The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-12-31
public poncyy DO we notall want more
wealth? Why. then. should we tax and
fine the production of wealth?

wealth? Why. then. should we tax and
fine the production Of wealth?
Some of the Southern States have re-
Gently passed laws exempting cotton
manufactures from taxation for term
Of years, and the result. has been the
erection of a number of cotton factories,
for the capitalists who thus invest their
money can calculate on dividing as
profits what otherwise they would have
had to pay as taxes Are not these
States wise in this? Do not these cotton
factories create new industries, add to
| the wealth of the neighborhoods in
which they are erected, and enrich the
whole State? But if this be wise, would
1t not be still wiser to make the exemp-
ton permanent instead of for term Of
years? And, If it be wise to exempt
cotton factories, would it not be wiser
still to exempt all sorts of factories, all
forms Of capital, all kinds of wealth
houses and goods, horses and cattle, rail-
roads and telegraphs? Is not the State tho
richest that has the most ct these things?
Why, then, should the State tax them7
Is not the stupid system that does tax
them too absurd for any rational de-
tense? Tho people of New York want
cheaper house rents. Is 1t not stupid,
then, to put taxes on buildings, which
necessarily will diminish the erection
of buildings, and, unlike the tax on
land values, must inevitably be collect
ed from tenants in higher rents?
| But the direct obstacles to production,
which this system imposes, are not the
worst All the indirect taxes which
pass from hand to hand, increasing the
cost of commodities. are taxes against
production, which increase as they 60.
This barbarous tariff of ours that raises
an artificial barrier around our coasts
mount than would be the Andes or the
Himalayas takes from the people much
more than is received by the Govern
ment, and, by its action and reaction on
prices, hampers every eXertion of indus.
try, from tho building Of railroad to
the shingling Of a woodshed or the max
ing of shirt.
Now, it is clear that to abolish all the
taxes that thus hamper industry, would
, be to vastly stimulate production and
increase the general wealth. But this
is only ono side of it. TO put taxation
on the value of land would also be to re-
move obstacles to production. For the
speculative value, which now attaches
to land as soon as 1t becomes probable
that it will be needed for use is direct
. check to production. To get the vacant
lot on which to put up house, even on
!, tho outskirts Of any one of our large cities
. costs as much as or more than ordinarily
. does the house. Before he can strike o
plowshare into virgin soil, the farmer,
:, unless he will 60 far beyond where his
labor can be exerted to most advantage,
is obliged to pay down large part OF
:. his capital, TO embarrass himself with
: mortgage, or to agree to give up a large
:, share of his produce as rent. Tho rec
: suit is to fill the land with tramps; to
;. crowd our centers even In the best OF
times with men who are willing to
: work, anxious to work, but unable to
: find opportunity to work-and thus to
!. produce an unnatural competition,
:. which in all occupations tends to force
wages down to the minimum on which
men can live, and which workingmen
: arc driven to resist by what President
:. Glackin, in his address to the Anti-Pov-
= erty Society on last Sunday night,
styled the resort to brute force. The
result is to crowd people together too
closely in the cities, to scatter them too
far apart in the country. To say moth
!. ing of the moral, social and intellectual
= disadvantages which result from this
unnatural distribution Of population,
:. there is great obstacle put in the way
OF Improvement, manifest waste Of
!. productive forces
The measure we propose, which would
= utterly destroy the speculative value of
:. land, and would reduce the selling value
- of land to but a nominal figure, would
remove this obstacle and prevent this
:, waste. No one would care to take up
:. land that he could not use, or to hold
- land unless it was put to its most valu-
!, liable use. Tho homes of our farmers
=. would be closer together, the poorer
=. classes Of our cities would no longer be
: compelled to herd in tenement houses,
:, and tho capitalist who proposed to erect
:, factory would no longer nave to pay
= out SO much OF mis- capital for site. IN
II stead Of that, he would pay the annual
y rental value Of the land in taxes, but
- = this would be in lieu Of all other taxa
- ton. Thus the effect Of this measure
! would be to throw open to labor and cap
a. ital the means Of production while re
lieving production from taxation. Ana
no the result Of thus opening to labor thu
ID natural opportunities for the employ
~ ment of labor would be to set to worl
~ every man willing to work; to do away
"a with that unnatural competition which
40 comes from glutted labor market l
~ would be to create demand for com
: modities that would set every wheel o
~ industry in motion, and stimulate tn
Nh forces of production to their utmost.
20 Clearly this would be greatly to pro
- mote the general prosperity and greatl
to add to the general wealth.
FRO BE CONTINUED.
all CERTAIN services for society requir
in an agent for their performance. I
act meet the expense Of these things, fund
am have to be raised. To raise them b
tb taxation OF land values rather than b
n any other form of taxation would, th
,.t People thinks, minimize the discourage
IL r. R.z.- H.