Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1895-03-03

ub;le the single taNei ueS'aies Ao'
!, the value OF every rood OF
:. ocenpied by one who holds land
ln- n use or out of use. and de-
sl'' ar taxes on nothing else. Judge
s u..sn persists In declaring that the
vould tax large holdings Of
IA would exempt small holdings,
lanu a.. dar can see through this and /
The reader '"''
~, ~ also gives long list of trans
III I'm rerited in the bible to prove
NJ r,ght OF private property In land.
" az / make two brief replies;
~ We're the right Of private property
Island established both on scrlpturai
.at,onal grounds, 1t would fall far
anu ~ iustifying the monstrously
snea sxient to which 1t has been car
wv 'S In ali countries. The right for the
ili,Jduaj 10 hold enough land for his
W.. nee and support surely does not.
V nr extend. to the holding OF thous-
~. ~ acres more than he thus needs.
,. nannot be exercised TO the extent
>. hnidIng vast areas that belong to
he's even as his necessary amount
.siorgs TO him. The outrage of land
.,.rulatlon with Its ruin to the rights,
rslfare and happiness of the million,
q an unreasonable and absurd corol-
INV 10 be derived from the admission
A The right OF property in land for in
Nvidual necessity and use. The right
=, 1000 men In England to own land
| saes not quench the right OF $4,000,
/ ~ 10 own lnnd. Ten per cent OF the
,aonle In New York own all the land
"A that state. Have 30 per cent Of
,As neople no right2 Vain to say they
| nave the right to own It II they Will buy
4 Tell them they have the right TO
| huy land In Mars In Jupiter, or in the
moon and YOU will do the majority OF
them as much good practically as you
xlll 10 tell them they have the right
| 10 own land in New York, in England.
n Ireland or any other country where
| me monopolization OF land has had
uHicIent time to work its inevitable
4 results.
I. Every bigoted sectary, every self
\ lsh advocate OF any unjust system, APP
peals 10 the bible to bolster the iniqulty
| he champions. Cortez took the bible in
one hand the sword In the other. The
bloody conquest of Mexico followed.
The advocate of slavery was never. as
he thought, more inyinclble than when
repeating instance after instance from
that sacred volume, in demonstration
ef the white mans right to own the
"ngger" The Mormon knocks the mon
ogamlst out with bible authority while
offending polygamy, and the apologist
q the LIQUOR traffic triumphantly
brings out the prophets and apostles
to set up the saloon. And now the
land monopOlist strives to make 1t APP
pear that because the free hold rights
u men were recognized, enjoined and
hrpetuated by the Almighty in bible
times and bible lands, men now may
push the doctrine to the extent of de-
ttroying the hopes of free hold homes
forever to nine-tenths of ninety-nine
a a niece ~ snnhistrv es min as e,er
Sawyer could invent,
But since my respected opponent has
objected to my replying to his articles
Instead Of making affirmative PROPOSE
lions for him to deny, l shall follow
iAe course he desires 10 have me take,
will reiterate u truth that has al
fsady been outlined. My proposition
mis-:
The principle / advocate is In realty
ny tax. 1t is not a deduction from
proceeds OF the payers Industry; 1t is
not sacrifice Of his rights his inter
~ or his products, in any proper sense
hhatever. a tax on personal property
always Just such deduction. pre-
10y euSH u sdGIllCes II own morse
worth 500 and am taxed 81 on that
per cent OF his value and receive
aoh.ng In return therefor. except the
,enehls that come from the government
% which the tax is levied. So it is
WIN all taxes that are levied on per-
sonal property OF every kind. The
s.me may be said Of taxes in the form
q licenses, occupation. tarlm and all
eases receives no equivalent save the
one returned by the government in
ne way Of protection. privileges and
son.
But IL the holder Of a piece Of land
called on to pay the annual rental
alue of that land, he makes no sacrl-
ste he has nothing deducted from the
Proceeds OF his labor. He simply
makes a purchase at fair valuation and
isrelges what ne pnys for, as surely
he does in buying goods. wares and