The weekly Iberian. (New Iberia, La.) 1894-1946, 1900-06-23

e lnents GY taxation, hut you tannC
= DIVE away or hide the location.
e Would 10, more of the v.luab
? lots IN ard about Canal stree
1 change their shabby buildings f.
/ better ones if TIER was no increa>
5 of taxation for the improvement.
- Would not merchants be relieve
by the abolition OF the license sys
tenn? | believe that the good sens
5 of every community Is opposed t.
this vicious method of raising re
venue.
J Why should We persist Ill tax
ing improvements and useful occu
pationS. when We have a. hand al
object of taxation which gets its
salue by the community and just
in proportion TO the size of The CON
munlty: Is conservatism to continue
always to blind itself needlessly III
the face Of reason and the good of
the community which 1t represents:
Let me give you two homely in-
stances bearing on our municipal
taxatlons.
There were two shabby two-story
buildings near Canal street, ada.
cent and occupying each thirty
feet. They were assessed at low
rates, because, as assessors estimate
they were yielding little income.
An enterpriseing man was allowed
to buy one. on which he erected a
seyen-story building, all ornament
to the street and city. In due time
he was heavily assessed. while the
other place is still asse ssed at low
rate. DO we not thus put pre-
MUM upon holding valuable land
out of use? Or rather, do we thus
put premium upon holding va!u
able land for worst possible use,
namely, speculation? All such hold
ing has tendency to increase rent
and lDjure business. | apl cal to any
business man whether system
which thus acts against progress
and IN favor of speculation ought
to be continued.
Under the single tax the two lots
would have been equally, in accor
dance with their value, after, as
we'll as before any improvement;
and the man who improved would
not be fined for making The improve
ment which every one welcomed.
In other words, the single tax
would fall IN proportion to the val
ne of the land held, regardless of
use. 1t would favor the man who
uses it p,otitably; the present sys-
TEN favors tbs man who uses it I'M
properly.
Another interesting instance ls
the following: A wholesale grocer
of The amount of hi
taxes. He claimed that hs tried to
hand IN honest returns, and go paid
more than some competitors. | re-
he was especially hostile
10 the license tax.
Now this same gentleman bad
,hree squares In the upper part of
he city. These squares, being pro-
use with weeds and to assessors
we yielding naught, were assessed
It a very low figure. l made him
10 offer Of $500 each for two lots
IN which l had an idea of building.
lie refused my offer with the can
lid statement that he would not
ell two for this amount unless he :
ould sell more, as his assessment
night be raised on the other lots
n the three squares. !;
THIS Is fair illustration of the S
oily of certain features in NUM- t
ipal taxation. We make such a L
IAN pay for his honesty and actlv- :,
y in good mercantile work. At
be same time, by low taxation of t.
md value, We permit him to hold .
or speculative use, for further rise
value, the land which others need =
Or real use and improvement. l ap- a,
cal to any business man whether IL
lis Is good policy, and whether fo
'ch system is worthy of beng
oheld by practical men. r.
Such instances are not unique. 1t Of
not an exaggeration to say that ci