The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-01-06
UBIQUITOUS TAXATION
By Richard. Jones.

The personal sproperty tax has been
abandoned in all progressive Euro
pean nations, and'a number of the
Canadian provinces have ceased to
use it. 1t was said in the report of
the Minnesota tax commission for
1912, that: 1.-THE personal property
tax stands condemned by every
thoughtful student Of taxation, as the
easiest to evade, as incapable of
equitable enforcement, and hence I'M
just in application"
The present system rewards the
ldler and Furnishes the thrifty. The
working man who by his industry
saves enough to build home is pun
lshed by a taxation system that in
creases his burden. This same sys-
tenn rewards the speculator who
holds his lands out Of the reach of
those who would cultivate them. The
spectators holdings increase in
value with the growth of the COM
munity, but the prevailing system Of
taxation retards community develop
ment and encourages land specula-
ton.
The Spectator should be COM
PEELED to bear his share of the ex-
penses of government or dispose of
his idle lands to people who would
cultivate them. Remove the restric-
tions in the way of taxation in i'm
provements and thus stimulate build
ing operations and bring down rents
to fair and reasonable figure.
That the burden of taxation should
be shifted from personal property and
improvements and based upon the
value of the land, is coming to be &C.
cepted more every day. To tax per-
sonal property and improvements is
to tax the products of labor, restrict
production and curtail the power of
labor to create wealth.
In 1906 the people of Minnesota
passed the wide open tax amendment
providing that taxes should be uni
form upon all classes of subjects.
This was put into the constitution to
enable the legislature to place a ton
mage tax on iron ore. The tonnage
tax bill was passed but later vetoed
by Governor Johnson.
The wide OPEN tax amendment,
however, remains on the statute
books and allows the change to be
cordance with the suggestions out
lined above. In practically every
other state in the union a constitu-
tional amendment is necessary be-
fore the change can be made in the
taxation system such as we advocate
But this is not necessary in Mime
sofa. All we have to do is to inter-
est the people sufficiently so that
they will demand that the legislature
take action.
Why tax household goods? It costs
as much to collect this tax as the
revenue from it amounts to. Why
punish the householder because he
has the enterprise to collect attract
i've furniture? Is it right? Nor is it
just to tax a man because he i'm
proves his home and permit the noh-
resident speculat0r to evade paying
his share of the expenses of govern
ment.
What gives land it's value? When
two or more persons desire the same
piece Of land, value rises. IT more
people desire that piece of land the
value goes still higher.
Morally this value belongs to the
community, the creator of that value.
Let us begin now to shift the burden
of taxation from the backs of the
people who upbuild the community
and place it where it belongs.
Notify your senator and represent
atives that you want a change made
in the present laws. Let these hired
men know that you are going to
watch their votes on the taxation
bill which will be introduced during
the coming session and which aims
to lift the burden from the backs of
the weak and place at least a portion
of it where it should be.
Write your senator and representa-
tives today.