The record-union., 1891-11-20
ONE REMEDY
Taxation as a Means of Breaking Up
Land Monopoly.
[Gonzales Tribune, November 14th.l

[GonZales Tribune, November 18th.
The Castroville Enterprise agrees with
us in our statement made in recent issue
of the Tribune. to the effect that if the
large land grants were divided this would
be one of the most prosperous counties
in the State, and promises that If we can
devise some remedy for the existing evil
it will gladly fall into line and do all it
can to help the general uplifting Of the
county.
One remedy would be to kill off the
land-grabbers; but as we are law-abiding
citizens we would not advise that course,
and, besides, we know that Sister Fran
els, in common with all good citizens,
would oppose such a movement.
There Is but one legal remedy for the
existing evil, and that is an amendment
to the Constitution authorizing general
system of taxation in proportion TO the
number of acres held by one person or
corporation. Say, for instance, one per-
son owns sc, 600 acres; tax him on the first
LOGO acres in proportion to its value,
make him pay 10 cents on every 500 of
valuation on the second l,000 acres, 20
cents on every 500 of the third 1000
acres, and so on. If this were done the
holding of large tracts of unimproved
land would become Improbable, and
Mr.. Land Grabber would soon be willing
to sell his land at a reasonable price.
We are well aware of the fact that such
a remedy as we propose would be op-
posed by a considerable number Of our
citizens, denounced by some as socialistic,
! by others as impracticable and many
would claim that it would be contrary to
the Constitution of the United States.
But we are prepared to prove that there
Is nothing i'll the Federal Constitution
prohibiting such legislation, and that
| the powers not delegated to the United
States by the Constitution, nor prohib-
I TOD to Nfs,Nr
the States respectively, or to the peopie''
The taxing power Of the State is an at
| tribute of sovereignty, and exists inde-
pendent of the Constitution of the United
States. The power is supreme, unless
the subject is beyond the borders of the
State, or as to property within the State,
but ceded to the United States and with
in their separate and exclusive jurisdic-
ton, and this supremacy cannot be ques-
toned by the judiciary. The power of
| taxation extends to all means for the de-
velopment of and progress of the Sta O.
and is bounded only by the necessities u
the State or the will of the people. / \
| proof Of which we can cite as authority
decisions of the highest appellate courts.
! No one thinks OF questioning the right
to tax merchants in proportion TO the
amount of business they transact and
! yet it is graded taxation. If his monthly
receipts are under a certain sum, he is
! idAGU p per Quarter, ana II JH6y are
over that sum his taxes are higher in
proportion; the auctioneer, the livery
stable-keeper, the hotel-keeper and the
butcher are taxed for the privilege of
conducting their respective businesses
and always in proportion to the amount
OF business transacted; in some incorpor-
ated towns even the dray-man, hack
man and express-man are taxed for the
| privilege of earning an honest living, and
1 yet they all pay taxes on their real and
/ personal property just the same as other
/ people. A considerable number of our
| citizens are in favor of taxing saloon
/ keepers out of existence, because they be-
lleve the businessgto be a detriment to
4 the welfare of the State, and wherever the
/ high liquor license has been tested, the
courts have upheld it. Then why should
not land monopoly, which is conceded to
! be not only a detriment, but curse to
our State, be taxed out of existence?
Railroad corporations are bad enough.
! but they have done a great deal of good
for the State. But land monopoly is an
unmiXed evil and should not be toler-
ated when the people have it in their
| power to prevent it. We believe that il
a constitutional amendment was submit
| ted to the people, authorizing the Legis-
Iature to impose a license or a tax on all
/ persons for the privilege of going into the
land monopoly business or holding more
! than 600 acres, it would be carried by
| an overwhelming majority