7o6 
THE RURAL NEW-YORKER 
October 19 
THE WEALTH OFAMERICA. 
HOW IT IS DISTRIBUTED. 
P ART IX. 
We expected to end the discussion of 
this subject week before last but, quite 
unexpectedly to us, questions and com¬ 
ments have begun to come from all parts 
of the country. Some of them seem to 
require consideration, as they add some¬ 
thing to the discussion. We shall, there¬ 
fore, give space to a few of these 
thoughts. We consider it encouraging 
that such matters can be discussed 
calmly and without party feeling. We 
are glad to see that farmers not only 
realize that something is wrong with 
our country’s finances, but that they be¬ 
gin to look above party spirit for the 
remedy. First, let us consider this 
statement as to the effect of the single 
tax on land values : 
I have read with considerable interest your se¬ 
ries of articles on the Wealth of America, particu¬ 
larly the first and the concluding ones. I would, 
however, like to point out an error as to the ten¬ 
dency of the single tax, which you think would 
drive business out of the great cities into cheaper 
country locations. 
I gather from your remarks that you do not 
think this would be a bad thing, and you do not 
urge it against the single tax as an objection. 
Still, I think it shows that you have fallen into 
the very common error of regarding the single 
tax as placing an additional burden on the users 
of land and, therefore, under it very valuable 
land would be less desirable than now, and resort 
woul(J be made to cheaper land in order to avoid 
the tax. Tnis idea in regard to the single tax is 
such a common one that I would like you to ask 
in your “What Say?” column, Would the single 
tax on land values prove more burdensome to 
users of land than the present system of taxa¬ 
tion? so as to get farmers to thinking on this 
point. 
The single tax is a natural tax that must be 
paid, either to land owner, or community. If it 
goes to the first named, then the land user has 
also to help pay taxes. If it goes to community, 
the land user does not have to pay other taxes, 
and what he pays to community will be likely to 
be less than he now pays to the individual owner, 
because the single tax would squeeze speculative 
values out of land. 
Let me illustrate this. James Gordon Bennett 
rents the ground on which the Herald Building 
stands. For it he pays $30,000 per year. He also 
pays taxes on the building he has erected. Under 
the single tax he would continue to pay $30,000 
per year to the land owner, who would be taxed 
$30,000 per year. Bennett would be relieved of the 
taxes he now pays on the building, so that cer¬ 
tainly would not make it harder for him to con¬ 
tinue to use the land. 
The single tax permits men to make a profit 
only from the use of the land—what they make in 
that way is wholly theirs. Can you not see that 
this settles the problem of the distribution of 
wealth ? As it is now, land owners (non-pro¬ 
ducers) take a large share out of all that labor 
and capital produce. Stop this, and then men 
get only what they produce, and get all of that. 
Then you’ll have no use for inheritance taxes and 
the like, which are all forms of robbery that can 
only be defended on the ground that under the 
present system some get what is not rightfully 
theirs, and therefore it is no wrong to take apart 
away when they die. h. sudell. 
Delaware. 
It seems to us that the result of the 
exemption of that building from taxa¬ 
tion would throw a heavier tax on the 
land. Let us suppose, by way of illustra¬ 
tion, that the assessed value of the land 
is the same as that of the building that 
stands on it. The total tax on the entire 
property is $2,5G0. Under the single tax, 
as we understand it, no taxes would be 
paid on the building, while the present 
tax on the land would be doubled, if the 
same amount of money is to be raised. 
In a crowded city like New York, we 
think landlords would take advantage of 
this to increase their rents. Our idea is 
that this would drive many manufac¬ 
turers out into the cheaper locations in 
country towns. The rapid extension of 
electric roads and telephones would 
enable them to conduct their business 
just as well as it is now carried on. 
Personally, we think this would be a 
good thing for the country. We have 
always believed that this vast concentra¬ 
tion of population and wealth in the 
cities is a menace to the land. As society 
is now made up, wealth and population 
follow manufacturing to or from the 
town, and manufacturing follows cheap 
power and convenient business location. 
Another friend refers to the life among 
the Shakers, and makes the point that 
all community living must be more or 
less selfish since the members shut them¬ 
selves off from the rest of the world, 
and limit the good things they produce 
chiefly to themselves. For this reason 
he thinks that community living will 
foster a narrow spirit that will destroy 
hope of practical success. 
There is a good deal in that. One 
question I asked the Shakers brought 
out a curious fact. At that time 1 was 
interested in a little foundling—a boy 
who was cast out by his parents. I asked 
one of the leadiDg Shakers if he would 
take that boy into their family and bring 
him up. 
