, 1874-07-04

| MuacATi*E, 1n., Juno II, 1874.
| ~ the Ea!tor of The ch,eaao Tribune:
Sin, III Fridays TRZBuNE I saw a eon,snuni-
oa.ion on tho Land-Tax question, signed T. s.
| w., advancing reasous why tllo laud-tax should
not bo repealed. It Ia easy to perceive TINT 1t
was not farmer who wroteit, or his viows uou1d
DO very different from those ho expressed. His
argument is the same as Inns always haen adj
vancod. mud ono that carried with It h great deai
! Of force in tho past; that 10, that there ia no
other way of roaching the laud-specuator aud
making Linn boar bis share Of tho taxation. But
the last dozen yonrs have deprived that rehspn
OF It's FORCE from tho fact that there is compara-
lively but little laud held at present for Rpecu-
| Iation, owing to the fact that money invested In
any other way pays botLor interest," and the great
! 1and-hoidors OF tho presunt day (the NRilroad
! Compnniog) hold their land exempt from taxn-
| tion. And, by the by, right hero is question
| of State Sovereignty that uever saw question:
cd, aud think it n very important ono: What
right has tla National 1overumont To intsrforo
III the internal policy or regulation Of Stnta in
respect aB to who or what It shall ralso it's rcvo-
nueB from7 That the State has quietly ac-
quosced in tho matter 30 fur ls no argument III
to it's justice, and 1t ia tho duty Of some OF tile
Governors to examine into the matter. Do that
as 1t may, It certainly appears to me to be gross
injustice to require tho aettcr on Government
land to bear tho whole burden OF running the
State, county, and township organizations; /;
wAi1o bis nelghbor, located on railroad lands
goos FREQ III he bus not procured bis title from
tho Company understand TINT some Of the
best and largest farms aong tile limo OF The ll1i
nois Central Ra'lroad have noyor pnid ono cent
OF tax, owing 10 tho fact that tLoae owning them
don't want to take up their titles from the Rail
road Company, as Lhoy would then bo Liable to
taxIEion.
But the gross intuslco Of tho present 1nnd-
tax ariscs from the fact TINT thoro iH no allow
ance matlo for yeura OF partn or totul failure OF
farmers who iaihed nothing last year, owing to
the drough., aud who olther had to borrow
money to pay thoir tafos, or havo lot them run
II II hopte OF better luck thus yenr aud. owing to
drv. hot weather Of tue prosont Boason. I'M
afraid that their prospects orc no hotter this Hea-
son than lust. But hero comes in tho State, aud
adtls one net Of injustice to anotler, till it would
appear thut Its whole aim and object il TO crush
out tho energies Of rlis ugriculturstn, and mako
thom tile staking-horso for I'LL manner Of wrong
nnd oppresbion lu the first place, tue State gu.
tesn into solemn contract with lilo citizen that.
Lis homo shall be protected IRON the graspin,
creditor that 1t Is sacred from all claims io-'
debt, no matter how junt, or under Nhnt cir
oumstances those debrs werd contracted. Tia
homestead il considered as Il sncred depoat on
Ao slall be protected against tile cxtortionor /;
and, for that purpose. stringent ususy Inns
| are passed, which tic 8tato itsolf Ia tue
!! hrst to violate, and demands = proportion
/ Of usury aud forfeiture that would put Sy-
lock aud hs bond tar III the rear for e1lortlon
! and overEcacling. How can the State exnect
that its citizons shall rcapect aud obey the laws
Whcu 1t ia the first to set example OF yiolat-
tnE thcm5 I will merely mUntion ono instance
to show it's Injustice, though could snuuorats
| hunareds Of them:
| a poor widow, whoae husband wis killed In
| tue army, owned caeap lo1 with a shauty upon
it. The AsseHaor valued the whole concort at
$3.50, a1ld slo was required to pay ss5 tax oil it
!: Zone years. tax), one-half Of which WAS II bogus
railroRd tux, and half or the remainder WAS for d
railroad bond tax. But lets lny the hardship
Of the case: that, u t!e 435 was not foltncoul-
ing, she must lose bor little home rllat ahe and
her husband had spout The best portion Of their
lives in acquiring. Surely the Slate had IL right
to demand his life In defense Of such glorious
system. But such is tho inevitable co1,ne-
quences Of the .probeht system Of raising the
revenue of Of Tie rcal estate, II man
owns S10,goo in caah, and there is T. ta1-lcvy
! of from $500 to $1,000 against him,
they never attempt to sell the whoIe 5000 tor
tho delinquent tux; but, il 10 should be SO un-
fortunate Az to have &l0 Qp0 ortA Of real estate
t tho whole must 80 to satisfy tho detunnl Nuu,
J there ute hundreds Of farmets w4o would be
willing.tU pass over 10 Or 20 acres of their land
/ 1t u low tgulo for tboir taxos, 80 az to got aid
OF tho burden Of carrying aud paying INK on SO
! much roRl estate; but, under the present s, H.
; tenl, tAeY have Ito chauco of eoIIIng their !anl
| for nobody cares to invest in leal oBlate. as
taxation IL 10 high and the returIs 10 small that
| money will pMy better in any other khape,
Then. again, the tux III hid on The land with
| out any rcfcicnce to its productive qualltus.
| For instances q poor farm. 1t il should bo
| situated near town, is valued BY the ABscssor
often at nom ten to twenty titneB ns much per
acre as tue best aud most productive faiIns
| situated at dlnanco from market. surely, It is
all act Of injustice To make one citizen huar so uu-
eolal hi'are OF the burden, while 20 many liy-
lug luxurious cage, Oil large incomes Of Haiates
fru'n piofokaiona aid oiiicRl position, ale conl-
| pnrative!y exempt. ! don't blame ono clags OF
Tie community ior trying to shift au oucrous a
burden on to another, it they teallxu Nlat an in
! cubtlH taxation IL to tho farming otaHs They
i would mover willingly submit to burden that Is
| nothing Hlort of outrage and oppression. Since
| The TN1nuSE has been aH!tatiug tins subject.
havo watvhed closely tor SONIC farmer to take
hold Of tho snbieo. aud oxposo tue gross ln1us.
| tco OF collecting 10 largo a proportion OF the
| rcyonue OF Of The real eHtat0. / think If evory
| Farmers' Club In the West and every Grange
would aoyoto ons night to discussion Of this
| subject 1t would be time we'll and pro.ItubIy
| apeut Hoping somo Of the abba wri,elH among
| tbs farmers will take hold aud ltop to expuso
! and aenounco this System OF injustice and op.
| rioas1on, beg leaYo 10 remain, yours respeot-
iuly, SAMUEL H1sNErr,
"THE EARLY Bird"