New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-09
about 90 900, 900, 900 s the vsGe Of land build
ing, ro.ds machinery or al kinds, stocks, cattle,

about 90 Ooo ooo, 900 ss the vsue Of land. build
ipgs, roads, machinery Of al kinds, stocks CATTLE
and commodid lies, owned BY the people Of the
United States, and capable Of being used for their
maintenance, and the increase Of their productive
powers. Divided among the whole people, this
would give less than $500 per head to each-belng
scarcely more than the addition msde to the prop
eIty Of the people Of France in thirty year,.
Tbese are remarkable facts, yet facts they seem
to be- for the figures are in both cases the result OF
careful examination and inquiry, made BY persons
in Official station. Our readers will not suspect
their own officers Of any attempt at undertaking
the wes tn of the community of which they are q
part ard in proof that the French returns are not
srQerate6, we have before MS other most trastwor'
thy statements, pubfhed some years since, chow
pg an increase in the value Of land in some OF the
DEPARTMENTS TO the extent Of three four, snd even
five times. in the still shorter period between 1928
and 1850. All this, as our readers will see took
place before the gold Of California had commenced
in any manner to affect the prices Of property.
What renders these facts still more remarkable
il. that during oil this period, the people Of France
have been subject to a taxation of the most OPP
pressive kind-raDging from one 10 two thousand
millions If france, or from two to four hundred
millions of dollars a year. Again, they have had a
conscripiion, requiring from forty to eighty thou
sand young men annually, taken from all peace
full pursuits, and employed for six of the best
years Of their lives in the improbable work OF car
lying arm and burning powder. Further, they
have not only had a wasting war in Algeria, but
TO that has been added civil war among Themselves
the revolutions Of 1880 and 1843 having both &C.
CURED In the periods embraced in the foregoing
fgurea. We, on the contrary, have, with slight
exception, enjoyed the most profound peace, with
few soldiers or sailors TO maintain, and our
farmers have been, therefore, almost wholly with
out taxation; whereas the direct taxes of France
are among the most oppre, Siye in the world, and
are levied not only on the land, but on doors aud
on the transfer Of property By purchase
or inheritance mortgages and in every other form
and manner that can be devised. Were the land
Of that country as free from taxation as that of the
United States the addition to its present enormous
value would be at least ST. GO 900, 600. or third
Of the whole value of American lands.
What, now, our readers will inquire, is the
cause of al these wonderful differences The an
swer to this question may be given in few brief
words. French policy tends toward making
market On the land for all its products, and by its
help the farmer becomes from year to year more
freed from the tax Of transportation. American
pclicy scattels men broadcast over Thousands OF |
millions Of acres, and thus augnents the tax of
transportation. French policy tends toward fa-
ciltsting the exchanges of the farmer, thus |
enabling him with each successive year to obtain
HIGHER prices for his products. American policy |
TENDS toward impeding the exchanges of the
farmer ard therefore it is that for the thirty years
above referred to TIE farmers and planters were re-
CURED to give a constantly increasing quantity OF
wheat, -four, tobacco and cotton for the same
quantity of money French policy enables the
farmer to restore to his land the elements OF which
It's crops are composed, while American policy
tends 10 the destruction Of those elements. French
policy looks TO the division of the land and the ee-
walton of the sgrcultursts American policy
locks to the cOnsOidat on of the land and the
degradation of the men by whom i. is cultivated.
French policy looks 10 the manufacture of all the
products Of the land and TO the maintenance OF the
largest commerce with the world abroad and
amcng the people at home. American policy looks
TO the expectation Of all those products IN their
rudest state and to the elevation Of mere trade at
tie expense of genuine commerce.
Differing thus in policy, it affords no cau'e for
surprise that we find the wealth of France increas
ing with such rapidity that The addition thereto IN
thrtp uears has been more than all tie tcedh credted
in this country since It's first settlement By The PHr'
fans. the QuakerS and the CdralierS. Wealth is
power. Should our statesmen be disp ,sed TO OBJ
tain power fl r the people of these United SAFES, it
might be well for them to make an effort TO under
stard BY what means it il that France is enabled TO
grow SO rapidly while We advance so slowly
Throughout The world, power has always grown
with the diyersi6caton of employments and the d.
vison of the land American policy looks to the pre-
vtntion of any such liberalization, and to c'nsoI-
dation of the lard, such as is now COINS on in this
State Virginia, Carolina snd Alabama.
Tie Richmond Whig, with view, as it says
&" 70 pu, the fanatics of the North in possession OF