Somewhat to my surprise he said : “ No, 
he is not old enough for us! ” As I 
understood his explanation, they prefer¬ 
red older children who could perform 
some useful work. The idea was that in 
a cooperative enterprise all should do 
some work or else those who did nothing 
would receive benefits to which they 
were not entitled. The older people had 
given their labor in the past and were 
now entitled to the benefits. Helpless 
infants were only a charge. They could 
add nothing to the business of the vil¬ 
lage and therefore had no just claim to 
any of its benefits. 
This seems like a cold, hard view of 
the matter and yet, is it not the logical 
outcome of such a business compact? 
Say what you will about it, this world 
is made better and happier by what peo¬ 
ple give out of their comfort to others. 
Money is the easiest thing in the world 
to give away. Many a man smooths over 
an obligation to society by contributing 
money for what he considers a good 
cause. The world doesn’t need your 
money half as much as it needs you — 
your service, your inlluence, your voice 
on the side of right. 
By means of a singular train of events 
there has been planted near the Shaker 
villages an institution that is remarkable 
in many ways—the Burnham Industrial 
Farm. The original buildings were pur¬ 
chased from the Shakers. They were 
the old-time community houses—long 
since deserted as the ranks of the Shak¬ 
ers have grown thin by death and deser¬ 
tion. Some kind-hearted people con¬ 
ceived the idea of building here an 
industrial farm school w’here waifs from 
the streets of our great cities might be 
taught to be useful men, and led to grow 
up in the country as skilled farmers. I 
hope to tell about this interesting school 
some day. It is in many ways a remark¬ 
able institution. I could not help think¬ 
ing as I saw these boys at work and play 
how much more the Shakers would have 
added to the cause of humanity had they 
given more of their service to such 
work. That is the great weakness of a 
community. From a material point of 
view, it can be made a success—possibly. 
From a truly helpful point of view— 
never, because its tendencies are narrow 
and selfish to outsiders. 
Connecticut is the most remarkable 
farming section in the Union. This is 
not so much because of the vast capacity 
of its soil, but because of its wonderful 
markets in the manufacturing towns, 
the ease of transportation, and the ex¬ 
tent to w r hich electric motive power is 
being applied outside the villages. 
There was a time in the history of 
this country when Connecticut led the 
Nation in the production of food crops. 
Whenever there was a famine elsewhere, 
the settlers always knew that the Indian 
farmers of Connecticut were sure of a 
corn crop—and they depended on the 
Connecticut Valley farms as we now 
depend on the great Western valleys for 
our grain. For more than two centuries 
Connecticut agriculture was of more im¬ 
portance than Connecticut manufactur¬ 
ing. To-day is-but a-boy waiting on the 
shop. Why has Connecticut farming 
fallen behind manufacturing in the race 
for power ? One might say that cheap 
Western land has proved too much for 
the Connecticut farmer. 
The West has been no fiercer in its 
fight for the Connecticut farmer’s job 
than it has been for the manufactuter’s 
business. Illinois can make cheaper 
meat than Connecticut, and Iowa can 
make cheaper butr,er or grain. True, 
and so Michigan can make cheaper wood 
work, Wisconsin can make cheaper cop¬ 
per and steel goods, the South can make 
cheaper cotton goods and Ohio can make 
cheaper woolens. On both sides, it is 
the same question of getting closer to 
the original raw material. Why, if this 
is so, has the farmer fallen behind the 
shop man ? That is what we want to 
talk about next week. 
Dogs and Clover. — The following 
which we find in Texas Farm and Ranch 
was really one of Darwin’s discoveries 
announced many years ago : 
IIow does the number of dogs in a neighbor¬ 
hood affect the crop of clover seed ? It has been 
demonstrated that, where dogs abound, the clover 
never seeds freely. The explanation is this: 
Dogs and cats are natural enemies. Where dogs 
are numerous, cats keep to the houses and avoid 
the open fields. Cats destroy field mice when 
dogs are few, but not if dogs are numerous. 
Field mice, if undisturbed by cats, destroy bum¬ 
blebees, and Red clover depends upon bumble 
bees for the fertilization of its flowers. If the 
flowers are not fertilized, no seed is produced. 
Bumblebees have been imported in many places 
for this sole purpose. 
Birds as Civilizers. —We find the fol¬ 
lowing note floating about the country : 
Convicts in the Michigan State Prison are 
allowed to keep birds, and as a result of this 
there are fully 600 feathered songsters in the 
prison, all owned and cared for by the prisoners. 
Their carolings in the morning are one of the odd 
features of life at this institution. It is believed 
that this and other favors are responsible for the 
good behavior of the prisoners, as there are 
fewer outbreaks at Jackson than anywhere else. 
