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Personal Property Or Land?

Personal Property Or Land? image
Parent Issue
Day
27
Month
December
Year
1888
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

In the Henry George debate last week, tlie advocate of the "single tax " denounced the taxation of personal property, and quoted such high authority as Prof. Richard T. Ely, of Johns Hopkins, n the aBsertion that our present method of taxation is a universal fnilure. To th8 Mr. Stebbins, who opposed Henry George's views, made no reply. It is sinaply unanswerable. It isn't necessary to accept Mr. Georne'a extreme conclusions in order to adinit that he has said many true things in ïegard to taxation. The publications of the "Society for Political Education" in New York haB issued two pamphlets, "Economie Tracts," No. IX and X, - which Ilústrate thie. No. X is entitled "Of Work and Wealth: a Sumniary of Economics," by R. R. Bowker. The author says : "The taxation of all land, unimproved on the same basis as itnproved, so that it cannot be ' held for a rise' without cost, and thus accumulate into great fortunes, may prove to be the chief method of raising revenne in the future." No. IX is entitled, "Taxation : a Plain Talk for Plain People," by James H. Canüeld. The following are his conclusión?, in his own words, in regard to the taxation of personal property and of land : "The objections toa tax on personal property are : ' 1. It is a very expensive gystem. "2. It involvesa catechetical and inquisitorial prooess. " 3. It duplicates taxes. "4. It encourages perjury and fraud. "5. It is full of inequalities; tbrowing the burden on those least able to bear it nr to defend themselves. "(i. It adds greatly to the eost of nearly all commodities and services. " 7. It repela from some communities very deMrable forces of production. "8. It seerus impossible to make sik ha system a 6ucoess. "In consideriiifra land tax.wephould go upon the hasis of unimproved land, because nearly all the objections last mentioned can be urgèd against an attempt to assess improvementa on land. "A tax on the bai-is of unimproved land discouraes land spcculation. " Some of the favorable characteristics of land in this oonnection are: "1. It cannot be hidden. " l'. Il is easily and accurately asaessed. " '.). lts assessinent and the eollection of the tax are the most economical known. "4. Sueh a tax quickens rather than hampers prodnetion. "ö. A land-tax cannot affect the amount of land, its capabilities, or its usefulness. "6. It tends to distribute itself, and is not undnly augmented in the hands of the middle-men." All these points the author enforces with good reasoning. These "Economie Tracts" are good for those who can do but a little reading on economie subjects. They are published by G. P. Putnam & Sons, New York, and the book-ilealers can get them.

Article

Subjects
Old News
Ann Arbor Register