The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1891-06-10
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
"TABoo" LAND.

TABOO" LAND.
If there be in this universe superior
intelligences engaged, with higher pow
ers in the study of its infinite marvels,
who sometimes examine the speck we
tenant with such studious curiosity as
our microscopists watch the denizens OF
a drop of water, the manner in which,
in such a country as this, population is
distributed, must greatly puzzle them.
In our cities they find people packed to-
gether so closely that they live over one
another in tiers; in the country they see
people separated SO widely that they
lose all the advantages OF neighbor-
hood. They see buildings going up in
the outskirts of cur towns, while much
more available lots remain vacant.
They see men going great distances to
cultivate land while there is yet plenty
of land to cultivate in the localities
from which they come and through
which they pass And as these higher
intelligences watch this process OF set
Element through whatever sort Of micro
scopes they may require to observe
such creatures US we, they must notice
that, for the most part, these settlers,
instead of being attracted by each
other, leave between each other large
patches of unused land. If there be in
the universe any societies which have
the same relation to us as our learned
societies have to ants and animalcula
these phenomena must lead to no end
of curious theories.
Take in imagination such q bird's-eye
view of the city of New York as might
| be had from d balloon. The houses are
climbing heavenward-ten, twelve, even
fifteen stories tier on tier of people,
living, one family above another, with
ont sufficient water, without sufficient
light or air, without playground or
breathing space. So close is the build
ing that the streets look like narrow
riffs in the brick and mortar, and from
street to street the solid blocks stretch
until they almost meet; in the newer
districts only space of twenty feet a
mere crack in the masonry through
which. at high noon sunbeam can
scarcely struggle down, being left to
separate the backs of the tenements
fronting on one street from the backs
of those of another street. Yet, around
this city, and within easy access
of its center, there is plenty Of va
cant land; within the city limits,
in fact. not one-half the land
is built upon, and many blocks Of tall
tenement houses are surrounded by va
can't lots. If the improvement of our
telescopes were to show us on another
planet, lakes where the water, instead
of presenting level service, ruff1ed
only by the action of the wind, stood
up here and there in huge columns, it
could hardly perplex us more than these
phenomena must perplex UGH extramun-
dane intelligences as have supposed
How is it, they may well speculate,
that the pressure of population which
piles families, tier on tier, above each
other and raises such towering ware
houses and workshops, does not cover
this vacant land with buildings and
with homes? Some restraining cause
there must be; but what, it might well
puzzle them to tell.
A South Sea Islander, however-one
of the old heather sort, whom, in civil
izing, we have well-nigh exterminated
might make guess. If one of theil
high chiefs tabooed place or object
no one Of the common sort Of these SUI
perstitious savages dare use or touch it
He must go around for miles rather
than set his feet on tabooed path
must parch or die with thirst rathel
than drink of tabooed spring; mus
go hungry though the fruit of a tabooet
grove rotted on the ground before hi
: eyes, South Sea Islander would sa,
that this vacant land must be taboo.
And he would be not far from the truth
This land is vacant, simply because j
, is cursed by that form of the tabo
! which we T,perstitiously venerate un
der the names of private property" an'
; vested righ f."