24
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT,
MAT 14, 1903.
Publications
Since the Cleveland campaign of
1S84 the single taxers have, for the
most part, affiliated with the demo
cratic party. Accordingly, a good por
tion of the democratic press,, especial
ly the country papers, is in the hand!
of men who, if not actively single
taxers, are at least in sympathy with
the philosophy. The following list in
cludes all of the strictly single tax
publications The Independent could
find, and a few that are merely
friendly.
SINGLE TAX REVIEW.
An illustrated quarterly magazine
of single tax progress, edited and
published by Joseph Dana Miller, at
31 Frankfort St., New York. Subscrip
tion price, in the United States, Can
ada and Mexico, 1 per year, payable
in advance. Club rates of ten sub
scriptions for $5. t
THE PUBLIC.
(Louis F. Post's paper.)
Is a weekly review which prints in
concise and plain terms, with lucid
explanations and without editorial
bias, all the news of the world of his
torical value. It reads the daily pa
pers and tells its readers what they
say. It is also an editorial paper.
Though it abstains from mingling edi
torial opinions with its news accounts,
it has opinions of a pronounced char
acter, based upon the principles of
radical democracy, which, in the col
umns reserved for editorial comment,
it expresses fully and freely, without
favor or prejudice, without fear of
consequences, and without hope of
discreditable reward. Yet It makes
no pretensions to infallibility, either
in opinions or in statements of fact;
it simply aspires to a deserved reputa
tion for intelligence and honesty in
both. Besides its editorial and newi
features, the paper contains a depart
ment of original, and selected miscel
lany, in which appear articles and ex
tracts upon various subjects, verse as
well as prose, chosen alike for their
literary merit and their wholesome
human Interest. Familiarity with The
Public will commend it as a paper
that is not only worth reading, but
also worth filing.
. Terms Annual subscription, $2.00;
trial subscription, ten weeks, 10 cents;
single copies, 5 cents.
. Free of postage in United States,
Canada and Mexico. Elsewhere, post
age extra, at the rate of one cent per
The Public, box C87, " Chicago, 111..
WHY? '
A monthly magazine devoted to the
single tax, edited and published by
Frank Vierth, Cedar Rapids, la. Sub
scription price, in United States and
Canada, 50 cents a year.
or are already members of a society
of their owv 5 cents.
"There is plenty of room at the
top; what we want i3 more room at
the bottom."
PITTSBURG KANSAN.
Published every Thursday at Pitts
burg, Ka s., by J. C. and Chas. M.
Buchanan. $1.
JUSTICE.
A six-column folio issued weekly
by A. R. Saylor, editor and publisher,
510 Shipley st., Wilmington, Del. $1
per year. v
THE CINCINNATI AN.
Published every Saturday by E. P.
and Julia Fitch Foster at 15 East
7th st, Cincinnati, O. $1. Vine
Street Church department ...by. Dr.
Margaret Doane Bigelow. ,
ECONOMY.
Published every Thursday at Solon,
la., by W. W. Martin & Sons. $1.
"Opportunity,". Dept. . G, Denver,
.Colo, (public ownership); -25c per
year, introductory price. .
' "The Whim," P. O. box 288, Newark,
N. J. "A miniature monthly by Ern
est H. Crosby , and Benedict Prleth;
supports single tax. anti-imperialism
"and common sense." 50c a year.
"Industrial Independent," Virden,
111.; (organ Industrial Legislative
Union); weekly, $1 per year, i ;
; i .
"The New Age," "a radical progres
sive weekly, edited by Rev. ;Harold
Itvlett. 1 and 2 Tooks Court. Furnival
v st, London, EJ C, England." ? Three
months trial, 50c. j .
"Fairhope Courier," Fairhope, Ala.
Sample copy for 2c stamp. ; , . ; i
WIIATS THE USE? ' '.
