The Boise citizen. (Boise, Idaho) 1906-1910, 1909-09-03
THE LIVE ISSUE IN ENGLAND
Baltimore Sun \


The vest in British politics today is the proposed tax
upon land values by the imperial government debate
several weeks, in which the Conservative minority reorted all
the obstructive tactics permissible British parliamentary pro-
cedre the House Of Commons passed of the
bill imposing land values The proposed denounced
the House OF Commons by AR Balfou formerly Prime Minister
and the leader Of the minority branch paria-
ment revolutionary unconstitutional and class legislation Of the
worst description defended by Mr. AsquitF the Liberal
Prime Minister as just and equitable
The elimination Of the land provisions Of the bill by the
House OF Lords would intensity the feeling Of hostility that branch
Of the British Parliament 1t might lead dissolution OF Parla-
men and appeal the electors by the Liberal government
only the issue OF the taxation land but also the Of
farreang reforms the composition of the House Of Lords and
further restrictions upon powers It possible OF that
the Conservative party might be restored power the result of
parliamentary election But the fact that the London Times
and the London Mail representing all shades Of opinion the Con
servave party urging the leaders Of that party accept
the budget regarded Great Britain evidence that the majority
Of British voters opposed to the land tax
In notable speech few days ago the Prime Minister, Mr.
qu defended the proposed land and pronounced sound
and just every point OF 1t will the British government
S1OOOOGOO make the valuations provided the bill
first provided that the should be paid by the andhoders and that
right appeal from the should be limited ap
peal certain referees provided in the bill The Liberal Ministry
agreed amend the bill place the upon the government
advice of the Lord Chief Justice another amendment
adopted granting andhodrs the right appeal the High
Court OF Justice The this the first year is
estimated will be about 81 100000 Asquit gnfi-
cant that the will be fruitful one later Then he added
elementary propositions
These upon land all they all
OF them added yaue-th realized the reazabe value
mark atgiven to by social Next they do apply
any OF them to agricultural lard long and fairly
and properly be described Further they do apply land
which used for public purposes in the public interest Again
assessing and eacng them do go back upon the past
We start datum line for all future values with the day when
the budget Of the present year was introduced
Mr. Asquith cited which certain land had increased
in rental value through social 10 Is times than
its value years ago. although the had done nothing to
improve the property market value Is It fair
he asked that the should step and say when this great
additional value is realized We entitled the whole OF
Here we have the evidence shehigh tariff high
but we are entitled levy toll upon for the purposes OF the
community which created it " This incremen
the government taking toll when the additional capital value IS
realized according the Prime Minister'S explanation In the
case of undeveoped the duty taken annually but only and
50 far as can be that land has this reaz
able market value and above its value agricultural land
There are large areas Britain away from the and
growing communities which, Mr. Asqus judgment while still
Kept as agricultural might put that would bring
owners much larger rental than they receive present This land
is increasing in value every year but the community derives no bne
fit from it. although many it is eonended could be used
proitabIy for building and for other Improvements
The tax on capital value of undeveoped land fixed at
bpennv on the pound sterling On ncremen It larger One
half Of the proceeds is to 60 the local authorities the other halt
to the imperial authorities The opponents OF the tax assert that
is not designed to the fiscal needs OF the for the
nvew Mr. Baour the valuation project "a mecan
ism r CARRYING out some social scheme OF the government and their
Radical and Socialist allies Our esteemed contemporary the Lon