The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1865-09-16
THE INCREASE OF RENTS.

The proceedings, published in our d
per OF yesterday, of an " Indignatio
Meeting, held at the City Hall, to ado
measures to oppose the proposed emo
NOUS increase of rents, are very signil
cam and should serve as a warning
the owners of property that the oppre
slve measures which they have conspire
10 adopt may react upon themselve
Ihey can offer no justification for th
very singular and Objectionable cour
they have so suddenly determined t
pursue with regard to increasing the a
ready exhorbitant rents demanded 70
h use of very worthless tenements an,
storehonses. 1t is usual in cities q
towns when the burdens of the tenan
are to be increased, for landlords to fur
nish at least some plausible pretex
therefor; and even then they are eau
tlous about making such sudden anG
radical changes Is to crush the hopes OF
those who are left almost entirely at
their mercy. They are generally
ashamed, be they ever so ~grasping and
money-loving, to manifest such a total
want of equity and disregard for the
claims alike of justice and humanity. of
liberality and decency. We defy any
landlord in Norfolk to give even a plausi-
Ole reason for advancing the rents at
this time that has not existed during the
past ten years. The value of real estate
mas not been enhanced by a sudden in
iux of population and an increase of
business; nor are the prospects of such
an increase, with the present repelling
influences actively at work, sufficiently
cheering to justify very extensive expec-
tatlons that the city will suddenly sprinp
into active business life as if by the
touch of the magician's wand-become
in a nights time the great centre of the
worlds commerce, and fulfill our most
sanguine desires.
Ihey cannot give a single good and
sufficient reason for the grinding. des- |
potio and ruinoas policy they have in
augurateds nor do they pretend to justi-
~ 1t, fuIther than by the very lame and
silly argument that the internal revenue
tax falls heavily upon them. Does the
small sum levied by the government
upon these property holders, who
We're more to blame for the wal
that rendered this tax necessary than
their poor tenants, justify them in
doubling, and even trebling, the rent
heretofore demanded for their old. ;iilapi-
dated, tu~mble-down, crumbliny novels,
which are dignified by the name of
houses-buildings in which one is afraid
to allow a child to cry or a dog to bark
for fear the noise rlay bring the walls |
tumbling about his ears. And then
again, is it jrst-is it patriotic-that !
property holders should shirk their !
outy 10 tbeir country in this manne by
throwing all the burdens Of taxation
upon their tenants? We are continually
nearing the owners of real estate, OF
houses and lands, who lease them out att
enormously high rents, boasting of the |
amount of taxes they pay for the sup |
port OF the government, and urging that |
the n~on-taxpaying m~asses-those who I
not own real estate-ought not to |
nave a voice in the government: that
should neither vote nor hold Office.
rms is really Elodest, when we consider
mat theyy make these same non-holders
real estate pay all the taxes. 1t is
the landlord that pays his money
for the support of the government: it
is the poor mechanic OF the labOrer,
who works from sunrise till sunset
for a small pittance to satisfy the con-
increasing demands of the Shy
owner of the property in which
has the misfortune TO reside, and
who would wiring from him the last l
penny of his hard earnings, even were !. =
ais wife and children starving, and :
hen insult him by declaring that, as he .
gives nothing to support the Govern. 1
ment, he is not entitled to a voice in the
of its officers, or to the privilege :
wen of expressing an opinion. We +,
ave never seen it fail, if an additional
AK were to be levied or a contribution !
. be raised, that the landlord did not
AXE advantage of it as an excuse for
the rent, to cover even more
han the amount Of increased taxation.
'hus they go on increasing, little by
tile, until finally they add the last
'ather that breaks the camel's back ,
len a reaction takes place-and they
re hoisted by their own petard. We $
arm them now that they are making ,
aste too fast, and there is great danger .
at they may over-shoot the mark, and 4
icite a counter-conspiracy. b
1t were better for them to pursue I,
e just and humane course. and
ny demand such a reasonable. increase n,
n as the present prospects of IL
'siness will justify. They must be sill
nervous, too, a well as just. Thew ought te
{ to Cypress the people merely because e, n'
ey nave the power to Cypress them ia
Istice should rule the world. and -. su
lght' Even an absolute monarch deaIs ha,
Tn ms subjects mercifully and eouita. will
7, n the property owners of this citv
respect TO rents, are absolute in tha; \
Wer; out is it humane or even exna. syl
ut Ior them to use that powerp r. ash
rfoik there are several Thousand w. res,