A periodical published at East Au
rora. N..Y., the first of every, month,
for the Society for the Propagation of
Decency. Annual dues to all who do
not wish to become life members is
50 cents, which wilLpay for all num
bers of magazine printed during the
twelve months succeeding receipt o!
the fifty, by John IJ. Howarth, regis
trar, East Aurora, N. Y. Single co
pies, to alt who contemplate joining,
OUR COMMONWEALTH.
(Tom Bawden's paper.)
Is publlshei every Friday in the In
terests of single tax and direct leg
islation. ,
. "Single tax is making room at the
Father's table for all of His chil
dren." Dr. McGlynn.
We fight Injustice, not individuals
landlordism, not landlords.
Terms of subscription Per year,
$1; six months, 50c; three months,
25c, in advance. .
Thos. Bawden, editor and manager,
157 Park st, Detroit, Mich.
PROGRESSIVE INDIRECT TAXATION
(Written for, Henry George Edition
of The Independent)
It has been the fond dream of econ
omists to institute a tax that should
be progressive in its character, or so
graduated that- the wealthy should
pay a greater percentage than thos$
less able; especially has this thought
been uppermost in the minds of repre
sentatives of the people in times when
they have by revolution thrown oft
the burden of an oppressive monarchi
cal form of government and in the
reconstruction times which followed
have looked round for Just sources of
revenue. But history shows that thus
far such efforts have resulted in fail
ure. The late Prof. Francis A. Walk
er in summing up an examination in
to the history of unsuccessful , at
tempts made by various nations to
apply progressive income taxes dis
misses the subject in these words:
(Political Economy, sec. 602.) "If tha
highest human wisdom Joined with
perfect disinterestedness should frame
a scheme of contribution, I must be
lieve that the progressive principle
must in some degree be admitted,
though by what means or In what de
gree I am, at a loss to suggest"
Walker was right in his dim per
ception of , Justice, though he looked
for it in the wrong direction. It Is
not to be found in an income tax, but
is to be found in a tax on land or a
rent for natural resources.
The late David A. Wells, a noted
writer on taxation and member of s
committee appointed by Lincoln dur
ing the war period to devise methods
of raising revenue, throws some light
on the subject in his History of Recent
Economic Changes, page 99. Speaking
of the cost of raising wheat on the
large ranches of California he says
that on farms of different sizes wheat
could be raised at the following scab
oi expense: ,
On ranches of 1,000 acres, 99U cents
per 100 pounds
On ranches of 2,000 acres, 85 cents
per 100 pounds.
On ranches of G.000 acres, 75 cents
per 100 pounds. '
On ranches of 15,000 acres, CO centa
per 100 pounds.
On ranches of 30,000 acres, 50 cents
per 100 pounds.
On ranches of 50,000 acres, 40 cents
per 100 pounds.
Supposing these estimates to be even
approximately correct, it would show
that these large bodies of land wera
worth more per acre than smaller
ones, a fact that would become ap
parent if the same competition existed
for large privileges in land as for
smaller; and if these progressive val
ues could be taken in taxation it
would form the price of land and be
the progressive tax looked for. Th?
same thing may be seen in the value
of railway franchises; they are not
to be valued per mile nor yet by their
perishable property, but by the num
ber and wealth of the populations
which they connect The way in
which a tax on land might become an
indirect tax and, therefore, allowable
under the constitution, is only clearl
seen by first comprehending that the
aim of such a tax is at the owner
ship of the privilege in land.
Chief Justice Fuller, in his state
ment as to the constitutionality of
the Income tax of 1894, said that from
time to time there had been intima
tions that there might be a tax which.
while not a direct tax nor yet in
eluded -under the words duties, im
posts or excises, would be constltu
tlonal, yet he goes on to say that
through more than 100 years of na
tlonal life such a tax had as yet re
malned undiscovered, although the
stress of particular necessity had in
vited the closest scrutiny into sources
of revenue. He further describes an
Indirect , tax to be one that is paid
primarily by persons who can shift
the s burden upon others, or taxes
which there is no legal compulsion to
pav. This astute mind blinded by
the Institution of the private owner
ship of land or hindered by the cr
mine which he wore, feared to utter
that' which might be construed to be
revolutionary. Evidently there was
in his mind as in Professor Walker's
a dim perception of what ought to
exist Now a single tax on the value
of land carried to its ultimate con
clusion fills the bill as an Indirect
as well as a progressive tax.
