The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1914-02-13
What we can get. as men don't think

what we can set, US men don't think
alike.
All students or economies see ana
know that any government tax on the
various forms OF capital is bad and
defeats its own ends a. "a revenue get
Yer, and a tax on bank deposits is
/ indescribably bad.
| But We must make the change grad
ually, so as not 10 offend amy oil the
.ure VIII sec the cat and exempt
bank deposits entirely, and thus break
away from the old idea that ii is neces-
sary To tax all forms OF property alike.
one reason that reforms are slow In
coming here IN our old Commonwealth
- thal we cannot see ourselves as
others see U.S., and though we pro-
ducsd Thomas Jefferson. we have not
produced many men or original Ideas
since, and our provinclalism keeps us
from seeing the fact that other States
Ideas, that have enabled them to climb
up higher on the plane OF civilizu-
In the last four years our State has
been rent b. petty squabbles on the
hiuor eVll, and the columns OF print
would probably reach to the moon,
ana the ieht has been made on what
our editors have head!lned as the en-
aollng act, that Is. an act OF the Leg
islature 70 allow the people TO vote on
the question OF state wide local OPP
ton.
Now, this so-called enabling act
rs Just another name for new idea
tAASA meas - LOW II Gp III Aac w est. 1t -
one OF the main branches OF the tree
OF democracy" called the Initiative
ana q - rei is,I,e.,S an AND recall
Inc people DO make mistakes In gov
eminent. but that Is no arguinen
against this reform But it is such a
pity that tho true democratic prin-
c!ples OF ''referendun" should have de-
generated in Jencrsons own State 10
such low plane OF partisan politics:
and wet and dry" "antisaloon ana
liquor men" are words ia every mans
. Tr49 a fNI oil ,t... 10. tgr
gotten, and the true principle of con
structive legislation are obscured.
BY all means let US refer all the
big questions of public policy 10 The
people BY means OF referendum cleo
tion, as is now done In many other
states, and with charity in our hearts
and accurate information in our minds
We Will vote. men and women to-
gethcr. AS component parts OF the new
democracy.
I am a temperance man. and recog
ing, but we single takers who be
lieve in the new economic principles
elucidated by Henry George. hold that
the saloon Is effect" rather than
cause" and II you give men and wo-
men fair chance to achieve economic
liberty, that intemptrancc viii be re-
mental cause Of intemperance being
removed. the disease and its symptoms,
the saloon will be reduced to the point
of a commercial necessity.
III conclusion, we NlTBlflaNS VINO see
the light OF the new Democracy must
stand together regardless of old party
| lines. and vote men in Office on n plat
form of service to the community, as
opposed to the old idea of just want
ing the honor" Our per capita" of
wealth production is miserably low
land not one fourth of what IL might
be. Our boys and girls move 10 other
States as speculation has taken the
place of production, and thus labor il
denied It's wages.
| This strange and paradoXical con-
! diion that we now see is the after
math of the chattcl slavery period. We
are starving in the midst OF plenty.
| Prices OF farm products arc high, yet
we see much land lying idle or only part
building lots sell at four times what
/ they are assessed at for taxation, and
the new dwelling is assessed at full
value. Factories and warehouses are
not built because each community
seems 10 regard them as public
enemy. and puts several kinds of special
ness and enterprises that might help
to relieve the condition of starving In
| the midst of plenty"
! The remedy for this condition Of
stagnation In production and diStrihu-
ton is tax reform.
/ Use the taxing power of the COM
munity as to stimulate business in
stead of penalizing 1t.
Don't tan capital; we want to attract
more OF it,
Don't tax business and occupations.
as il interfcres with the distribution OF
wealth. and makes trouble all around.
Tax the ground land values), as 1t
can't run away or be hidden from the
tax collector. Taxing idle land and
vacant lots means that they will be
| forced into USE with n great increase
| I'm production. and in building Of homes
on vacant lots. 1t means natural and
healthy growth all along the line
business for merchants and railroads,
wages for labor and food for the con-
sumner. "PIEDMONT."
Veteran Complains of Fare.