The Butler Weekly Times Newspaper, July 11, 1912, Page 3

Some Observations on the Single Tax Movement. Itis worthy of note that there seems to be a cessation of activity by those interested in bringing about the adop- tion of what is known as “‘single tax’’ in Missouri. If this lack of activity is due toa determination on the part of those behind the move to abandon it, all well and good, but if such lack of activity is due to the fact that the so-called ‘Equitable Tax League’’ is merely remarshaling its forces and strengthening its lines under the guise of indifference for the purpose of making a fresh assault on the homes of Missouri, then a different attitude should be assumed by those interested in opposing the adoption of the proposed law. : The writer is strongly impressed with the idea that the present lack of activity on the part of the “Equitable Tax League” is merely feigned and will be followed by a fresh and much more vigorous campaign in behalf of this movement, and not by an aban- donment of the plan to slip the bur- den of taxation in Missouri all on to the land. For which reason the fight being waged against the adoption of the single tax should not abate, but go on with renewed energy. The prime and initial forces behind this movement, when they conceived the idea of placing the burden of tax- ation all on one class of property, conceived also the ‘idea that they mask their purpose with the appear- ance of justice; hence they chose to call the organization in charge of their campaign by the high and righteous sounding name of “Equitable Tax League,’’ with the hope, evidently, that voters would read no further than: the term “‘equitable,”” which generally speaking, and to the aver- age reader means justly, fairly, and be deceived thereby. In short, they chose the mantle of equity in which to clothe a proposed system of taxa- tion as inequitable, unjust and unfair as it is possible to conceive. Indeed it would be interesting and instructive if the real forces behind this movement would throw off this mantle and stand forth to open view and fair inspection to the end that the plain people and home builders of this state might know who it is that is so anxious to free the great person- . al holdings of great corporations from taxation and force all burden of taxa- tion upon the land. Who it is that desires to wipe at one stroke from the assessment books the great personal holdings of the great railroads, facto- ries, loan sharks and wealthy class of the cities and at the same time say to the owner of the land, ‘You, and you alone shall maintain this state at your expense, while the classes men- tioned above stay here and enjoy its blessings free of charge.” The state is nothing more thana great, common home kept up by pub- lic taxation where every one has a right to lodge and be protected in his rights, personal and property, as long as he contributes to the fund designed to keep up the home and obey the rules governing it commonly called laws. All should share equally in the protection of government and share their just proportion of the ex- pense incident to keeping it up. He who has much property takes up much room in the affairs of state and should pay more than he of small holdings. This, too, regardless of the kind and character of the proper- ty he may own, whether real, per- sonal, or mixed. Now, why should one man who owns one hundred acres of land be required to contrib- ute to maintaining the home which we call state while another :man who owns one hundred bonds of equal value of the land be allowed to live here free of charge? Or, for sake of illustration, put the proposition an- other way: Suppose two men enter a hotel, one owns one hundred acres _of land and the other one hundred bonds, and the landlord should say to the owner of the land, ‘‘you shall pay $2 per day towards the upkeep of the hotel as a charge for enjoying its privileges,’’ and to the holder of the bonds, ‘‘you may stay here free of charge.” Would any man pronounce this fair and just? Both occupy the same room, eat at the same table, have the same fare and enjoy the same privileges, yet one pays and the other does not. Some may say that this is not a fair illustration. But why? If the state is merely an or- ganization for the care and protection of its citizens, why is not each one as much entitled to fair and just treat- ~ ment as the guests of the hotel?. The hotel is kept up by money derived from those who live in it, and. each pay according to the privilege accord- ed. The state can only be kept up by money derived from those who live fn-and enjoy its privileges, and each should be required to contribute for the protection and privilege enjoyed derived from the. existence of organ- ized government. But the writer, not long since, heard one of the advocates of the “single tax’’ nightmare argue in a public speech in favor of such tax af- ter this fashion? He said land should not be taxed because it was given to man by the Creator as a gift, and therefore not created by man; that what