Deseret evening news. [volume] (Great Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1867-1920, 1894-09-08
FOR A LAND TAX.


SALT LAKE CITY, Sept 5, 1891
EDITOR Descrct AcWG
Ina recent editorial you wrote brief
discussions Of the question Il The Gee
sion Of the arid lands 10 the several
states. ALLOW me to present 10 your
readers few arguments FROM the
standpoint Of one who believes that all
questions Of government aud legisla'
ton DEPEND, for their correct solution,
upon few simple fundamental rrinci-
plos, aud that ouo Of the niost impor,-
ant OF these Is that all men have an
equal right to the use of tho earth, not
mefely to such parts % they eau hni
nol In use, not merely ~ tuun parts ~
arc 10 poor and worthless that even the
great Spectator IL not ttmpied 10
SECURE license TO hold them cut Of
use 10 order ~ pfont by the future rise
In value, but an equal right with oil
other men to the use OF every part oi
the earth. But inasmuch ~ UHClu'
sive possession OF some part u the
earth IL necessary 10 ~ fullest
util zation, such exclusive possession
should be granted only upon the con-
ditiOn that the gr lnieo snail pay into
the public treasury Tor the uts ana
brheft OF the whole community, Tue
full value Of such exclusive privilege,
that h tho rental value VI the Land.
IL the rental value Of all the land
were paid into the public treasury, II
would furnish revenue euiilCient iUr
all the naeis VI government, AMI there
would be- no need OF levyins taxes OF
any kind. The sum paid Tor the usu VI
land would not bp tax, II would De-
the appropriation by tue community ~
value created by the community, n
value which u not 20 appropriated
would BIO appropriated by the owners
OF land. Tho neglect Of the CON.
munlty 10 take tue value 10 creates
necessitntes the resort 10 taxation or
the oonhscatlOn OF "a part Of the earn
ings Ut inuiv idual labor.
But this IL one OF the least OF the evils
that result from this neglect by lcnv-
Ing individuals to appropriate the rent Of
land,n class OF non.producefe IL cfoatcdi
Tor who will labor except from the
necessity OF gaining a living? And
then, ~ the increase OF population anu
the expansion Of human wants, with
Increase OF productive power, force
production 10 poorer lands, she rental
value Of all lands increases and lands
which were formerly vAluelcss come 10
have rental value. This increase VI
value In land, which II sometimes very
rapid, oxcilos the greed u speculaIofs,
and all the lands which are likely 10
have q rental value, though II may not
DO for many year,, are bought from
the government and held Tor fancy
prices In the anticipation that the In.
creasing demand for land will enable |
them 70 obtain, In u snort time, not |
merely the principal anu Interest on |
their investments, hut handsome |
profit besides. II mis- anticlpaiiona are |
realized the Spectator attributes 1t |
entirely 10 his ow n superior intelligence |
aud foresight and IN eager TO invest his |
accumulated gains In other similar
ventures. Others follow his example,
and soon n land hrom n started
Anu II IN encouraged by schomets aud
spectators, by all the arts aud devices
that experience has taught them, 20
work upon the greed anu Ignorance OF
mankind. But Ia time the babble
breaks and prices tumble aud many
who thought to gain Increased wealth
IND themselves "lnnd poor" Then
they must have schpegOat for their
sins and generally nn1 IL In some pc.
litical squAbble, high protection or
threat OF Ireo-tfade, demonstration OF
silver purchase, anything but the land
question.
II the evils OF this system affected
only those who speculate We could af-
ford 10 keep our hands Oh and let the
gamblers alone. hut the influence iof
the ~ stem In iar.Tuaching Rnd affects
the whole social organism. lt affects
II through ita a. tluence upOn the die.
ttibuuon OF wealth., Tor IL directly ~.
foctA tbs rate Of wages Ot the labOfors'
share Of the products VI labor. IL 10
an almost Heltevidout proposition
that wages arc determined, Ia the
long run, by the amount Of wealth
that the labOrer can produce upon the
beet land that lac can obtain rent free,
which were II not for the spcculatof
would be- the poorest land In use, OF
the margin Of production. But now
the speculator stops In, gets possession
Of all tho best land, anu tho landluss
man Is forced 10 tho uso Of poorer aui
poorer land, poorer Ia soil hnd poorer
In market, while bettor land II lying
idle. 80 wages are forced down until
the limit Of bare living IL reached
and rents rise In proportion.
II this method of treating the land h
10 continue II matters little whether
the primary disposal Of the public lands
remains In tho hands OF the Federal
government or N reliuqul6hed 10 the
states. disagreement N as fatal 10
prosperity when perpetrAted by the
states ma when inflicted upon them by
the national government.
But Congress has Numbered IN ILL.,
treatment OF the land question long
enough. Now let the HtRtUs tTy hand
anu sec II some OF them at Least viii
not adopt more rational system.
-