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THE ADVOOATB. 80 me New Argnmcnt for the Single Tax. Editor Advocate: As there ia a con eider able amount of agitation in favor of substituting the single-tax for our present system of taxation, perhaps a comparison of the two systems with especial reference to their respective effects on the farmer would drive away some of the prejudice that exiata in the minds of some against said change. It takes about $10 per capita to run the government under the present sys tem , or about $50 for each family of five nearly COO million dollars per annum, which would amount to just $10 per capita for 60 million people. If the farmers paid with same propor tion aa the balance of the people, each farmer would pay. just an average, c-f $50 per annum into the government treas ury. But any man of ordinary intalli genca can see at a glance that the farm era pay a great deal more than the averagf citizen. Under the present sys tem of taxation, each pays in proportion to what he consumes, and there is no other class of citizens that consumes anywhere near as much in proportion to their capital as the farmer. For instance, the farmer consumes steam threshers, binders, headers; plows, harrows, wagons, wire, lumber, nails, and many other things that no other class of peo ple consume, and then they consume as much of the things that other people consume as they do; hence it would be entirely within the bounds of reason to estimate the proportion that the farmers pay at $100 per family of five, just double what the average citizen pays. Now, it is a well-known fact that by reason of the protective features of our tariff law that there is at least $2 goes into the pockets of our manufacturers and mine-owners for everyone that is received by the government, hence the average farmer must pay at least $300 par annum under our present system of taxation. It can be easily seen that this estimate is about correct, for the total receipts of an average farm of 100 acres will aversge about $1,000 per annum, and if the tariff only increases the price of commodities 30 per cent., it would compel the average farmer to pay juat $300 more for the goods he bought with his $1,000. But the indirect effect of our system of taxation ia worse than the direct, for a robbed customer must necessarily be a poor one; hence, by allowing the manu facturers to charge the masses, who are the farmers' customers, two prices for the goods that they are compelled to have makes them just to the extent that they are robbed that much poorer cus tomers for the farmers; for it ia a well known fact that the average family will scrimp at the table sooner than on their back?. People can see what they wear, but not what they eat; hence, a hungry stomach and good clothes often go to gether. By adopting the single-tax, at least 30 per cent of the money that now goes into the pockets of our million aire manufacturers would assume its natural course and soon find its way into the farmers' pocket. Now, we have seen about what our present system of taxation costs the farmer, and, of course, we can't make a fair comparison of the two systems with out finding out as near as possible what effect the single-tax would have. In the first place, it would do away with all custom houses and their nesessary offi cials, and all revenue cutters and crews, and also all internal revenue tax-collectors, and a horde of spies, detectives, and a large share of United States marshals. The effect of all this would probably re duce the annual expense of the govern ment to about 400 million dollars. The single-tax would levy this on land, irre spective of improvements. The census report shows the value of real estate of the nation to be about 39 billion dollars. Deduct 10 billion dollars for value of im provements and we have 29 billion dol lars of land values. Now, from this land we must raise 400 million dollars, or we must have a tax levy of 1.4 per cent., so that an average farmer on a IGO-acre farm, which, irrtjpective of improve ments, in Kansas would be worth proba bly about 82,000, would pay just $23, or lesa than one-tenth of the tax he is com pelled to pay under the present system. There would be no extra expense of col lection, because our present assessors would be the only ones, and our state treasurer would . pay our . proportion of the government tax to the national treasurer, which would be in proportion to the value of our land, juat as our county treasurer pays our proportion of the state tax to the state treasurer now. In regard to our state and county taxes the single-tax would be wholly in the interest of resident farmers