man did not create-should be taxed and what man did create should not be taxed. This reason for taxing land alone is no reason at all. But pursue the matter further. Suppose anew country where but few people reside. Now, land there will be cheap, that is, value of land will be small. Why? Because it requires, generally speaking, the presence of men in large numbers to!make laid value high. Take the same country and let it become thickly populated and the value of land rises. Now, what created this value? Evidently the presence of men. So that, in fact, man created the value of land. If this is true and we are to tax nothing created by man, what shall we tax? Evidently, if the gentleman mentioned above is correct, there is nothing we might justly tax. Because it appears that man creates the value of land as well as chattles, and there are but the two general classes of property, land or real estate and personal or chattles. Now, the man who will receive the first shock, should the single tax va- gary every, by any mischance, devel- ope from a dream into a law in Mis- souri, is the farmer and the land own- er. And the larger the farm the greater the shock. It will be his money that will pay the salary of all public officials, build all public roads and buildings, defray all public ex- pense. They alone will be visited by the tax gatherers, while the fel- low who loans them the money to pay the tax will go free of tax. The bond holder or owner of other valua- ble personal property may ride ina five-thousand-dollar automobile, on which there is no tax, over the public road built with the money derived from.the tax on the land of the farm- er merely because the farmer has seen fit to accept the gift made by the Creator,.as suggested by the gentle- man above quoted. Would this be equitable? Has any organization seeking to bring this about any right to dub themselves an equitable organization of any kind? It would appear just as reasonable, fair and just to require the farmers in one county to pay the taxes for all of the counties adjoining it or to distin- guish between classes of people as between classes of property. The so-called ‘“‘Equitable Tax League’’ would appear to much better advan- tage if they would boldly nail the black flag of piracy to the mast-head of the single tax movement and defi- antly proclaim their purpose to make war on the farmers and land owners of Missouri. But the town and city man may not sit supinely by and imagine he will escape the wrath and evil conse- quences to follow the enactment into law of an idea so monstrously unfair as the single tax idea. The town and cities of Missouri but reflect the suc- cess and prosperity of the surround- ing farmers and agriculturists. Bur- den the land with all the tax and the tax gatherer gets the money and not the merchant, business man or day la- borer. Burden the bond with all the tax and he who owns it must raise the price of the product thereof. Burden the land with all the tax and men, young and old, will leave the farms and go to the cities and towns and bid for the positions now held by others. Burden Misssuri lands with this unjust tax and the city and town merchant will find his rural patron- age falling off as those who wish to own land will leave this state and seek other states where land has only to bear its just share of the expense of state and government. So that while the first shock will be felt by the farmer and land owner, it will fi- nally reach the cities and towns with a deadening effect. No country has yet become so great in cities and towns that it dared make the food producing class mere carriers of bur- dens for the pleasure and benefit of the inhabitants of the cities and towns. The great agricultural popu- lation of Missouri can always be re- lied upon to carry their share of the burden of state and will do so without a murmur, but they have a right to rebel at the effort now being made through the single tax outrage to re- duce them to the situation of a mere servant to that other class. who live off the product of the labor and in- vestment of the farmer. But the evils to follow the adoption of the single tax idea in Missouri here point- ed out are only some of the minor 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 ‘land sharks’ to enrich themselves further at the expense of the toilers of the field. It is admitted on all sides that land val- nearing the breaking point. Now, suppose the scheme to switch all tax comes a law. this desire will be so general that an immense amount of land will be thrown on the market, with the re- sult that always follows where every body wants to sell at low prices. Now here arrives the ‘‘land 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 “fand shark”’ is now seller and not buyer. He advances the price ‘of land and sells it back to the very peo- ple 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 a 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 merchants, 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 a grin- ning