The Kalispell bee. [volume] (Kalispell, Mont.) 1901-1901, 1901-05-25
SATURDAY, MAY %, 1901.
HOW LEASING is UNJUST.

The Helena Independent and the
one or two other newspapers of the
state that are defending the leasing
system for the state lands. seem to
have no conception of the injustice
such system works to the taxpayers
of those particular communities whose
resources are taxed for the benefit of
the whole state Doubtless if all the
land were state land and it were all
leased, the leasing system might be
commendable if permanent use un-
der certain we'll defined conditions
were guaranteed. That is the single
tax idea and it has some very emf
nent, able and honest advocates. But
where particular communities are
singled out for the application of the
system for the benefit of the entire
state, the injustice ought to be readi-
ly apparent.
In the first place, if there are COM
munities in the state where land is
sold to private parties so that the
unearned increment in the way of in
creased values will accrue to the own
ers, settlers will seek out that COM
munity and locate there, other things
being equal Under the leasing sys-
tenn the lessee is able only to acquire
what he produces from the land, and
as the land increases in value his
rent is liable to be raised. Under the
system of private ownership what he
produces as we'll as what the COM
munity produces in the way of in
creased real estate values, is his-a
distinct advantage.
Then in those counties where the
rate of taxation depends upon the
amount of taxable property, the leas-
ing system increases the burden of
taxation. In this county, according
to the figures of the state bureau of
agriculture, labor and industry, the
state owns land, the timber upon
which alone is valued at nearly a mil
lion and half dollars. This land is
not subject to taxation by the county
If it were, it is reasonable to sup
pose that the rate of taxation would
be reduced
But to further emphasize the in
justice, the exemption of this lane
from taxation does not relieve the
county government from the compul
sion of providing the benefits o
county government for the lessees o
such lands, who pay rent to the state
The county must provide roads, bridg
es, courts, health protection and tn,
various other benefits of county gov
ernment for these lessees, withou
any return from taxation upon tn
land from which they derive thei
wealth. If the land increases in va
%h0 %<~ %.,&x
and the burden of county govern
ment grows greater, while the privat
owners are compelled to bear it. TIL
one care of the lessee is to get all n
can from the land-not to improve i
for the more he improves it the NOR
the county taxes him on his improve
ments and the more the state take
him on his land. The problem befol
the lessee is to get all he can frol
the land with the least outlay. TIL;
done he may go where he may a
Quire title to land and profit by the i
crease in population and the cons
Quent increased demand for land
Another illustration which SHOW
more pointedly than anything else Il
inequality of the state school lal
leasing system is the fact that Il
counties which contribute least in Il
way of state lands to the mainte
ance of the state institutions a
those which derive the most bene
from them. There is practically
school land in Silver Bow county a
the bulk of the states populati
is there. II the time ever com
and it is coming very fast. when t
income from the state land is stuff