An Iowa Opinion

To The Editor:- In a recent issue The Demockat said ''ïhere is a movement on foot to pass an' ordinanpe requiring bicycles to be licensed. Jast why a bicycle should be singled out for a special tax more than any other vehicle does not appear, etc." There is no good reason; but with your permission, I can "show cause." Lt is as Jefferson said: - "This is the tendency of all known governments. A departure f rom principie in one instance becomes a pre cedent for a second, that second for a third, and so on till the bulk of the society is reduced to mere automatons of misery. and have no sensibilities lef t but for sinning and sulïering. ïhen begins, indeed, the bellam omneum in omnia, which some philosophers, ob serving it to be so general in the world, have mistaken to bethe natural, instead of the absolute state of man. And the forehorse of this frightful team is public debt. After that comes taxation; and in turn wretchedness and oppression." ïhere is no need of taxing bicycles, or other vehieles. Roads are built expressly to encourage their use. Land without roads would have no valué; for all governmental service to the citizen are rendered via the highway. ïhere is but one defensible system for raising revenue- a tax upou land values, irrespective of improvements, to the exclusión of all other taxes, direct and crooked. The values which attach to land because of the grovvth and improvement of the community should be taken for the use of the government- National, state and local - taken in stricc accordance with section and of article 1 of the Constitution, taken exactly as Lincoln took the quotas of men for the Union armies. The valué oí' land and the necessity for government are both the result of population. and the revenue of ground rent from the one should pay the cost of the other. Were the single tax in force in Ann 4rbor, it would lower rent, raise wages, encourage industries, equalize oppor tunities and benefit all (except land speculators, as such). It would compel investments in industries. Every individual controlling natural opportunities would have to utilize land by employing labor, or abandon it to others. It would not permit iining the user of a bieycle for making use of a highway.