National Republican., 1885-09-05


used to their dctrimcnt or injury. II is |
from the yield Of the land that most people |
must live, and II II he 50 managed that II |
produces little In the way Of food there Is |
less than sulllcicncy for the sustcnnncc Of |
the community, aud hence, rs n consc- |
qucncc there Is increased liability to scarcity |
aud suffering. Therefore, the general drift |
of all legislation, TO I've most conducive to |
the well being Of the whole people, must |
be such rs will induce or make II for the |
interest Of the large landholdcrs to sell In |
small parcels TO many CultivatOrs, and thus |
create n yCOmanry or, ns II Is called in the |
old countries, n pcasantry clnss--a class |
that, under wise laws, would he the most |
numerous, the most intelligent, the most |
conservative, the most respectable, though |
not the most aristocratic, class in the coun- |
try. To render It for the interest Of the |
large landhOldcrs to part with their un- |
profitable acres, the system of taxation |
should be so changed that the tax shall be
rnduated-graduated on its value-and the
assessment To he increased according to the
area or number of acres.
"This will force distribution, but II will
have nothing of the lcveling spirit in II
nothing of communism. On the contrary,
its tendency will be to build up law-Obiding
communities everywhere, every member Of
which will he a taxpayer, having an essen
tial and permanent interest In the country.
The division being accomplished, and the
system established that all taxes are to he
levied on the land at its real value In the
market and none on the improvements
upon It, nor any other property whutsO-
ever, the yield Of the small holdings will
undoubtedly be very much greater In the
aggregate than II held IN large farms, or IN
vast landed estates. %
"Thc statistican Of the agricultural de.
partment of our government at Washington,
In his report Of February, 1884, arrangcs the
different states into groups, with the object
Of showing how uniformly the land nppre-
ciatcs with the increased ratio of nOn-agri-
cultural people. In every state of the Union
he proves that, in proportion TO the pOpu-
| latiOn. the fewer the number engaged In
agriculture the higher Is the price of the
land. The same Is the case in the different
countries Of the respective states. In those
districts which are designated us manufac-
turing countries the land averages more
than 100 per cent. above what II does In the
Others; and In those states where there Is
| the most manufacturing, the value Of the
| lands Is the highest.
sin the states of Massachusetts, Conncc-
! tiCut, Delaware, New Jersey, and New
| York the average value of the land is high
at least 100 per cent. higher than IN sew
crnl other states where the land Is equally
| fertile ami accessible to foreign markets.
In those states the census shows that large
proportion of the people are engaged In
other occupations than farming: hence
there is q steady demand for the farm
products, and, because of this constant de-
mand, the land becomes very valuable. In
other states, Missouri, Kentucky, North
Carolina, Iowa, and Nebraska, where there
IS but little manufacturing, the land has
not half the market price per acre. In New
Jersey, which has great number Of
factories scattered throughout the state, and
where the people are engaged In great
variety Of vOcations, the land, In those
parts where most manufacturing is going
on, Is rated at S9G.46 per acre; and In other
parts, where there are fewer Of the mechanic
and manufacturing classes, It is valued at
only EO.G5 per acre. In Virginia, on the
other hand, where there is but little manu-.
featuring, the average value of the land Is
less than Sl2 pcracrc % %
"The great fortunes OF the world arc
made mostly In commercial pursuits Some
are made In mining and some In mnnufac.
turing, but the lamp Of Aladdin is in the
: merchants counting house. a commercial
country is far richer than an agricultural
country, AMI has many more capitalists
But where there are many who are vcry
rich there are and must also he many whc
, are very poor. The average of plenty and
, comparative independence will always bC
! found much larger In an agricultural than
, In commercial district. %
"Cndoubtcdly the shipping interests OF
the country ought to he encouraged, ms IL Il
a national disgrace that the American flag 1,
so rarely to he seen upon the ocean, ant
= that the commerce-carrying trade of th,
| country Is almost entirely in the hands o
a foreigners Perhaps the alien owners O
! vessels neither built nor commanded b,
p Americans might object to any change II
I the law that would impose ali the take
, on land aud thus leave the proprctors o
y American vessels free from taxation. Thi
I important exemption, permanent or TEN
n pOrary, might encourage the building M o
g n worthy merchant marine in the Unite,
y St0tcs-such marine as every true Ameri
L can would like to sCe-yct II would Ger
n tainly encounter the strongest opposition
!, from our transatlantic rivals and from al
/. who legislate in their interest. % 50
n THE opulent owner of land which Ii
does not cultivate, hut keeps to himsel
II what would otherwise be of special bcnell
n to Others, cannot justly complain If con
l. PEELED to pay for his fancied luxury. Ian
Is that supplies the necessary food for man
4 kind is limited in extent and as its prOduC
= tivencss depends largely on its proper div
A. sion among small holders, the higher rate
!. Of taxation should he at fixed ratio on til
IN | larger areas. " 81
a among the many plans and theori,
r. suggested by writers on political ccOnom,
n by which the earth is to be made more pr,
n ductiyc, and want and suffering diminishe,
q there has been u remarkable unanimity
4 sentiment that this problem Is the most IN
of pOrtant which can be presented to the col
ne sderation of philanthropists or Statesmen
I'm The utilitaran hasvcry commercially drive
n out the stole, the ascetic, and the monl
is with the improvements that have bee
q. made IN the chemical and mechanic ar
ut within the last hundred years, II is no
q. dcmonstrablc that the earth may he mac
es to support ten times the population
he present existing with far greater gcner
rd comforts and cOnvcnicnccs than are no
enjoyed. The fallacics of Ricards and Ma
thus have been duly relcgatcd to the real
I . of obsolete phantasms, and the dread
~ Ovcr-pOpulatOn no longer disturbs the wi
Il" student OF nature, who sees that If man W
~ only do his part in directing her force
w | there must always he Il uear equilibrium
u, supply and demand
r "The tendency to this equilibrium nll
ia manifest itself more and more us the pop
n ation shall he distributed more evenly oy
w., the world, and become more contiguo
'o to the soil from which they derive the
In support. So long as the land is held
ro ~, large tracts by the few, and the many Il
81 gathered In cities and towns, and do II
W possess foot of ground they can call th,
W own, the multitude, even In the best
oJI9 times, must inevitably dwell on that narro
Ia verge which separates struggling power
ns from absolute want; and in periods of d
,"o preston and panic the wall Of hunger Al
Jo ,JIo despair will continue TO be heard in d
w streets. %
ms "Genenl prosperity implies individu
en prosperity, and In some towns and villag
w. w. the people have the discernment to see th
~ II Is for the common interest to give q
In tnordinary encouragement 10 capitalists
,ns establish factories among them. In me
10 Instances this is done by cXcmpting NJ
,ro industrial enterprises from taxation fol
81 certain number Of years, or till they Q
y" well established on II paying basis. Su
.cn exemptions can he granted only by POI
ors lar vote, and most people are willing
me- telligently wllling-to make the cOncessic
,"t because they know that any industr
na,. ia. enterprise established among them will ID
W. nmnlnNmemI To mnnN nnrsnns, lhnI Il 50