The Colfax chronicle., 1890-06-14

OTu6E- xmp1Vv6m603 8tt8CatQ " VIC
| land, 1t Is exceedingly improbable that
e-tenth Of the farmers Of Ohio, own
! ing their own FARMS are possessed of .
greater value in bare land than tho
value Of their improvements, furniture,
clothing, farm utensils, crops and say
ings. Emphatically would this be truo
with regard to people, other than
farmers, living in their own houses.
Probably not one in hundred Of such
persons occupies piece Of land which,
excluding that of which he makes mo-
use rs an adjunct t. his house, is worth
q much as the house and all the per-
sonal property within 1t. !
II this is true, then it is clear thatthe
proposed change would not increase the
burden of taxation upon the vast
majority of owners Of real estate, who
live upon their own land, but own no
other.
no INJUSTICE TO LANDLORDS OF IMPROVED
LAND.
2. There remains the class Of landt
lords, pure and simple, that is, people
who own land which they do not occupy
but let to others for an annual rent.
These again must be subdivided. The
majority Of them have houses and other
improvements upon their land. Every
such house situated in the rural dis
tricts or the smaller towns or villages
is, without exception, worth more than
the land underneath it. 1t is only in
cities that the land is worth moro than
the house; but in cities this is true in
thousands Of instances. So far, there
fore, as the landlords of improved prop
erty are concerned, the concentration OF
taxes upon land would be a relief to
them, because it would abolish larger
amount a. taxation upon their improves
ments.
THOSE WHO FURNISH THE PRICE OUGHT
TO FURNISH THE GOODS.
Those who own land upon which they
live ought to pay this price to the gov
ernment, and in fact do, under the press
ent system; because, If they refuse to
pay it, the government would inn
mediately sell their lands to some one
else who would. Those who do not
thus occupy the land which they own,
and who, by the natural law Of rent,
collect from tenants the price Of good
government, have no right to keep that
price in their own pockets, but ought to
pay 1t over to the government, which
furnishes the quid pro quo.
It is not necessary for the purpose of the
present question, to decide whether land
lords ought to pay over to the government
the whole rent which they collect, on
even all except . reasonable commission
for it's collection. All which it Is now
necessary to consider is whether, afteE
having received from their tenants full
payment for the cost Of good govern
ment, they ought not to furnish that
good government at their own expense.
Clearly they ought to do SO.
Mr.. George has already spoken Of the
indirect benefits to result from the
abolition of taxes upon personal prop
erty and Improvements. These indirect
benefits are in reality greater than the
direct ones The abolition Of perjury
falsehood and fraud. so far as they are
encouraged and made inevitable by the
mense biessinr. Tho ramovs, - III
state discourscement Il rrodrctso,, -,
would bring about an anorn,ors irc~e..e -
OF prosneritv Rnt tba oreste- ~ 49, -
all would cons,st n the more ecns1 d,s.
=; ;hrt,or - ,.s.,ts - W s1~- 'A1'
Under every svstem 81 ind,rec4 d..
alton. the mass of the ,eon,. -hn.s - -
come AVERAGES las. 4. exon -. s-s.
for a family. nav r;ne-terth. - -.
taxes The man who snrro-ts s.,.;,s
on $500 : wear could not even - ~ tha.s
were NO tares ..va rora N th.- sns.'s
s1oo. Ont of tbis hs ,,nst n.~ | -, t. oa'
estimatinc b;s tcts1 49, :, =. ;.ssA sn.
80. r.t;or.1 80 -, - 1na'fecs