The Marion daily mirror. (Marion, Ohio) 1892-1912, 1912-01-02
ALBERTA ADOPTS
THE SINGLE TAX
Western Canada B e i n G
Swept by Henry George
Reform.
Vancouver Tried it First and
Made Unexpected
Gain.

Chico go, Jan. 2.-idoption by the
Province of Alberta or the single tax
Con land values. which largely are
IN the cltles) win bo the capsheaf in
the astonishing gains made In 1911 by
the Henry George remeGy against the
high cost Of living plutocracy, poverty
and other economic ills. Since Van
copver tried II and abruptly made un-
expected gains in business immediate
" western Canda has Deen swept by
the reform, Port Arthur, Winnipeg,
Calgary, Lethbridge am several other
cities and towns having accepted It or
taken II M for vote. However, the bin
introduced hy Attorney General Nit
chell OF the Province o. Alberta pro-
misses that single tax VIII be made To
apply throughout a region as vast rs
New England New York and Penn
syWania combined.
The enactment Of the municipalities
bin in Alberta also viii give all wo-
men. married or unmarried who are
on the assessment roll the right to
veto.
Fort Arthur at the head Of the
Great Lakes which has taken advanced
ground In the mans cement OF public
utilities, soon will ADOPT the single
tex. according to impartial prediction.
This is significant because Port Ar
thur It Is said, was planned and Great
ed by Sir William Mackenzie. president
of the Canadian Northern Railway,
who has the confidence or \bankers in
Canada and Europe and Of the public.
BY the managt OF the public uti-
litles Of Port Arthur n revenue has
been produced which II Is expected
win terminate taxation and substitute
dividends to the citizens in about 10
years.
In Wnnipeg practically all of the
candidates for municirai offices are In
favor of q commission lorm Of govern
ment and OF the slng,e tax. Land
which has been helc py spectators
| ana unimpproved for years would nee
! ocsarlly be improved or sold if moneys
land credits were relieved from taxa
tlon and the burden put upon the land
used and unused.
The Hudson Bay Company would
lie compelled to adop, one alterna-
tive or the other-thai OF relnquishns
It's claim to millions of acres or i'm
prove them TO provide revenue To pay
the taxes.
The recent changes In England which
have compelled owners OF vast estates
TO pay suitable taxes or allow their
land to be used for agricultural pur-
pC ses has had it's effect IN Canada.
The Hudson Bay Company Is the 9wn-
el of 1-20th of all the farmable land
west OF the Great Lakes, Practically
no rent is paid by the Hudson Bay
Company for this lana. Nevertheless
the British king i'm HIS addresses fro'n
) the throne Invariably refers as a
fundamental theory of ownership In
Britain that the legal title of all land
| is vested in the head OF the state ana
that absolute property in land is ln-
| obtainable by any SUBJECT OF 1e
crown; all land owners are mqcly
, tenants in the eve of the law, the Word
freehold meaning -'tenacy free tt
rent" This dates back TO the Doons-
, day Book, In which William the CCp.
queror entered in 1886 the names III
his followers who We're required t'
supply quota of soldiers for the sar
vice Of the king In return for VA
the rent OF lands M
granted TO them When Llfid
4 George George in 1909 insisted thai "a
\ Original intent should be enforced Ia
Il peers, marqulses and dukes fdpga
the proposal to shift back (
Z Mem pprt of the burden of taxasor
y"