Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1857-01-22

One Cont BREWER;
One do Burgeois;
One do Plea.
Type is psrii, worn, hntin rod working con
clifton and works risin and cicar Iteln he ,a'i-
~ applied for soon. rArir
Saxes On GssA ~ Non WrssS.mt,.
There 10 not, and never has bocfi,
but one opinion respecting the INJURY
and drawback to the prosperity Of a
State, occasioned by unimprovcd lands
and nonresident spectators, whose
greed Of gain lie rs limi,Iess a. tie
As the rapacity Of shark. Busine
these lands Of the general Government
1t the nominal price Of si,25 per acre.
they continue to hold them without
improvement, until the adjacent resi-
dent land owners, by the improvement,
ofthcir farms and the creation Of villa
ges and towns, give tothose unimnro. 81
lands value ranging from So TO $50
the acre within the period Of a sew
months. Thus without adding far
thing 10 the wealth of the State .r
bringing dollar within its bounlarjc.
these absentee spectators fa,ten and
grow rich upon the labors and indus
try OF resident citizens. 1t too often
happens that when the highest market
able price is offered them for their wild
lands, they reject the offer with III. Q.
Pectation that it will still increa~o !,
value a. the adjacent country become.
more thickly settled. This ofcours. /.
their legal right, as it is the right ofthe
niser to bury the shining coins wbirh
ne Possesses, and the spcndthrift to
throw away the fortune bestowed unon
him BY the patcrnal will. We all re.
member Ireland, AMI what it was that
drained il Of its wealth and vital eucr-
gies. The Absenteeism of ireland is
not dissimilar to the plan of non-r..i
dent spectators of the West. Men
come out here from the Eas. with pock
sts groaning with gold. 10 spy out The
choice bits Of fertile land Of tie STATE,
where population is likely to courcn-
tratc, and make their landed invest.
ments, with the most careful discr;ni
nation, and then return home Wit. IN.
remark that they hav" sai,ed DOWN I"
= few thousands for their heirs.
In this manner tie most futile por
tons Of our State are "salt.I .l,.vu
aud afford no heneii, 'o ,hr fropl, ef
the State eAcep: IN the l.ilifnl tan.
which these lands pay Tor local asI
State revenues.
10 force the spectators into the
sale Of their lands. many a, The conn.
ties OF our State, and nearly all oftherl
IN Minnesota. living along tie ha..ksof
the navigable rivers. ha,. de, sed sv.-
TEN OF taxation. So oncrous in irs char
acter, to non-residcn, land or,.,r. ,l.,
they prefer TO dispose Of suri. lands
rather than continue to pay IL, ta>.-.
The plan is 10 assess the ,rocrun;,.l
lands of non-rcsidcnis at the hb,h.>,
possible valuation, and oitcn time.
much higher ,lsn e,en their rrnsre-
tive value will warrant. This is la,-
ing its desired 'tfcr, in Minnesota and
thousand. are Offering their lanls for
saie TO escape The burdens of ,,,a;iou
We very much question the LEGALITY of
'ocn assessments, and seriously doubt
""e'"sr ends thus assessed and sold
'os hon-payment of taxes would be
safs in the hands Of purchasers. Tax.
alton made with any such avowed or
concealed intent is 'contrary to the spir-
It OF the Constitutions Of nearly all the
States which make assessments mi.
form, and upona Just valuation. What
ever legal questions may arise. the cf-
feet Is wholesome, and these Iand-shsrks
are dispnsing Of their lands for ten fold
their cost. and investing anew in back
counties. We hope that the plan will
b tried in Iowa to the fullest extent
within the provisions Of our Constitu-
ton. Within our own town there are
considerable tracts Of land still in the
hands Of nonresident speculators.-
Even within our city there are lots and
whole blocks. thus tied up. or leased
out for shanties and rum shops, ,ha,
would become valuable and useful TO
the city il the spectators would sci!
them for fair prices to resident citizens
and those settling among us. who
would improve them. Let the asses.
sou take hint and act accordingly,
~~~
4 W0aTooY PAI0.
The latest news from California
shows that the Governor Of California
he's permitted the State Indebtedness
70 b increased to three millions OF dol!