Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1909-02-18
TAXTTIAN OF LAND VALUES
The Policy of "Dishousing" working
Clnsscs by Means of Tux In Grcnt
Britain.

which had been such II persistent fea-
ture Of their history for many years.
In Grenada, ono Of the islands. they
found strange situation.
a. tax Of t1.5O." tho commissioners
said twas payable on 2G3 houses
which IT was said were of such small
value that tho owners preferred to
abandon them rather than pay the
tax. Although these houses may have
boom Of less value than sl.5o each, It
is unlikely that any owner possess-
o1 second house--and the abandon
meut Of their places of abode must
have involved some hardship. We re-
commend that tho local government
be Instructed to take Into considera-
tion the question Of reducing or re-
rcaling this tax on the poorer class
cs Of houses"
This policy of dishousing the work
ing classes by means of 'x on
houses IS I'm operation In Great Bri-
tan as we'll as IN the West Indies A
few years ago Lord Swaythling offer
ed to tho London council as n free
gift an estate of Twenty-Five ecres at
Edmonton on condition thai Il bo de-
voted TO tho erection 81 dwellings
for tho working classes. Tt stanllno
orders of the council forbid any build
Ing scheme which will not pay with
out assistance fro". the rates Aftei
careful calculation It was estimated
chat. under present conditions. th-re
would be an annual deficit of $500
on this scheme, the heaviest Charge
against the houses being 10000 for
rates In view Of this tho council
abandoned the undertaking.
Pressing most heavily on the mon
with low wages and irregular en-
ploymcnt the burden of tho rates is
felt by the business men who own or
rent offices or warehouses. The an
tagonism to high rates which found
expression in the return OF tho Mod
crate party IN the London county
council at last election, In the return Of
men pledged to the reduction or re
pealing Of rates in local councils all
over the countrv is fully Justified.
Mon who arc building up their bust
moss frequently require to extend
their premises. and it is on those men
that the rates fall with all their
discouraglng weight In their enter
prise they are building into the Jaws
of rate collectors, who, for every s.
they add 20 the valne OF their pre-
misses carry off s2.25 or $3.50
1t is the system which penalties
the onterprising and Industrious In
dividual or firm that the taxation of
land values is offered as an alterna-
tive on July % 1907, the site Of the
OLD Bailey was put M to lease A.
auction for term OF DinctY-nins
years. The land was offered in thre.
lots. The first lot went off Mt n rent
which worked out at the rate OF sc2,
500 per acre: the second went at III,
rate of s27.065 per acre; while The
third went to figure at the rate OF
soSo55 per acre and was withdrawn
This threefoid transaction iiiustrat-
es the whole Industrial position. Mer
were willing to pny the full rarke
values Of this site; they were willine
to invest capital in ono Of the Rafes'
and the most profitable undertakings
Their ambition is granted in two
! thirds Of It's scope, and denied In one
| third Every one benefits by tho frs
part OF the transaction, ms every on
loses by the second In tho last case
! the man who would invest his capita
must seek less desirable form o
Investment In some other part Of tn
world There is such a thing as unem
! ploYed Carital a- we'll as unemploVe'
labor. Ills return IN interest Is delay
ed and rendered less certain. Thu
tradesmcn who would be employe,
must go i1l".
The wagcG Of masons, bricllayers
, carpenters, and toincrs in London ar
5000 per week. the wages OF thu
plumbers and plastcrers are 81 q
Of painters $3.50 to 39.37. There arr
| many Of these men in London cage
to engage In the building Industry
and TO receive these wages. But be
cause the land is shut against then
they earn nothing. and cannot bu,
food. clothes. houses. tools or any
thing in the shape of necessories AM
luxuries Their custom is not worth
farthinE. and deg lerates into bur
6vrsome begEary Yet better narke
than those mems eeds, seconded b
money In their pockets, could not b
found.
When buildings are not erected tn
rates fail more heavily on those al
ready in existence; the lnnd owne
himself receives no rent, and the vaca n
site. with the siPnboard TO He Let
IS a puhlic oyesore. Surely it Is unrea
sonable that owners whose land Is dc
clared IN the public mart t. be wort
$500 per acre each year should kee
that value locked M in !t--ospociall