The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1894-06-15
NEW ZEALAND EXPERIMENT.

Il
political economy have been put to ex-
perimentaI test In the current num-
Der of The Outlook, Mr.. A. G. Fraden-
burg outlines the course of these ex-
periments and sums up the results
achieved in the most important. His
article is quite comprehensive and his
conclusions are of a nature to attract
the earnest attention of every thinking
man and to awaken enthusiasm in the
mind of the student who has attempted
the solution of many existing problems
along the lines of state socialism, or
''new liberalism" as they term it in
New Zealand.
In New Zealand state activity has re-
suited in the government assuming
many other functions besides that of
mere governing. The state controls
railroads, telegraphs, telephones, mails,
roads, irrigation and other public works
which involve the management of nat
ural monopolies, and by reason of its
superior credit and resources has been
able to precede and lead in civilization
with these instead of following at a
conservative distance, as is the case
whenever these industries are in pri-
vate hands. Up to March 1893, the gov
eminent of New Zealand had expended
over 926O0OOOO or s130,OO0,OOO on rail
roads and other public works under
the policy of clearing the way for civil
lization and immigration. Some of the
railroads it built, others built by pri-
vate parties it purchased. In 1892 when
the policy went into effect, there we're
only 65 miles of railroad in the colony
Last year there were 1886 miles under
government control and only 100 miles
still owned and operated by private
corporations. In 1892 the earnings of
the railroads were S5,9OO,OOO and the
net earnings, over all expenses, S2,248,-
15O. Telegraphs, mails and waterworks
have likewise yielded encouraging pro-
fits, the gross income from the two first
named, which are operated together,
being s1,498, 1925. Telephones, over
which the government but recently as
sumed control, paid into the treasury
during the same year S95,775, a good
proportion of which was in excess of
fixed and operating charges. And this,
too, in new country, colony far re-
moved from older civilization, small
country, containing altogether less
than 100000 people.
Had the people of New Zealand stop
ped at this point they would still have
led the world in the rational solution
of vexing social problems. But they
did not stop. The government has as
sumed control of native lands, opened
them up, and will either lease, rent or
sell outright to a settler on easy terms
whatever ground he may require, or, if
he has no money, will advance him a
sufficient sum to make his first pay
ments, and to begin his improvements.
The system of land tenure and taxation
is a modified application of the princi-
pies expounded by Henry George.
Most of the ground is leased in perpe-
tuity or rented out by the state at an
annual rate varying from to 5 per
cent of it's cash value. Land owned by
individuals is taxed at low figure, pro-
viding it does not exceed in value s25,-
600. On all property over that amount
in value, special graded tax is asses
sed, which increases with the increase
in size and value of the estate, becom-
ing almost prohibitive when that value
gets beyond $4,000. 1t is the settled
T1n1inT1 IF &ho L
to prevent the acquisition of a great
tract of land by any Individual or cor
poration. If, however. any victim of
this policy thinks his taxes are too high
the state always stands ready to pur-
chase his property. Small holders have
scarcely any tax to pay on their land,
and none whatever on improvements.
The state also acts as trustee, admin
strates estates at the actual cost of ad-
ministration, and runs a free public
employment bureau, with branches in
every town, where the mutual require
ments of employers and employees all
over the colony may be ascertained.
These are not all the social expert
ments which have been tried in New
Zealand. They are but few of many.
and all have thus far been attended
with most gratifying success. When
the recent financial panic devastated
the whole of Australia and the Austria
liam colonies, extending in its effects
even to the Sandwich islands and Cali
fornia, New Zealand alone of them all
escaped the scourge. Her commerce
was not impaired, her banks remained
solid, her values were undisturbed. |
Call it, then, advanced liberalism, state
socialism, what you like, the fact re-
mains that state activity and state per-
Torrance of many functions hitherto |
left to individuals has proven an I'M
qualified success in New Zealand. And
if in New Zealand, why not elsewhere?
Why not in America? Chicago Times.
STRANGE PICTURE OF AMERICA.
A well known Swiss writer, who visi-
ted the worlds fair, and was then
forced to remain here for some time on