Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1886-11-20
Land ana Individualism

The following is an abstract Of paper
on "Land and Iudiyidualism,' by Mr.
KFsPER BOCoCK, which was read before a
recent meeting OF the Philadelphia Social
Science Association. Mr.. BOCOCK Is Nir-
gnian
"Thcre is a germ Of truth in Henry
Georges idea of the naturalization OF
lanG--namely. the principle that the right
oi eminent domain may be exercised for
the benefit Of the people directly as well as
indirectly. and that 1t should be kept in
sight in framing or modifying the laws OF
land taxation. This, however, should be
done without encouraging socialistic ten
denotes, or increasing the extent and COM
plcxity OF governmental machinery, beyond
what Is necessary TO carry out Herbert
Spencer's principle that the Government
should be negatively regulative, and give
the individual the opportunity to do every
thing for himself; not positively reSulative,
doing everything for him. and gradually
reducing him TO condition OF intel
lectual and moral dependence. The appli-
cation OF this principle 10 the question OF
government control OF the distribution Of
land il the disbursement OF land mOnOpO-
", by putting premium on the breaking
up Of large holdings into small. Instead OF
taxing all land there should be an eXemp-
ton Of cultivated land from all taxation No
TO a certain area held by one person; be-
yond the maximum nOn-taXabie area tue
fax rate per acre should increase abreast OF
the number OF acreas mOnOp0liZed. ThlS
would be virtually prOhlbitory OF land mo-
nopohzation on large scale, and the ar
rangement OF tax rates 40 that the produc-
tiyeness OF moderate areas would not be in
terfered with, would be matter OF d'tlll
only. Every thrifty nottingham could
provide himself with Il small tract, too
| small to be taxed, for large farms would be
| broken up into small ones and offered Tor
| sale. The value Of private ownership oil
real estate, as an inducemcnt to indcpen-
| dence Of character, the preservation OF pub
| lie order, and m active participation IL the
| duties OF citizenship, can hardly be exag'
verated; and this is the object to be al
| tanned by exemptIng small holdings from
taxation and taxing large holdings with 4 Sc
| verify proportionatc to their area. The de-
sired n suit can be soonest obtained by fol.
lowing the line OF least resistance, and
gradually modifying present conditions, so
| a. TO avoid the extreme or radical rene
dies unless they Become necessary. In the
language of the custom-house, specific
tax on land should be SUBSTITUTED for the al
rdlOrtm or value tax. There would be va
rious incidental advantages in this, such as
avoiding the present evils OF undcrvalui'
ton, which keep tax rates higher than
they should be, and demoralze the office
holders 10y the temptations which they
| offer"
The world does not go backwards. The
tendency of sll modern civilization is &c
the division OF labor. Division OF labor
produces mammoth establishments. Labor
saving machinery will produce similar re
suits on the farm. This must be large
enough to allow blowing, ditching, reap
ing, &C., to be done 10y machinery. And
| this will be done. Nevertheless, the LAND
laws Of the several States are susceptible o
| improvement, and we like 10 read what adj
yanced thinkers have 10 say on the subject