The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-03-10

called. for want OF better term 10
concisely express the modus OperanGI
OF collecting the economic. rent or an
nual value of land, and made some
assertions which may, to those who
have not given the subject an UNI
biased investigation, seem rash; and
as do not like to make an unwar-
ranted statement, | will in this letter
try to prove, my assertions relative
to the importance of the land for ali
the people on equal terms, or equal
freedom to the land.
1t may be said that since the bare
land exclusive Of all improvements on
1t in Chicago has a. value five times
as great az all the land in the state
of Illinois, outside of cities, and the
land in New York city Is worth ten
times as much as all land outside OF
cities in that state, that a poor man
Is barred from access to land in those
cities. And since land IS as neces-
sary as air or water to life and should
be as free, how can 1t be free to the
poor? Bare land in Chicago sells for
ten million dollars an acre-how can
poor man get land in these large
cities?
Land differs from air and water, not
in it's necessity to life, but in its i'm
mobility and its limited quantity. Be-
ing immoyable. and as no two men
can occupy the same desirable area Of
LAND at the same time, though each
has an equal natural right to every
acre of land, the man who occupies
the more desirable area or portion OF
land should in justice pay the less
fortunate possessor or occupier of land
for the privilege he monopOlizes, to
eqnalize their privileges. They could
agree upon the price mutually and
both exercise their equal rights.
Land differs from air and water in
another respect. Land increases in
value by congested populations as air
and water do not. And the only way
to equalize the land to all is by re-
curing the possessor TO pay into
common treasury the economic rent
or annual value of the land, much or
little, which may be distributed per
capita IL need be, or used FOR better
ments of all in supporting streets,
lights, waterworks, fire departments,
police, schools, parks, state and ma
tional expenses in lieu of all taxes on
wealth, the product Of labor, which
discourages it's production just as a
tax ON dogs discourages their pro-
duction.
Besides discouraging the building
OF houses on vacant lots and the pro-
duction OF other valuable things by
taxing wealth, it is species of rob-
berry to mulct a man for producing
wealth. The law virtually says. If you
are Industrious and economical and
accumulate wealth, you shall divide
up every spring, and we will take two
or three per cent Of your wealth for
your imprudent industry. if the city
Or state has right to take two per
cent of mans wealth, 1t has a right
to take it all.
The city nor the state did not pro-
dIce the wealth it takes from a man
but it did, or the people in it did
produce the value of the land and has
right to the value it adds to land
The city by the presence of popula-
ton by the social growth in provid-
Ing parks, streets, fire and police pro-
lection, lighting and paving water
works, schools, museums, hospitals
and homes for the orphans and the
aged adds greatly. to- the value of
land. but 1t does not add any value to
house. a piano, hat, coat or a
becfsteak.
can buy shirts or shoes. hats or
coats. as cheap up in the city where
land Is worth ten million dollars per
acre as can here on Goth street. ten
miles from the center OF the city,
where land Is worth only thirty thou
sand dollars per acre. where not one
third OF the lots are improved. am
paying $40 a month for little room
on the fourth floor OF six-story
building on street where for a mile
mol one-tenth OF the lots are i'm
proyed--not because the room or the
building cost so much. but because
the land Is so high-priced aud houses
are seaFce-lt being more profitable
To hold land idle for the rise In Price
than to build and be fned for IL by
tax.
am paying the tax on my room.