A bird—that is, a respectable one—will 
always try hard to civilize a human. It 
doesn’t always succeed. Lots of hens 
are trying hard to civilize their owners 
—but without success. 
IN writing to advertisers, please always mention 
The Ritual New-Youkek. 
You Lay the Roofing and Your 
Chickens will Lay the Eggs. 
YOUR YOUNG CHICKENS WILL SOON HAVE 
TO BE PROTECTED FOR THE WINTER. 
P.& B. RUBER0ID 
Roofing and Siding 
WILL KEEP THEM WARM AND DRY. 
It is the best and most durable in the market, 
and does not require skilled labor to put it on. 
i THE STANDARD PAINT COMPANY 
) Chicago Offic 
S 186 FIFTH AVE. 
l Sole ) 2 LIBERTY ST., 
( Mfrs. S New York, N. Y. 
Send for Samples aild Prices. 
Can be applied by 
any one on steep or 
flat roofs. 
LOW PRICE! 
DURABLE! 
FIREPROOF! 
If you are going to 
build or have leaky 
shingle or tin roofs, 
send for sample 
and circular. 
A. F. SWAN, 
38 Dev Street, N. Y, 
UAUTER OF CENTURY OLD. 
CH EflP ; WATERPR00F,’ 
Not affected 
strongtthi tnrnuur> by gases. 
No RUST nor RATTLE. Outlasts tin or iron. 
A Durable Substitute for Plaster on wails. 
Water Proof Sbeatbing of same material, the 
best and cheapest in the market. Write for samples, Ac. 
%he FA1 MANILLA ROOFING CO-, tAMDEN,N.J. 
J can be kept clean and sweet with 
~ Gold Dust Washing Powder. There 
i is no soap, washing compound or 
; cleanser that so thoroughly cleans 
1 milk pails, cans and other dairy 
accessories. It cuts the obstinate 
grease that will accumulate and 
lightens very much the work of 
keeping the dairy clean and sweet. 
1 is the greatest aid to hard-worked 
women. Invaluable for every kind 
of cleaning. Cheaper and better than 
any soap. Large package costs but 
25 c. at all grocery and general stores. 
Gold Dust Washing Powder has 
an additional value to the farmer for 
destroying insects. Send usyour name 
and address and we will mail you an 
important booklet containing recipes 
for making kerosene emulsions, for 
spraying crops and trees and live stock. 
IKE N. K. FAIRBANK COMPANY, K 
Chicago, St. Louis, New York, 5 
Boston, Pim.AnEi.PHiA. 3 
Green 
Cut 
Bone 
i 
cannot be compared with 
Bradley’s Superior Meat-Meal* 
as an incentive for making 
hens produce eggs. Thousands J 
of poultry men use “ Meat-x 
Meal” because it is cheaper,J 
more effective, and far easier £ 
to feed. A trial ( 75 c.) bag will# 
convince you. Send for it, or^ 
at any rate send postal for free 
copy of “ Feeding for Eggs. 
Bradley Fertilizer Co., Boston. 
i 
Makes hens lay. 
Makes chickens grow. 
The Bowker 43 Chatham St., Boston 
piuucn MEAT This food is nice, fresh meat 
VHIIIICU I'lLMI carefully cooked, ground fine 
CAD Dfllll TDV seasoned and hermetically 
rUll rUULInl ■ sealed. Will keep an unlimited 
time until opened. Conveniently put up in 8-lb. cans. 
Especially adapted for chickens and moulting fowls 
Ground tine, it can be mixed with soft food, and 
fed to give each fowl an equal share. Price, 30 cents 
per can: $3 per dozen. HOLLIS DRESSED MEAT 
AND WOOL CO., 20 North Street, Boston, Mass. 
®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®® 
THE KEYSTONE 
DEHORNER 
® Cuts clean on all sides-does not crush. The 
® most humane, rapid and durable knife 
(•) made, fully warranted. Highest World’s 
, Fair Award’. Descriptive Circulars F ree. 
i A.C.BR0SIUS, Cochranville, Pa. 
‘ T®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®®® 
COOK Your FEED and SAVE 
Halt the Cost—with the 
PROFIT FARM BOILER 
With Dumping Caldron. Emp¬ 
ties its kettle in one minute. The 
simplest and best arrangement for 
cooking food for stock. Also make 
Dairy and Laundry Stoves, 
Water and Steam Jacket Ket¬ 
tles, Hog Sealders, Caldrons, 
etc. Send for Circulars, 
P. R. (SPERRY A CO., Batavia, Ill. 