and business men as it would compel non resident land-owners to pay tax in pro portion to the value of land that they owned. Non-resident land-owners don't own any personal property in Kansas, and of course, if a portion of our taxes are levied on personal property the levy will be lighter on land, and non resident land-owners' taxes will be lighter. Under the single-tax system the average farmer of 160 acres would probably have to pay about $25 tax for state, county and township purpose?, or a total assess ment of about $53 for state and national purposes. Now the single-tax contem plates the taking of the total rental value of land or an annual tax of about 5 per cent, of its selling value for public purposes. Now we have our national, state and municipal governments paid for at $53 per 160 acres, and 5 per cent. on a $12,000 farm would amount to $100, bo we would have $17 per 1C0 acres left. Now a proportionate tax levy on all of the land in the United States whioh the single-tax contemplates, would amount to 700 million dollars over and above all pieaent public expenses. Suppose we should apply this surplus toward the distribution of wealth, 120 million dol lars would pay 3 per cent, interest on 4 billion dollars of bonds which it would be necessary to issue in order to buy the railroads; estimating their value at 5 billion dollars we could issue 1 billion dollars of greenbacks and pay one-fifth of their value down, and we could issue bonds for the balance; 504 million dol lars would pay the 700,000 railroad em ployes an average of $00 per month, whioh is more than they receive now and under the single-tax $C0 per month would go farther than $100 now. Now, we have 78 million dollars of our 700 million dollars left to buy the coal and pay for repairs and the other nec essary expenses with. For, fear that wouldn't be sufficient I would recom mend a moderate charge for passenger fare. Free passenger fare would be in the interest of the shifters. Some people are eternally on the go while others are inclined to stay at home and attend to their work. A moderate charge for passengers would act as a check to abuses of that kind. But the free trans portation of commodities would be in the interest of the industrious because they produce the most for transporta tion and also consume the moat. If each of our CO million of inhabitants paid an aversge of $5 per annum for passenger fare it would raise an annual fund of 300 million dollars which would be enough to supply any deficiency that raljht be occasioned by the failure of the single-tax to supply the required amount and it would also supply a sink icg fuud for the purpose of paying off the bonds. The single-tax would do all of this as I have shown with a tax levy of $100 per 100 acres in Kansas which ia at least $200 laea than we pay now through our indirect system of taxation. As the distribution of commodities ia next in importance to the prosperity of the people to their production, I am in clined to the opinion that there should be no charge over government roads for their transportation. I have shown that an annual tax on an average farm of 160 acres in Kansas would pay all the nec essary expenses of our national and state governments - and . -transport all commodities free. It now costs us $250 to ship l.COO bushels cf wheat to New York, then our tariff and internal reve nue tax robs us of at least one-third of what we have left of our wheat after paying for shipping, through increased price for goods that we trade our wheat for, so that we can't possibly receive for our produce more than one-third that we would under the single-tax and gov ernment ownership of railroads. Faw even of the Populists comprehend the withering effects of our present system of taxation. It is so unutterably out rsgeous that it would make a pirate shudder. 1L E. Teachout. Hakle, Kas. Sixth District Populists. Editor Advocatx: We next went to Iloxie, Sheridan county. This ia one of our western counties that have suffered from failure of crops. But her people are pluoky and propose to stay. The opera house was full of people who came to hear Captain Oaborn, it being the first time he had spoken in the county. At the close of the meeting there were several parties who said they had never cast their lot with the Popu lists, but would hereafter. Will you allow me, Mr. Editor, to cite one more case where one of our workers gave cheerfully of his means to "send out the light." I would not call your readers' attention to these incidents but for the fact they show how earnestly the people are working and what they will sacrifice for this reform work. When the question of