Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-09-26
OVER 800 DELEGATES
TENTH ANNUAL CONVENTION
OF MUNICIPAL LEAGUE.

CHICAGO. September 26-The tenth an
nual convention Of the League Of American
municipalities convened at the Auditorium
today with over 800 delegates present from
all parts Of the United States and Canada.
Mayor Edward F. Dunno was accorded an
ovation in welcoming the visitors.
President r. G. Rhett of Charleston. s. c.,
in his annual address, referring to the ref
erendum said:
Gust how far It is wise to limit the gov
eminent by requiring referendum to the
people is an exceedingly interesting topic.
But probably the most interesting of the
questions under this head Is the limitation.
which policy would dictate as to the owner
ship OF what Is vaguely termed. Public
Utilities This subject is now absorbing
as utepa ayss Raa study based
upon a widespread experience. would be OF
especial value, at this time.
1T seems to me 1t would be much more
satisfactory to- consider this question of
municipal ownership by taking up each spe-
cif1c utility, such as water, light. trans
portation, etc, separately. There would
then be no confusion; and inasmuch as 1t
may very well be found wise under given
conditions to operate some Of these utilities
and unwise to undertake others, l am sure
more practical benefit to our members, If
not to mankind, would follow this course
than any other we could adopt
Mr.. Purdy's Address.
Mr.. Lawson Purdy Of New York delivered
an address on 1.-The Influence Of Taxation
on the Prosperity of Cities" He said In
part:
In 1873 Ernest F;nsley, wealthy planter
of Tennessee, urged an amendment to the
Constitution SO that nothing should be
taxed which Is Of value to the state, that
could and would run away. or that could
and would come to 1t. This rule has be-
come an axiom, but before 1t can be APP
Piled the constitutions Of about thirty-tive
or no shall dis
cuss only what can be accomplished in
most cities by executive officials under ex-
listing law.
The interests of the city and Of its citi-
zens are Identical. Revenue must be am
pie and economically administered. Need
less expenditures must be avoided, such as
the unnecessary streets, SO common in all
our cities. which must be severed, paved,
lighted, cleaned and polced. To avoid
opening unnecessary streets to develop
ment Of the city must be uniform and COM
pact, yet without oyercrowding. Every lot
must be put to its best use. In our cities
not half the lots are put to the best use.
We see WORKOUT wooden buildings on lots
which out to be improved with modern Of
fees or lofts; tumble-down tenements on
sites needed for factories, lots entirely va
cant and unusued needed for stores, fac
tories or dwellings.
Land, on the other hand. in all progress
sive cities, Is WORTH on the average, more
each year than the year before. In order
sential that the value of land should Je
separately stated. as it is in the city of
New York and in Massachusetts and Mary
land and it is desirable that, either by
publication OF the assessment roll or In
other ways, the greatest publicity Should
be given to the work Of assessors.
If the real estate tax is eauitably as
sessed buildings will be assessed at less
than now, and land much more. The COM
parison of our cities with those Of Eu-
rope proves that our tax on real estate,
imperfect as 1t Is in practice. has been of
enormous value in our development and
prosperity. European cities derive very
little revenue from the value of land and
are waking up to the necessity Of follow
Ing our example. Paris has recently adept
ed a small land value tax in place of the
"Octroi," or duty on goods brought into
the city, and German cities, which for
tunately have much greater powers Of local
one after the other adopting small taxes
on land values for economic rather than
revenue reasons In England the present
ministry Is committed to such tax as
matter of party policy
If land were assessed at it's market value,
as the law directs. and buildings were not
overassessed. the profit now gained by re-
tanning WORKOUT buildings on lots needed
for improvement or by putting up one-story
stores as taxpayers. instead of buildings
suited to the site, will be materially re-
duced. Taxes on buildings will be less and
homes will be better and cheaper
The increased contribution of the tax on
land will relieve the burden of taxes which
check production. increase the cost Of
goods. reduce the opportunities for en-
ployment and thus tend to lower wages.
We have pointed out that unnecessary
streets should not be opened. They are
opened because the vacant lot indus
try is improbable. The smaller the
profit in withholding land from use the
fewer will be the unnecessary streets II
the city is compact lots not Immediately
needed for buildings will not have a ffcti-
t,xag fn
tage1 for market gardens. With these adj
vanitages growth will be rapid, and with
added growth land values win increase so
that the more source of revenue is tapped
the larger win grow the fiow Of revenue.
An honest and intelligent assessment of
real estate for five years would add to the
wealth Of the country, hundreds of millions
of dollars and improve the conditions of
life for all our citizens. And to get II is
simple. easy and in obedience to existing
law.