E. KENNEY.
Creston, la.
QUESTIONS IX BASIC PHILOSOPHY
(Written for Henry George Edition
of The Independent)
Out of the silence comes all wisdom.
Hence, the advent of the , twentieth
century find3 the minds of men reach
ing as never before to gather frou
the great ocean of thought the key
to a perfect civilization.
Throughout the ages that have with
ered and passed, men have delved and
brought forth philosophies, many of
which have served their purpose and
gone by the wayside, while others are
struggling for recognition that is yet
timid and elusive.
To the world, the basic prin
ciple has always been a dreaded
bogie whose presence is tolerated only
as a passing thought In every age,
men who were first to beard the lion
of social mal-adjustment have reaped
for their pains a harvest of scorn and
persecution. But a new era has Just
dawned, bringing with it the light oi
resplendent day resplendent with the
azure of fearless investigation. Hon
esty is fast displacing duplicity, and
the counsel of the saviours of men is
being more eagerly sought.
That the earth is the storehouse o(
nature is being recognized from the
standpoint of him who would demand
an equal right with all other men to
free access to its surface. But the
fundamental proposition that the
mental, material, and religious prog
ress of man depends upon such right
s treated , by many with that doubt
which is born of the narrow prejudices
of selfishness. . Hence, propagandists
are driven to subterfuge to obscure
the real goal for which their philos
ophy Is heading. Philosophers have
sought to discover a more obscure
pathway by which to lead the selfish
to the throne of justice, and educators
nave devised methods in , which basic
truth is deftly . concealed.
But to him .who believes that truth
needs not the cover of expediency,
honest Interrogation seems the easier
way. Holding to this belief, the writer
would ask the world to answer the
following questions: ,
First Given a planet on which man
finds himself without shelter or rai
ment and upon the fruits of which
alone his life can be sustained, is it
not a fundamental supposition that
as long as he is not denied the right
to gather and sow and reap at will,
tie will utilize the fruits of the earth
to his own comfort and elevation un
til ho evolves out of the primitive and
eventually reaches the pinnacle of per
fection in knowledge and civilization?
Second Given a planet on which
man finds himself without shelter or
raiment and upon the fruits of which
alone his life can be sustained, is it
not n fundamental fact that, If ha
is denied access to the fruits of its
soil, he will wither and die? Is it
not also a fundamental fact that,
if he is deniei the right to fully reap,
to just the degree of curtailment of
that right will his progress in civili
zation be retarded? Then Is it not
true that, if some of the nien of eartti
are compelled to surrender to other
men, for the privilege of the right to
such access, a part of the fruits gath
ered by them, all of mankind are re
tarded to that degree in their progress
in civilization?
Third Taking as a basis the fun
damental fact that man cannot
sustain life in the flesh without ap
plying his labor to land, is it not true
that it is not possible for man to
reach the highest ideals In civiliza
tion until each and every able-bodlol
individual, directly or Indirectly, ap
plies his labor thus, reaping and ap
propriating all, and only, that which
he gathers by his labor? But can such
a condition obtain as long as land is
recognized as private property? Fo
does not the legalizing of private own
ership of land imply tho right to ex
clude others from the" use of it? And,
having once delegated this right to
man, does it not follow It has al
ready done so that some men will
appropriate more of, the land than
they can use, for tho selfish purpose of
compelling other men to divide the
fruits of their labor with -them? Then,
if these questions must be answered in
the affirmative, is not private owner
ship of land a fundamental error and
the one great thorn in the side of
progress in civilization which, whea
removed, will make men free, giving
their brain and brawn full sway to
develop the sciences geographical,
civil, mechanical, commercial, and
metaphysical? If this is so, is this
not then the basic principle
Involving man's existence on the
earth? J. E. TURNER.
