Signed and Edited Manuscript of an Economics Parable by Edward Atkinson

Atkinson was an American industrialist and economist. He wrote "Cheap Cotton by Free Labor", "The Collection of Revenue", and "Argument for the Conditional Reform of the Legal-Tender Act". TMS. 7pg. 8 ½" x 11". Dec. 29, 1899. Boston. A typewritten manuscript signed "Edward Atkinson" and accompanied by a slew of handwritten notes between lines and in margins. The manuscript is entitled "A Single Tax Parable. A very simple story" and reads, in part: "... Away down to the West of the Indian Territory there lies a bit of land of exceedingly uniform and fertile character named 'No Man's Land', belonging to the United States. It was set apart when opened to settlement, for an experiment in collecting the entire revenue due from settlers for any purpose by a 'single tax'... John Doe and Richard Roe were two New England mechanics... without the possibility of accumulating gain... They concluded to better their conditions by accepting under the Government grant, each a quarter section in 'No Man's Land' on a single tax or ground rent at an assessment of two (2) per cent... making the single tax... on the whole parcel eighty dollars ($80.); a seemingly high valuation but a low rate... John Doe and Richard Roe each had a thousand dollars ($1000) in capital. Each built a small house, putting the rest of their money into tools. Each put into wheat one hundred (100) acres... land of uniform fertility... Each kept a set of books, valuing their own time... At the beginning of the second year John Doe bought a piano for the use of his daughter and bought a trotting horse and buggy for himself. Richard Roe was satisfied with a parlor organ... and put the rest of his profits into some good dairy stock... ". The manuscript continues along these lines, and ends with the less frugal Doe working as an employee of the smarter Roe. There are over a handwritten hundred words, and his signature appears at the end. The manuscript is in excellent condition, with horizontal folds and a paper clip mark throughout (Inventory #: 911)