The Single Tax Movement Hits Ritzville
Dr. B.F. Longstreet brings the economic theories of Henry George to Adams County, sparking a new local political organization.
Dr. B. F. Longstreet of Seattle delivered two lectures at the Ritzville courthouse last Friday and Saturday on the subject of Single Tax. A fluent and well-informed speaker, Longstreet drew significant interest, leading to the formation of a local organization to educate the public on the merits of the policy. W. O. Lewis was elected president, with O. R. Holcomb serving as secretary.
“The doctor is a fluent speaker, and is no doubt one of the best informed men in the country upon single tax and like subjects.”
The Single Tax movement—the idea that government should be funded solely by a tax on land value—was a massive, populist economic debate in the 1890s. Its aim to reduce land speculation remains a relevant, if forgotten, echo in today's intense debates over housing affordability and real estate monopolies.
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