The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1892-06-25

Der of houses was not the only thing "
be considered; the character OF the
houses had a great deal to do with the
matter. He cited the case OF Baltl-
more, in which, in 1881 or 1852,
that city relieved manufacturing es-
adjustments of all kinds, no matter
how extensive, of all taxation, ana
stated that the manufactures had enor-
mously increased in consequence.
Mr.. johnson closed the hearing with
the following spirited words: Il wish
to thank the commissioners for their
courtesy in giving an extensive hearing
and l will only occupy few moments
in closing. There is one side OF this
question that purposely did not touch
upon in opening this discussion. Inas
was the ethical side. / merely pre-
sented statistics to show that the value
of the land in this district was really
1905 ZOO, 900 instead of SIC, 900 900, as as
sessed. But the strong side of this case
is the ethical side. 1t is in answer TO
that question which man is apt to ask
at first, why is it that one class OF
property sh3uid bear all the burden OF
taxation? Why is it that men should
not divide this load.of taxation accord
ing to wealth. The answer is very
simple, and it is the greatest mistake in
civilization to-day that it has not been
universally appreciated. Land in the
district of Columbia gets every farthing
of its benefit from government; every
street completed, every sewer built,
every single dollar spent in improve
ments benefit land values, and can
benefit nothing else. Just as you beau
tify the city, you increase the value OF
the land. The value of any building or
of any article Of any kind, whether it is
a church steeple or wheelbarrow, is
measured by its cost of production. You
can not measure land values that way.
Land values are measured by
an entirely different measure.
Imagine all the sewers OF Wash
ington, all the pavements, buildings,
and everything that makes this city
beautiful, taken up bodily and put down
twenty miles from here at place where
land il of little or no value. That in
slant that land would be worth $685.
000, 900 and this land where we now
stand only that of farming land. The
value of land is a creation of the COM
munity. And it belongs to the COM
munity just as much as other things be-
long to the individual. And why should
the community tax other things when
it possesses this value, a value more than
ample for its support?"
Mr.. johnson was vigorously applauded
when he had finished, and Commissioner
Douglass, on behalf of himself and his
colleagues, expressed warm thanks to
Mr.. johnson and the Others who had
spoken for information they had ten
dered. The commissioners will report
their decision ON the bill in few days.
Henry George, Jr.
The Poor Millionaires of Cincinnati.
The Charity Ball" that lately came
off in Cincinnati was swell affair in
fashionable circles, and was made the
OCCASION of display of jewelry so cost
ly and dazzling that the daily papers
discoursed upon the ''great society
event." under bold headlines, as evil
dence of the immense wealth of Cincin-
natl, to say nothing of her ''munifcent
philanthropy" 1t has been observed,
however. that only the merest fraction
of all this wonderful wealth of Cincin-
natl has ever come to light on the tax
duplicate.
The Cincinnati Post suggests an
amusing explanation for this enormous
discrepancy between the personal prop
erty owned by these wealthy people
and the values returned by them for
taxation. 1t says: Perhaps in some
instances the jewels were borrowed
from friends or relatives for the occa-
sion," and it offers the ironical reflec-
ton that ''it is refreshing to know that
il these precious stones were purchased
for the occasion, the ladies will have
something elegant to exhibit when the
next Charity ball is given; and the tax
duplicate will next spring be increased
to large extent by the returns to the
assessors" OF the very wealthy patrons
of this affair who were either present
or represented, there were at least
eleven persons who have for years been
known as possessed of from two to
eight millions. The wife of one of
these millionaires wore, besides other
rich jewels, tiara which alone is said
to have cost SAC, 900.
The Post says her husband is assessed
on the tax duplicate as owning q, 500
worth of jewels. He is a very kind
hearted and popular man, and is widely
known for his liberality and many char.
tiles. He is a devout church member,
too, and presume his conscience is per-
fectly easy on the subject of his taxes
Doubtless he feels as nine out of ten
taxpayers anywhere would feel, that he
is lucky to e>. off so lightly. Or posi-
bly, he does not think he is getting of
lightly, for the Post names other mil
lionaires whose returns of jewelry ia
the assessor only run from 5000 to q, 900.
OF the wealthy company that filed Mu-
sic Hall that night the papers named