The Butler weekly times. (Butler, Mo.) 1881-1918, 1912-07-11

: single tax idea in Missouri here point
ed out are only some of the minol
evils which may follow in its wake
for all who reflect over the matter
there must occur another possibility
The progress of this and every coun
try has from time to time been more
or less affected by land steal, great
and small, usually effected through
bond and loan issues. But it is worth
while to inquire if the present move
ment is Missouri to burden land with
all the tax is not a part of a great
scheme on the part of Gland sharks
to enrich themselves further at the
expense of the toilers of the field. 1t
is admitted on all sides that land val
ues have risen in Missouri until it is
nearing the breaking point. Now,
suppose the scheme to switch all tax
burden to the land prevails and be-
comes law. Land will be the least
desirable property because tax
burdened property. Land owners
will naturally want to sell out and in
vest in something non-taxable, and
this desire will be so general that an
immense amount of land will be
thrown on the market, with the re-
suit that always follows where every
body wants to sell at low prices.
Now here arrives the Gland sharks "
opportunity. He can take his untaxed
money, bonds and securities and buy
this land at far below its real value,
and when enough of it is in the hands
of his class they can take advantage
of the clamor and sentiment against
the single tax, organize and repeal
the single tax law, having in their
hands both ends of the net in which
they have caught many thousands Of
acres of Missouri land at bargain
prices. But the scheme progresses.
As soon as this tax is removed the
land is again in demand. The wiley
Gland shark" is now seller and not
buyer. He advances the price of
land and sells it back to the very peo-
pie who he "blindfolded" with an
amendment to the constitution of
Missouri and robbed. But the real
advocates of this single tax idea will,
doubt, loudly disclaim any such sinis-
ter design as this and the writer has
no intention of asserting such to be
the facts, but it is suggested as one
possible result, and whether or not
it may result is left to the sober
thought of those who consider. The
fact that the amendment as now pro-
posed provides for no limit to the rate
of taxation, only lends color to such
scheme, as it indicates the promoters
of the movement want to be in full
possession of the taxing power, so
if one rate Of taxation is not high
enough to drive the land into the
market another may be made that
will.
It is admitted by all writers that the
power of taxation may be converted
into an instrument of destruction,
unless wisely limited. This being
true, all wise people and governments
have been jealous Of their right to
limit this power.
AS above suggested, the real insti-
gators of this move in Missouri are
unknown. But it is certainly true
that the farmers and land owners are
not responsible for the movement,
and for reasons almost as potent, if
not of the same nature, it may be
concluded that the common laborers
are not the instigators of the move
ment. Neither can it be pointed out
with any degree of certainty that the
small business men, pro-
fessional men or mechanics should be
or are for it. But all such movements
as this are usually fathered by some
class who are able, financially, to
promote the campaign and reap the
harvest in case of victory and who
expect some benefit. Now, applying
this general rule to this movement
there is fair reason to assume that
vast speculative interests are back of
this move in Missouri and that if the ,
mantle of equity could be stripped off
there would stand revealed grim ,
ming monster of deception and greed.
Of course, when the injustice of
the untaxed bond holder to {
ride in an untaxed automobile over {
-oads and highways maintained with I