The Whitefish pilot. [volume] (Whitefish, Mont.) 1904-current, 1912-02-29
TAXATION OF IDLE LAND.
by G. w. Avery

i NY &. w. Avery
Last week We showed the per.
centage OF idle land in the nation
state and county. The importance
OF improving and cultivating this
land Is apparent from the readine
OF the report of the United States
senate committee appointed to in
vestisa'e the cause of the high cost
of living. Their report shows that
prodnets of the farm, crude, in
creased in price SO per cent from
1910 to 1911. Products of the farm
manufactured. increased during the
same time "a per cent.
We are not going in the question
Of the cost of living at this time fur
Their than to say, that as far as farm
products are concerned. IL we tax
farm land on it's unimproved value
only. exempting from taxation all
improvements Of every kind on farm
land. all stock. implements, farm
produce, in short abolish all person
al taxes on farm property it will give
the farmer chance for his life, dis
courage the holding OF idle land en-
courage the farmer to improve his
land. broaden his acres and enable
him to raise more products and sell
them at lower prices and make more
money than he can under present
tax Laws.
Let us see what other people are
doing along this line. We all know
thst for several years our people
have been moving over into Cana
da In large numbers. There may
be various reasons for this emigra-
ton. Certainly they are not look
ing for fertile soil for they are
leaving plenty of that behind them
in Montana. Not better climate, for
they are moving northward and
faring worse. Not scenery. for the
Treasure state is famous for that.
Not hCmesteads, for they can get
as good free land in Montana as in
Canada. Not greater liberty, for
they are moving out of republic
into monarchy. Let us look into
the question of the Canadian land
tax system and see if we cannot find
at least one reason for this heavy
emigration northward.
Their laws will be better under
stood if it is remembered that nei-
ther England nor any of her colonie
have written constitution or a
supreme court as We understand
these institutions in America. Ev-
cry colony has almost unlimited
liberty to pass any law they wish,
subject only to the veto power of
the king of England and the imper-
ial parliament.
This veto power is. practically
/ speaking, never used. In fact his.
tory records more Instances where
the colonies veto the acts of the
king than otherwise. A prominent
case of this kind occurring under
the leadership of a famous soldier
statesman and patriot named Wash
| ington.
Here is the caption to a Mani
toba law:
| His majesty, by and with the
consent and advice of the legisla
tive assembly of Manitoba, enacts a!
follows"
In Manitoba, Saskatchewan an(
Alberta all improvements On farm
land, including buildings, fences etc.
all personal property in the natur,
Of farm products, implements, liv'
from taxation. In short, the hold
err of idle land pays as much take
as the farmer. Cities and town
are assessed and taxed under diff
ferent laws than the farms. The,
may assess and tax at differen
rates, they may exempt certain elias:
es Of property from taxation or not
as they wish. British Columbia GOO
a step further than the other thre
provinces. All idle land in tina
province is taxed at four per cent
forty mills-of it's full value. AL
improved land at one-half of on
per cent-five mills-of it's value
In other words, the idle land pay
eight times as much taxes as tn
improved land.
All farm improvements are ex
empt. Live stock to the value o
1000 Is exempt, as all farm nipple
ments.
Incomes of over 81 900 are taxed
This Is the most radical tax sys
tenn in the world.
The object of it is to encourag
the improvement of idle land and t.
make it Improbable to hold specu
lative land.