The Marshall republican., 1912-09-27
Single-Tax Article


Cleveland. was. during his life. hailed
az the ONE great and true friend OF
the people. During n Of his cam.
psigns. after speaking on the issues
I'm his State and county for some half
hour. the Mayor. rs was his custom.
called for questions. A venerable
gentleman. with long white whiskers.
arose and said:
MI. Speaker. ! have a suspicion,
from what I have read in the papers.
that Mayor johnson desires TO place
~ taxes on land. In this %correct?"
Replying TO the elderly man, the
Mayor said: Most emphatically.
MOI"
He paused for q moment, then con.
tinulne. said: But II you mean that
have a desire to place all taxes On
land VALUES. I answer nogt d..
cidedly, Yesl
"a tax on land would be an unjust
and Ubiquitous system. but n tax OF
land values would be the best and
fairest system that the world has
ever known. Laws which would
bring about the taxation OF LAND
values would be OF more service u
humanity than any legislation ever
yet enacted.
Farmers are large owner OF land.
In our city that sells at the rate Of
i've million dollars per acre; have
any OF you farmers land as valuable
az thaty In New York City there Is
land that sells for fifteen million
dollars per acre; 10 there any land In
Shis neighborbood at that price?
ITO answer my friends question.
] will relate a little talk ! had one day
with Congressman Pierson. OF Tus.
caravans County. when We were In
Washington together.
"Pierson was a farmer and he said
70 me one day; Tom. I cannot 10
your Single Tax. as II would be a
hardship on the farmers. and they
already have more than their share
OF the burden Of TAXATION
Il said: Look here. P~ierson. II !
thought the Single Tax would In.
crease the farmers burden I would
not stand for Il for one minute. In
fact. II I did not know Il would be
the greatest blessing 20 the farmers
and TO the workingmen In the city
rs well. ! % would advocate II
again. I car show you that the Sin
gle Tax will tighten the farmers
burden - compared 10 the present
method.
LET me ash you some questions,
70 Q II We nj get 1t the facts In
the matter. How much. Mr.. Pierson.
Of the present tax burden do you
think the farmers bsarY
We'll he answered, the farmess
constitute owe half the population OF
the United etstss. and I should say
mt they pay 1t least 60 per cent OF
Ill taxsa.' ..a....
very well. lst's c.l, II 70 per csat
70 be safe
"'No. no. said Pierson. that's too
low. They PAY nors than 90 per cent,
rather than lsea'
IAN right. bat to be safe. let's call
1t 30 per cent. Nov Mr.. Pierson. I
want you To tell mo how much Of the
value OF land the farmers have In the
United Safest Please take into con
sheraton all tho valuable coal land.
the iron. silver. sold. copper and other
valuable minss-tAe water power
privileges. the railroads and their
rights Of way and terminals, inciud.
nag street rAilrSads. telephones and
telesrsphs. for these are built On the
most valuabss lands; all he sas and
seotric Aghtins rights Of way. built
On land Of great value; all the city
lots. some Of which are worth more
than q whole county OF farming land
4 want you 70 take all these into cop
alteration. and then tell me how
much OF these values In the United
States the farmers have
Mr.. Pierson repiisd: Well. u
should say. less than 5 Per cent
/, Il said, Call II 10 per cent to BE-
cafe
~.No. no no. that's entirely too
high: that's double
well, We will call Il 10 per cent,
any wy. Row. don't you see that II
the farmers are paying 80 per cent.
that II all the taxes were raised by
single Tax on hand values the farm
srs, since thar have but 10 per cent
az these values--yoa say 5 per cent
would pay LEES; that their taxes
would b ssAuced fvs tinesi That
Instead q psying oas-half 40 now.
they $500 nndss that plan. pay but
one tenthrs
~ dsaIars. Ten, ! sever booked At
Il In that MAJ, anA ] suess you have
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