raising some means to spread our literature was raised, a Mr. J. said: MI only have one dime in the world. If some one will give me two nickles, I will put one in the hat." Every day we meet with just such noble men. I tell you, a cause that is backed up by such a spirit will win. The next meeting was at Hill City. Fully two-thirds of all the voters of the county were at this meeting. After the captain had made his speech, it would have done you good to have heard O. L. Smith answer one James Troutman, can didate for lieutenant governor on the g. 0. p. ticket. Ue handled him without gloves. I only wish Troutman could make his speech of vilification and abuse in every school house in Kansas. For shame on euoh a man and such con temptible lies! From here we went to Natoms, one of the prettiest located little villages in all Kansas, only two years old, and about six business houses. Our good friend R. F.Baldwin is the founder of the town. Ue is a loyal Populist, too. The meet ing here was not so large aa we had been having, but more men come to shake hands with the captain and say, Tour s peach has convinced me that your oourse is just and right," than at any other meeting. From thia point the captain went to make his appointmsnta further west, and your correspondent m zkz 1 htm ,V j' ' .'4 , 1 5 i lou can casityhave ihebest if you only insist upon it. They are m&da fercoefsirg and heaiingjn every conceivable slyte andslzaforw?y kind of fud and with prim front 10 to 70. Thegnulne All bear this trade mark&nd are sold with a written Kiaranto9. FirsWassmcrcfwrrtJ i, everywhere handtethem. TktMkMsan Stowt Cmny. uatm Mtunof tram an iMNiwmimu ernwn. cmofio. wnrAio. ew c crrr. started to take in some of the governor's meetings. We stopped over two days in Saline county, where we succeeded in getting 200 more readers for the Advo cate. 0. W. Hendik. THE MARKETS chicago, August 20,1801 Whiat Cash, Wi cents; Sept., 65 caota; Dec, 68 cento. Corn Cash, 53 j cents; Sept, 6T. cents; Deo,, 63 cent. Oats Cash, centa; SeptSOJi cents. Pom-Cash 11X50, MVS STOCK. Kansas Citt, August 20, 1894. C att lk Te x as steers, $l.80rM.9O; native cows, ll.:iO(375; stockers and feeders, $L953 I&20; bulls, Hogs Bulk of sales, 15.005.35 j lights, rorx era and pigs, S:i.25(i$.r.i5. woou Sllberman Bros., 313 and 214 Michigan street, Chicago, get out a weekly report of the wool market which they will be glad to sord on ap plication. The exceedingly dry weather has placed corn on the top shelf, and Judging from the active market, wool Is a clone second. The dry weather has not been the means of creat ing the firm market on wool, however, but the cause may bo assigned to two reasons: First Upon actual demand by the manufacturers notwithstanding tariff tinkering; and sesond, on account of the anticipated tariff revision many millions of sheep have been driven to the slaughtering pen. We are creditably in forinod by Messrs. Sllberman Uron., 21J Michi gan street, Chicago, Ills., who, by the way, are one of the largest wool commission houses In the West, that the demand for best grades of wool at this time Is more actlvo than for two years past. Speculators, with an eye to busi ness, think wool Is good property and this, together, with above reasons, makes a de cidedly firm market. Any shippers having wool to dispose of would find it to their ad vantage to correspond with the above firm and market their wool In the next two or three weeks while the market Is strong, and before there is any poaslbls show for foreign wools coming In free. Prices for Kansas and Nebraska wools are: Fine (heavy) 9otol0o Fine (choice) 10c to 12o Fine medium llo to 13o Medium 13c to 14a Low medium 13c to 15a Coarse lie to 13c Cotted, etc 8o tolOo Black 100 to 130 IIOB8X8. W. 8. Tough & Son, managers of the Kansas City Stock Yards horse and mule department, report: Extra draft, 4 to 7 years 1100 00 125 00 Good draft, " " 6000 80 CO Kitra drivers " " 100 00 175 co Good driven " 65 00" MM Saddle good to extra 75 00" 175 00 southern mares and geldings.. 25 00 75 00 Western range, unbroken, 30 00 60 CO Western ponies 13 60 " 20 CO MULIS. Market fairly active. A little more move ment In all grades. Prices steady at quota tions. VA,i to 7 years, extra f 45 00 S CO CO 14" " good 85 00 60 CO hands 4 to 7 years, extra 75 00 M 90 C9 15 " d good 70 00 " 80 CO 16H " " " extra 100 00 " 1QOOO io - irooa 90 00 - ICO CI 18 to 1 good to extra 100 00 135 CO ASEaTS VAHTED far "SlilUsj f:r UJs." Labor's side of the labor question, by John Swinton, the Pillar of Light of labor move ment, fiend 10c for agentj outfit Quick, large profits. Add. National Pab. to., iMcatro, 111. A 1 JA AW AYS.