The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1912-10-17
COL. DO0LEY OPPOSES
SINGLE TAX.

l know that many in The county
think that ! favor the Single Tax, and
II is but just that my friends should
know that I am opposed 10 the Single
Tax doctrine. The Henry George
doctrine taxes land only. II takes
as rental value all above the expense
Of operating the farm and sufficient
to support the farmer and his family.
This rental value is taken regardless
Of the amount it would raise, il
500, 0O0 So much the better for
his plan, as he taught that the surplus
above governmental expenses should
be used to give employment to work
men at good wages to build roads,
bridges, parks and make other public
improvements and thus do away
with the poverty that is destroy
ing the masses. He denies the right
of the legislature or any other body
to fix the amount of revenue neces-
sary to run the government. The
taxing of anything but land and the
fixing the amount to be raised is con-
trary to his doctrine. To illustrate
Georges doctrine: The census shows
about A millions of acres of land in
the state, 1851, 248 of which are in
farms. Its average rental value
would be 500 per acre. Under the
George plan we would raise $S4, 591,-
248. The last Auditors report shows
total state, state interest and county
taxes for all purposes to be 328, $780,
983, about SIS, 000, 600 of which was
from the cities and towns, leaving
about 81, 600 600 raised from the
farms or about 80 1-3 cents an acre,
so Mr.. George would have had "a
millions. surplus to spend redeeminQ
the poor.
How do the proposed Amendments
compare with Georges doctrine?
The George plan, in effect prohibit
ed the collection of taxes from any,
thing but land values, known as the
Single Tax. The Amendments levy
a tax on land values, franchises, priv
ileges and inheritances, a quadruple
tax. The George plan took the rent
al value without regard to the amount
it raised or the amount that was
necessary for governmental expense.
Under the proposed Amendments
the legislature, county courts and
city councils would do just as they
do now. fix the amount necessary to
support the different subdivisions
and levy a tax on the assessed value
of the property to raise that amount
and no more, so the Amendments
are directly opposed to the George
doctrine in its two most vital points
and am satisfied that if Mr.. George
was alive and in this state he would
oppose and vote against these amend
ments, as against his doctrine for the
removal of poverty.
/ know of no place where the
George doctrine is or has been in
practical effect and being a Missouri
an L would like to see it worked
some other place before trying it in
OUR state, but have official reports
rom Houston, Texas, and several
titles in Canada where laws similar
o the proposed Amendments have
'een in force long enough to fully
est them and they give most glowing
accounts of the great increase in pros
verify, population, building, wealth
md demand for land at increased
'rices. The astute lawyers speaking
trough the county firing hot air at
he single tax, would on comparison
# that doctrine with the amendments
ave discovered that there was only
me question for discussion or to pre-
ent to the people and that was, can
We by exempting money, stocks,
'onds, notes and all other personal
receive enough in return to
ffset any loss in taxes we might
uffer and that can be shown, not by
lot air, but by looking at the places
where similar laws are and have
'een in effect. The question might
lso be asked, Will it increase the
armers taxes? That is answered by
aging that if the legislature, which
lways has been. is now and always
vill be under the control of the farm
rs there will be no increase in their
axes. MIR. Editor, / will close by
aging that | am opposed to the
in0ln inv h,,t mt tho ovnAndvv.on<c