National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-08-06
John s,urv, MINE. L.st R..ny.


The London Examiner, for July 10, con-
lains the last article written by Mr.. Mill. 1t
10 entitled "The Right Of Property In Land"
Mr.. Mil thus vindicates the principle Of IN
earned increase;
"If the tenant has added anything TO the
value Of the land beyond the duration OF his
tenancy, the landlord should he bound to pur-
chase the improvement, whether permanent
or temporary, at Its full value. II the nation
at large, by their successful cxcrtlons TO In
crease the wealth Of the country, have en-
HANGED the value Of tho land, independent OF
anything done by the landlord or tho tenant,
that increase Of value should belong to tho
nation. That II should do so Is not only con-
sistcnt with the principles on which landed
property confesscdly depends for Its justiaca-
ton, but Is consequence OF those very prin-
ciples. Now, the labOrs OF the nation at
large do add daily pnd yearly to the value Of
the land, whether the landlord plays the part
of IN improvcr or not. The growth Of towns,
the extension of manufactures, the increase
OF population consequent on Increased en-
inand for land both for the habitatlons OF the
people and for the supply Of food and the
materials Of clothing. They also create u
constantly decreasing demand for coal, iron,
and all the other produce Of mining industry.
BY this increase Of demand the land propric-
tors largely profit, without In any way con.
tributing to 1t. The income from rural
lands has q constant tendency to increase;
that from building lands still more; and with
this increase of their incomes the owners
Of the lands have nothing to do except
to receive II. The Land Tenure Reform As
ISOLATION claim this increase for those who
are its real authors They do not propose to
deprive the landlords Of their present rents,
nor Of anything which they may hereafter
add to those rents by their own improvements.
The future unearned increase Is what the as
sociation seeks to withdraw from them, and
to retain for those TO whose labors aud saci /
fees, from generation TO generation, II will
really be due. The means by which II Is pro-
posed IN accomplish this Is special taxation.
Over and above the fair share Of the land
lords In the general taxation Of the public
they may Justly DO required 10 pay hereafter
q special tax, within tho limits of the Increase
| which may accrue to their present income
from causes independent of themselves. 1t
should be understood, also, that no intention
is entertained of pairing down the lncremcn,
principle the right Of taking 1t oil; In prac-
tiee we have no desire to insist upon the eN-
tremc right, at any risk of going beyond 1t.
No doubt the option allowed to the landlord
of giving up the land at Its existing value
would secure him against pecuniary wrong,
but We should 10 sorry to trade upon his re-
luctance to give up an ancestral possession
or one cndcared to him by association. We
would leave. therefore, an ample margin by
the way Of insurance against mistakes In the
Institution. We would not insist upon taking
the last penny Of the uncarned increase. Blu
we maintain that within that limit taxation
on the land, In addition to the landlord
share Of all other taxes, may justly bc, ant
ought 10 be, imposed"