Dayton, O.
'SEARLES &
SEARLES
SPECIALISTS IN
Nervous, Chronica
AND I
Othtr Dlaar of
V.ta and Women we
CURE ,
WMlll MEN'S
DISEASES '
Dr. F. L. Sesrles.
CURES C ARANTEED.
Yen, we guarantee to cure all curable case
of the Ko-e, Throat, Chct, Stomach, I,lver,
Heart, Paralyaia, Bowel, Bladder, I'iioplei oa
face, Blood, Sklu and Kldnty Iieae. Pilea,
1'iMula and Rectal Ulcera, Diabctea and Bright'
Disease.
$100.00 tor a Cftlte of CATARRH, RHEUMA
TISM, DYSPEPSIA ON BLOOD POISON WC
CANNOT Coat, IP CUNABLC,
HOME TREATMENT BY MAIL.
Kxamlnation and consultation free. Call or
addrcaa with atamp, P. O, Box 224.
Dts, Searlss & Searles SVt"
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA.
HAIL INSURANCE
The United Mutual Hail In
surance Association the larg
est and most successful hail in
surance company in the slate.
ALL LOSSES PAID PROMPTLY
AGENTS WANTED.
Insuring crops against loss by
hall is becoming more popular
every year. The United Mu
tual Hail Insurance Company
organized in 1899 is the largest,
best and most successful . hall
insurance company doing busi
ness in the state. It pays' all
losses promptly. Since its or
ganization it has written 0,OC6
policies of insurance aggregat
ing $5,310,000 of risks. It has
paid 1,949 loss claims amount
ing to $147,315.10. The insur
ance has cost the policy holders
only one-half as much as old
line fire insurance companies;
receive proportionate to the
amount of losses paid. No one
raising crops can afford to take
the risk of losing his crops by
hail when he can get this pro
tection with thousands of the
best farmers of the state. Last
year the United Mutual carried
11,740,094 insurance "and naid
$27,710 in losses. They paid in
losses more than four times as
much as the combined paymen.s
of all other hail insurance com
panies doing business in the
state.
Good, reliable representatives
are ' wanted in every township
United Mutual Hail Ins. Association,
116 0. iotb M., Llrcoln, Nebr.
WONDERFUL RESOURCES OF
THE WEST
If you are looking for a home and
want to visit the we3t you can do co
with very ; little expense as tho
UNION PACIFIC will sell one-way
colonist tickets EVERY DAY at tho
following rates from Lincoln:
UNTIL JUNE 15
$25.00 to San Francisco, Los Angeles
and many other California polats.
$20.00 to Ogdtn, Salt Lake City,
Butte, Anaconda and Helena.
$22.50 to Spokane and Wanatchee.
$25.00 to Tortland, Tacoma, Seattle,
and many other Oregon and Wash
ington points.
ROUND TRIPS
May 12 to 18, inclusive.
$45.00 San Francisco and Los Angeles.
July 1 to 10, Inclusive.
$15.00 to Denver, Colorado Springs and
Pueblo.
June 1 to September 30, inclusive.
$16.75 to Denver.
$17.35 to Colorado Springs.
$17.50 to Pueblo.
For full information call on or ad
dress, E. B. SLOSSON,
General Agent
Would Carnegie, and other shrew 1
protectionists, advocate a tariff if it
cheapened what they sell, "goods,"
and enhanced what they buy, "labor?"
Issue of Juno 11 the critics will be
heard.
Special subscription rate to single
taxers, 5 months 23c. .
ti-
Forms of this edition will be held
two weeks. Extra copies in any,
amount, $1 per hundred. '