monster of deception and greed. Of course, when the injustice of allowing the untaxed bond holder to ride in an untaxed automobile over roads and highways maintained with money taken in the guise of a tax on land from the land owner, the single tax advocate at once comes forward with the argument that the automo- bile of the land owner is also untaxed under the single tax plan. But in no way does this meet the real point at issue, because the mere fact that the land owner may see fit to invest some of his money into an automobile does not justify the state in requiring him to provide a highway over which the untaxed bond holder may ride free of tax burden. The public highway is a general public necessity which all must use and all who use it should in a general way be required to assist in building and maintaing it. What is true of the automobile is true in principal of all personal property, and it is here used merely as an illustra- ues have'risen in Missouri until it is; burden to the land prevails and be- | Land will be the least | desirable property because a tax} burdened property. Land owners) will naturally want to sell out and in-| vest in something non-taxable, and | with wheat, and the prices will be low. NOW LOOK HERE: your grain, and there will be no loss from torn sacks or rent on same. We have just unloaded a car of White Oak Bridge Lumber. Three Cars of Gravel. Finish. They are beauties and the price is low. PHONE 18 Make a Profit of $402.60 On Your Wheat Crop this Year Therv is going to be a bumper wheat crop this year, and at thrashing time the market will be glutted For instance one of Bates county’s prominent farmers was in our , yard this spring and he said he had just sold his wheat at $1.04 per bushel—last fall at thrashing time he was offered 71c, or on 1220 bushels he cleaned up $402.60 profit. Nice little saving was it not. We can sell you the material to build a GRANARY that will hold 1220 bushels of wheat, all complete, dimensions, lumber, siding, flooring, roofing, everything you will need for $47.30. Now this granary will last for 25 or 30 years, and almost every year you can make about 847 per cent on your investment, and you can take your time for hauling off Two Cars of Sand. We have also just started our Block Machine to making Cement Building Blocks with White Carthage We sell the standard plaster ““ACME.”’ Logan-Moore Lumber Co BUTLER, MO. A car of Portland Cement. tion. There is no escape from the | when organization on their part shall proposition that all property takes|be needed and justified, it is now, room in the state and receives the! not only for their own good, but for attention and protection of govern-| the good of the state. Every school quantity absorbs the public revenue | election day there will pour in to the raised to conduct the government and | ballot boxes of Missouri such a cur- in just this proportion, all property, | rent of votes that the flood of nega- real, personal and mixed should be | tive votes shall bury forever the prop- But the advocates of the single tax property and mark its owners as vic- assert that they wish to reform the tims for another and favored class tax system in Missouri. It must be | who reap the benefit of a penalty im- Missouri that some reforms are need-| world. ed. But the proposed single tax is|owners of Missouri organize and deform our system of taxation by at-| this state to the end that an aroused to one class of property. The friends ballot box shall demand and supply there are many who sincerely consid- taxation in Missouri. er ita wise move, argue asa Bescon WATT B. DAWSON. for adopting it that since sufficient sceye Retina RET aRaaE vues tax can be derived thereby without | A Girl’s Wild Midnight Ride. making the rate any higher than it is now on land and totally exempting personal property, it should be adopt- many lives. Her deed was glorious ed. Granting that they are right in but ‘lives are often saved by Dr. this, they have still afforded no argu- King’s New Discovery in curing lung fire in the Catskills a young girl rode herse-back at midnight and saved demonstrated that too | Might have ended in consumption or | pneumonia. ‘‘It cured me of a dread- ful cough and lung disease,’ writes but have merely much tax is being assessed against all personal property and not raising the | “‘after four in our family had died rate on land, sufficient tax can be| with consumption, and I gained 87 realized, it must follow that the gen- | pounds. Nothing so sure and safe eral rate is now too high. The re-/50c and $1. Trial bottle free. form needed, therefore, is to adjust | anteed by F. T. Clay. the rate of taxation on all property to oe ; the needs of the government careful- | Uses Saltpe i alate Fruit ly and economically administered and not exempt from taxation one class of property and wealth and establish the 2 farmer east of Fulton, has, with the the taxes as a ruinous rider on anoth- Use of saltpetre, raised some of the erclass. Thus advocating and prac- largest fruit and vegetables ever