Mansfield mirror. (Mansfield, Wright County, Mo.) 1908-1957, 1916-06-01
NOT THE SINGLE TAX
To the Editor of The Republic.

To the Editor of The Republic.
The statement which is being sent out by a certain politician
from Jefferson City that the Gardner land-bank act is a singletaA
measure is an insult 10 every farmer in the state OF Missouri. EVER
farmer in the state knows that it is not a single tax and .he! N
that politicians art making this statement simply because they think
the farmers are 50 ignorant that they do not know black 1si from WHITE
The National Grange, in convention in San Francisco after con
States, approved and Endorsed Mr.. Gardeners bill without a dissenting
vote. The National Grange was composed o representative la'"e's
from every part of the United States.
Grange of Missouri, the State Corn Growers Association, the Fed
GRAFTON OF Farm Advisers and every farm organization II the state
The people of this state are asked to vote for a constitutional
amendment authorizing the establishment of a land bank The ieg1s-
lature has the right to amend or change any section of the land bank
act that it deems expedient. 1t can raise or lower the percentage OF
valuation II which loans are based. 1t has the power to change the
section relative to the exemption OF the land BANK bonds from taxa
ton; but it will never change that section with the consent OF the
Sl a. 80, a r 49, t aa nnartdes ha, ~ arnsr shall mat his Loans At
the exact rate at which the bonds r sold. For instance, suppose
the bonds were sold to the great financial institutions Of the city Of
ST Louis. The tax rate in St Louis is 1885. Does it not follow that
these financial institutions would add that much to the interest rate?
In other words, if they buy the bonds OIL a 4 per cent basis and have
to pay 1885 taxes OF them, would they not charge this s2S5 tax rate
up to the farmer? Common sense teaches that no large financial IN
stitution would buy bonds at 4 per cent and pay s2S5 taxes on them,
leaving them only s165 for interest.
Another point is this: knowing that the bonds would be exempt
from taxation and that they would have to meet local competition in
ST. Louis and Kansas City. the European buyers of bonds would bid
much less for them in London, Paris and Berlin
The money which the land bank advances to the farmer to create
new wealth, that Is to say, for improving his farm buying live stock,
count taxation. Therefore, would it be reasonable to have the bonds
bear interest, or be subject to taxation. which the farmer would have
TO pay, and also pay taxes IN the land itself! n.-
United States government bonds are exempt from taxation. Why
has that never been called single tax Foreign corporation stock
owned by citizens of Missouri is exempt from taxation. Why has
that never been called single tax: But when we want to exempt the
farmers land bonds from taxation the politicians say it is single tax
Insincerny pure and simple. But the farmers of this state are not
misled by these fake farmers club organizations in the back room of
political headquarters within a stones throw to Jefferson City. The
farmers are going to stand by Col. Gardner and the land bank, and
the politicians Knight as we'll get that into their heads once for all.
notice that the st. Joseph convention Endorsed the rural credit
bill now pending in congress. This bill contains the same provision
for exemption from taxation that the Gardner bill contains. In fact,
every student of rural credit knows that the bill in congress was pat
termed after the Gardner bill. The state convention has Endorsed
this bill, President Wilson has Endorsed 1t and the joint committee in
congress has indorHed it, which means that it has received the in
dorsement OF Republicans as well as Democrats. Some of these poll
ticians are going to find themselves in pretty deep water. They will
find themselves in opposition to their party platform and President
Wilson himself
z. H. BULLOCK, Edna, Mo,
President State ORGANIZATION Farm Bureau Boards, Vice President
State Federation Commercial Clubs.