until his
land IS conhscated. He may then rent
It OF the government or State. and these
rents are to pay all the expenses OF the
Federal State. and municipal govern
ments. The millionaire, holding personal
property, would be exempt from taxa
ton. The farmer would be financially
ruined The burden OF this system or
taxation would TALL entirely upon the in
dustrious class Of the community. those
who work upon the lands, the rents
OF which would discourage them and
drive them into other kinds Of business.
The Incentive 70 improve lands and de-
velcp the resources Of the country would
be gone. and the general prosperity Of the
country would be blocked and crushed
out
Why should not the millionaire who
owns mining stock be taxed? The George
plan Is to tax the land on which the
mine is worked. and tax It so heavily
that its owners must abandon II 10 the
government, so that Il will become com
mon property" Who. then, will pur-
chase the machinery and provide the
money for paying wages and working the
rines7 The government? All the peo-
pie 'in common" couldn't work the mine
nor run the factory II the government
coniscates the land It must employ peo-
pie to run II. and the oficeholders and
government employees Will amount to MIL
lions Government Is not established for
any such purpose. But. says AIr. George
the government viii rent" the mine and
the factory to company. or to an indi-
Vidual
The government tax, however would
be so great that there would be little
inducement for the person who should
hlre the land 10 go on with the work
Take the great mills and factories in
our Industrial centers. They 90 with the
land, as the law Is to-day. and taxes
are laid on the value OF the entire prop-
erty-land. buildings. and machinery-or
on the capital which covers all.
The theory Of Henry George is 70 tax
the land value and nothing else and tax
II to confscation. Would the company
feel like keeping UP the mill OF factory
privileges, &c? Would there be any
longer an incentive to the men who are
capable Of managing such property to 20
on with their work? What would be the
value OF the land on which the great fac
tory stands In case it should be confs-
cated2
But taking another view, assuming
that the corporation could afford to pay
the tax on the land, Irrespective of i'm
pTovements." The land might be worth
5000. The buildings, machinery &C. are
worth $1.OOO.O0O The sum OF s. 600 only Is
taxed. This would give a powerful cor
poration a great advantage ever the
farmer who owns 100 acres OF land valued
at 5000. on which there are buildings
worth $500. His land Is taxed as much
as that of the corporation whose fcapitai
is I.O0O,Ooo. The farmer is ruined The
corporation winks at him and goes on.
What sort Of equality or justice is there
IN this7
Again, what constitutional right has
the government TO thus discriminate be-
tween different classes of property. not
taxing one class and thus taxing the land
to death7 Government which Is estab-
lished for only one purpose-to protect
persons and property--has no such right.
Russia uses imperial powers and rents
lands TO serfs. In our republic govern
ment is to protect individuals and their
rights. leaving them to prosper or to go
to seed In idleness. True merit Industry.
honesty are entitled to win a home and
while idleness does not omen
the door and let down the bars for the
drones to enter house and farm fairly
earned by the better citizen. Govern
ment has no right TO confscate the crop
erty OF honest citizens. There cannot
be equality in society or in the owner
ship Of property. or in the advantages
OF rented" property, so long as men are
born unequally, have unequal talents. and
are not at all equal in their habits OF m
dustry and morals. And Henry Georges
theory in attempting 10 force an equality
against the inequalities OF nature or the
inequalities OF human beings and their
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