ticing inequity. The farms of Mis- grown in this part of the country. souri have been taken from the raw _ By placing a little satpetre around prairies of the upland and hewn from the roots of an apple tree and wash- the forests of the river regions. ‘The | ing the tree with soft soap, he raised level-lands of the north and the hills apples weighing two pounds and six of the south alike have been taken by | OUNces each. As an experiment he the tired hand of toil from the pro- | put saltpetre to two rows of corn, ductless class of an early day and 4nd 100 ears weighed 296 pounds, placed under the yoke of husbandry twice as much as average corn. He and set to the task of feeding its mill- also put saltpetre around a few heads ions of occupants as well as sending f cabbage, pumpkins, beets, par- abroad a great surplus of wealth to | Snips and watermelons. One melon make happy and contented people in weighed 86 pounds, one cabbage less favored places. And now at this | head weighed 15 pounds, one parsnip late day after these farms represent Six sounds and one pumpkin 130 and the labor and pride of generations of °N€ 182 pounds. Guar- ment and in proportion to its valueand | district should be so organized that on | required to contribute to the Public | osition to set the lands of Missouri | revenue, japart as a base and afflicted class of | admitted by all who are in any way | posed upon the owners of land for’ familiar with the present tax laws of | belonging to that class who feed the | Let the farmers and land, not a reform, but is well calculated to| make their appeal to every voter in! taching the whole burden of taxation’ sense of fairness expressed at the) —— of the single tax propaganda, and equal rights to all in the matter of To warn people of a fearful forest’ ment which justifies the ‘‘single tax,” trouble, coughs and colds, which! property, tsince, if by leaving out all; W. R. Patterson, Wellington, Texas, | | for all throat and lung troubles. Price | | Fulton, Mo., July 6.—David Fipps, _ PROFESSIONAL CARDS DR. J. M. CHRISTY Diseases ot Women and Children a Specialty BUTLER - MISSOURI | Office Phone 20 House Phone 10 DR. J. T. HULL \ Dentist ‘Entrance same that leads to Stew- | ard’s Studio. ‘North side square Butler, Missouri DR. H. M. CANNON DENTIST Butler, Missouri East Side of the Square Phone No. 312 ~T. G. BOULWARE Physician & Surgeon ‘Office North Side Square, Butler, |Mo. Diseases of women and chil- dren a specialty. B, F. JETER, Attorney at Law = Notary Public East Side Square Phone 186 BUTLER, MISSOURI ORS. CRABTREE & CRABTREE Office in Gench Block. ’Phone No. 301. De R. E. Crantreg, Dr. J. W. Crantree, General Practice. Diseases of Children, Residence ’Phone Mi. Internal Medicine and surgery, | Restdence ’Phone 104. | JAS. W. HELTON, M. D. Surgery and General Practice Makes a specialty of Surgery and Female L ses. All calls answer- y day or night, town or county Office over Mo, State Bank Phone 56¢ A Hero in a Lighthouse. For years J. S. Donahue, So. Ha- ven, Mich., a civil-war captain, as a light-house keeper, averted awful wrecks, but a queer fact is, he might have been a wreck himself if Electric Bitters had not prevented. ‘‘They eured me of kidney trouble and ;chills,”’ he writes, ‘‘after I had taken other so-called cures for years with- out benefit and they also improved imy_ sight. Now, .at seventy, I am feeling fine.’’ For dyspepsia, indi- ‘gestion, all stomach, liver and kidney troubles, they are without equal. Try | them. Only 50c at F. T. Clay. owners, it is sought by means of the} = application of the single tax idea to! make them bear the whole revenue| burden of the state, to the end that! the holdings of the great cities, rail- | roads and-corporate interest may go! taxless, yet remain and flourish to, We made the take further toll from the class that, has made them rich. To put it anoth- | er way, the great interests above in-| dicated are to be voted a pension in | the form of exemption from taxation, which tribute shall be gathered by} adding to the burden already being | born by the lands of Missouri. Such interests have by reason of the great- ness of Missouri land and resource grown great and now demand this last “pound of flesh’’ from the class | that has contributed more than all| else to their greatness. Whether this gluttonous desire for | more is to be realized by them rests} with the great farming interests of Missouri, who have been attacked at} their very firesides by these interests which they have nurtured and fed for years. It has been said that the farmers are the last class to organize. If this be true, it may be for their own protection, but that if once organized for any purpose could control any is- sue. If ever there is to be a time! BUY CO East Side Square kept flies off cows and horses. have sold about 150 persons Cow- Ease. They also say Cow-Ease keeps flies off cows and horses. BUTLER, MO. assertion that Cow-Ease We Therefore, 'W-EASE and buy a sprayer and keep flies off cows and horses. United Drug Company Telephone 15