The evening herald. (Klamath Falls, Or.) 1906-1942, 1912-07-25
CALLS SINGLE
TAX A MENACE
EQUAL TAXATION LEAGUE FILES
ARGUMENT IN WHICH IT DE.
C,.ARns ITS ADOPTION MEANS
RUN FOR ORENON


II the graduated single tax measure
initiated by the Peoples Power
League Is enacted into law there will
follow a reduction In land values with
a proportionate shrinkage Of values
in all industries. the Oregon Equa,
Taxation League yesterday filed with
the secretary of state an argument
In oposition.
The amendment is a single tax
measure. pure and simple" declares
the league In It's argument. The pro-
moters OF the Joseph Fels Fund Com
mission Of America, discovered that
single tax could not be adopted In
Oregon. They. therefore. are intro
iducing the above amendment with the
graduated features, believing that the
smaller land owners would not object
to the introduction OF such q system.
inasmuch as those not having land
values up to and in excess OF $4,000
would not be affected by the adoption
Of the amendment; that inasmuch ms
the graduated single tax would fall
heaviest on the large land holders. II
was believed by the promoters OF this
amendment that It would appeal TO
the prejudice and envy Of the average
property holder. and that the real
purpose and object OF the measure
,.r..rA shuS ku AhscueoA
"a careful analysis of the amend
ment will leave no doubt In the minds
OF the intelligent voters that the OBJ
ject OF the measure Is to shift all OF
the burden OF taxation onto land
thereby reducing land values: and a
the land niues OF the large holder
decline. so will the values OF the
smaller holders decline In proportion
and as the land values decline. the
tax rate must OF necessity be increas
ed; and as the tax rate increases, Q
further decline In land values musi
| follow. As the burden Of taxation
falls more and more heavily upon the
land. a further decline will be the re
suit.
soon owners will refuse To pa,
the excessive rate upon unimprovet
lands. The result will be large
proportion OF the less available unim
| proved lands will cease to be revenu,
payers. Then an increased burder
will fall upon the balance. And 81
this process Of eliminating land valu,
| will continue. With the decline II
land values. all forms Of industry vii
shrink In proportion. Trade ant
commerce would be paralyxed unde
such conditions.
1T Is said by the advocates OF thi
measure that the people are not goinl
TO be compelled to 20 any furthe
with this experiment than they like
that II they find il is bad. they can re
peal II. Such argument should no
appeal to intelligent voters. The cit
izens OF Oregon should not be willini
to experiment with any scheme tina
does not have 100 per cent OF eco
nomic value. Single tax has none.
Single tax is offered as a tax re
form. As a matter Of fact II 10 not
system of taxation at all. and IA
from being tax reform. II has bu
one object. but one purpose--to de
stroy land values by absorbing int
the the public treasury the potentia
rent OF the land. of confiscating tn
land. In other words, the avowe
purpose of the single takers In sub
hitting this amendment for adoptio
is to apply the fundamental princlpl
OF single tax-the confscation O
land. the small farm as we'll al tn
y large holdings. When that is done
, the present owner will have no inter
est In the farm or the city lot othe
than to occupy II. The farmer will
receive pay for his labor only, provid
ing he raises good crop. II moi
there is no provision even for hi
labor.
! |"Thls single tax measure Is not
t tax reform. 1t is opposed by Cover
Q nor West. the state tax commission
and the legislative tax committed
h who have prepared and submitted I
1.-The yOterR threa constitutional amend