The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-07-30

move burdens tnat now press uo"h NJ
nanity which stoops beneath the load
! Desirable though it would be to have
the reform immediate and uncondltlon'
al, the nature of the case forbids it. The
result has to be reached through a series
of steps slow and tentative. To use tho
familiar smile, the present tax system
is pyramid. AT the base is the land
tax, which is never escaped, and is PAID
by the landlord who has no power to
shift it. Above that is placed the tax
on houses and personal property. The
houses can not escape, and generally
the tax can he shifted to the tenant.
Personal property can largely escape,
especially If held by rich people. But
the poor mar, like the farmer, who can
not hide his COW, or horse, or pillow, pays
the full tax. The widow and orphan
are fully taxed. Then we are down to
personal property and houses Tho
manifest difficulty and injustice OF tax
ing the first would soon exempt it, and
we should reach the goal of Mr. wen!
and Mr.. Atkinson-the taxation OF resi
estate alone, houses and land.
r With the field cleared to this point we
could make apparent the 'wrongfulpsss
of taxing houses Why should mex
who confer upon the community the
boon of stores and dwellings be fined for
it? That will not encourage them to
build moro and make rents cheaper. II
will have contrary effect. The wage
Garner will pay more of his scant earns
arate homes be harder to obtain. The
only excuse that can be given for taxing
buildings is that they can not run away
from the assessors, but the tan
can make wealth run away. Az
last we reach our ideal tax on the
land. Gradually the burden has been
adjusted Year by year 1t has been
Withdrawn from one thing after another
and concentrated upon the rest, until at
last it settles upon the earth, where 1t
belongs and vanishes into the ground
Wealth, no longer discouraged and
punished, increases marvelously. Ex-
change free and unhampered, the
equitable distribution of the product
of mans labor cheers and en-
courages the worker. The open field
for self-employment raises wages from
the bottom and makes life easier and
better. No cunning law permits one to
take away the fruits of other industry and
selfdenial The sacred right OF property is
respected because it grows out OF the
. right of man to himself. No mete OF
bound is set to its accumulation for the
. reason that there can not be two much
wealth, and with no partial laws to d.
vert its natural flow, it would settle
where it should. Excepting the physi'
, cally incompetent, those who remain
poor will deserve their condition, but II
would be self-imposed by idleness or vice
l and susceptible of self-cure. But en-.
forced idleness would be impossible.
: The land has broad back and feels no
9 tax. However much is put upon it-and
G no more would be so placed than the
a community needed and would cheerfully
a pay-it could not be transferred to la
a Dor The tax which diminishes property
;. can not diminish land by an inch. In.
), stead of making it hard to get, snd
q would come tempting men to use it,"t tn
d the assured guarantee that they may
# gather their full product unmolested
3. and unplundered.
h Only one condition must be exacted
" Choose what spot. you will, as much AZ
your use requires, be 1t moro or less. ant
N pay for the privilege what it is worth t.
h. YOU and no more, gagged by whatother
~ will readily pay for it. Hesitate not t.
| ,nn
$. duce from it, whether in grain or goods
ID in warehouse or in buildings, for others
ID use. No finger but your own will eve
IL subtract penny from it. You made II
n and it is yours against the world. No
he one extra cent will be levied upon 20
H. because of your Improvements. Ii
n should happen that, through increase
of population and consequent rise In SIT
m value OF the land you occupy, it shall
on worth more for some different purpos
no one can take it from you unless
,at remunerates you for your improvement
lie and plenty of land suitable to your
,ly cupation awaits you. Above all thing
be your tenure, as long as you pay renta
ON shall be as secure as any title OF owne
ist ship now gives you.
,sv The basis of the scheme is justice. /
err one gets an unfair advantage. If Je
dan, Marsh & Co. desire to hold the
RI favored corner, they are at liberty to
.es so by paying the single land tax for
Tho privilege. Not one in the community
9TH wronred, for the reason that they p
the the people for the advantage and
and landlord gets it. In short the single
INST is the assurance Of freedom. The mt
In one studies it, the more he will be al
az to appreciate this eloquent anG hope
eft. utterance OF Henry George:
h a "But if, while there is yet time,
are turn to justice and obey her. ii we tr
and liberty and follow her, the dangers t
,ard now threaten must disappear, the for
hen. that now menace will turn to agene
the Of elevation. Think of the powers
wasted; of the infinite fields OF kno
ono edge yet to be explored; OF the posi-
the tiles of which the wonderous invent
nple of this century give us but hint. "
ions want destroyed; with greed changed
and noble passions; with the fraternity
the is born of equality taking the place
Iosed the jealousy and fear that array
,rasn against each other; with mental pc
tears loosed by conditions that give to
hem? humblest comfort and leisure, and
.es Of shall measure the heights to which
r and civilization may soarP Words fail
thou thought. 1t is the golden age OF W
, her poets have sung, and high-raised
&c, H.