The San Francisco call. [volume] (San Francisco [Calif.]) 1895-1913, 1898-09-25
LAND CONFISCATION.


q S Judge Mcguire has locked his mouth on the
I \ subject OF land confscation, it is somewhat
difficult to get at just what form he purposes
to give to that policy when he gets an official oppor-
tuny.
In his speeches in Congress he has always de-
nounced private ownership OF land as monopoly, a
special privilege, and as robbery that must be pun
shed by conhscation OF the land.
In his speeches to Single Tax clubs this form of
statement is also followed and he has not hestated
to use such hot condiments of language as to imply
a set prejudice against landowners.
In his speech before the Delaware Legislature,
urging the calling OF convention to amend the con-
'sttuton of that State SO to conhscate land, he
said: "A revenues for the support of all govern
inents Federal State, county and municipal, are to
be raised by the uninproved value of land;
all other taxes tolls duties and licenses being abol
ished" But this statement is vague What is ''the
unimproved value of land?' He would seem to mean
that all land shall be taxed to its full value in its
improved state.
Later on in the same speech he said: "The test of
the value OF land is the amount of rent that the owner
could get annually for the use OF it" This rent is to
be taken by the State for The characteristic
industries OF California have invited into land owner
ship many small holders, who live tracts of orchard
and vineyard and garden of from twenty to sixty
acres. Their industry has made present the latent
fertility Of the soil. Their labor has demonstrated its
value. They have picked the stones from the soil,
have leveedits inequalities of surface and have coaxed
its capacities into demonstration. These small hold
ngs in the foothills through which railroads rum as
in Placer County, present delightful picture of rural
life, where a few years ago rocky waste,
bearded with manzanta and chemisal The change
under the stimulus of private ownership by
who had earned the money for their andinvestmenta
mechanics, small tradesmen and not few as unskled
aborers. Their labor and enterprise have given to
their land rental value In some parts of FL Do
RADIO and Placer counties this rental value is from $40
to SIS per By Judge Maguires definition OF this
plan this ground rent is to be taken for taxes and
the owner OF twenty acres would have to pay from
5000 to 5000 per year taxes the owner of forty
acres from $500 to $780, and of sixty from 5000
to 5000 As the land in its state had no rental
value ALL and its capacity to rent is the fruit Of
labor it must be that the single tax is penalty
put on labor when devoted to the improvement OF
land.
In the speech Mcguire said 1t may be said
that the present purchased their lands upon
the faith of existing laws maintained by the people,
and that they encouraged to invest in lands
by the manifest policy OF the laws thus made and
maintained by the people They say that, having thus
purchased under the sanction of the public laws it
would be a hardship them to change the laws
as to destroy their investments"
He then proceeded to argue that those who hold
to private ownership of land "in spite OF the warm
ings that involved in the progress of this move
ment" will have only themselves to thank for what
hardship comes He also denied that any vested
right in land deserved consideration, but only the
effect of land conhscation upon the general happi
of the whole people Of the State of the
try the question at issue and will be the only
question considered when the people prepared
for the final contest which is surely and rapidly ap-
preaching on this great issue"
The landowners being in a minority, to despoil
them OF their investments is to contribute of course
to the JOY and happiness of the owners of personal
property, who are in the maj orty, and who will
JOY all the benefits and protection of Government
while paying taxes for its support.
1t requires the brain of fanatic to see in the land
owners privileged Glass; and not in the owners of
taxfree personal property. Personal property is the
product OF labor and is the rental value of farm
land, and neither should be privileged enjoy the
protection of government without paying taxes to
support it.