Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1912-04-26
WHAT DELAWARE MIGHT HAVE DONE.

The American Economic League which, by the way, is
strong advocate Of the single tax at times gets OIL rght 1901
foremost and while not convincing Of the alleged mien-
ium claims will follow the adoption OF its pet theory OF taxing
land only does at times expose some OF the foolish things e
people, the peoples representative do under our present sys
tenn Here in point told by the leagues editor un-
der the above caption
The legislature at it's last session. granted to T. Coleman du
Pont Republican boss Of the state the right to construct
Mr. dupont has agreed to pay all expenses and to make the
road free to ordinary travel
He has been given the privilege Of using the states right to
property wherever and empowered to lay
out the route as may seem best to him ooo ooo
The estimated cost Of the road is $2,OOOOOO ,
While at first glance this looks like generous gift it would
have been offered accepted if the government OF Del
had been in the hands of men not altogether Ignorant OF
But Mr. dupont is giving Delaware lesson in political econ
omy as well as road building - -
Of the 200foo strip he is authorized to acquire he VIII use ~
feet as roadway for horsedawn vehicles and 40 feet for a
omobes The other 13O feet will be reserved by Mr. DUPONT
Some Of the uses he will make of it will be rent out differ
ent strips to trolley telephone gas water oil and similar pub
lie service corporations. ,
In this way is not only possible for him to the
pense Of building but make profit besides ue.,
However there other possibilities for gain IN this GIT
Mr.. dupont is very large land owner,
His family occupies the position in Delaware that the
Astor family does in New York
He lay out the road considerably increase the value
It would be unjust to blame him for doing So
Some to get unearned increment for this road
is also that the people of the state cannot get It, for
Monoposc interests have fixed the constitution of the state
and secured decisions from the courts to block move to give
land values to those to whom they rightfully belong
So long the gh cannot get the unearned mere
men and decline take steps to change things so that
they can get it. might well be in Mr. duPonts pocket as in
the pocket Of any other individual
When Mr. dupont first made this Offer unhnng persons
believed it to be gift which only mumllonaire could af
ford to bestow.
It is evident that without dollar could do the
same. ,
Given the legal privilege that has been given by the leg
sature to Mr. DUPONT penness would have no trouble
in securing all the financial adhe would need from hardhear
ed unsentmena capitalists with eye to nothing but profit
What pennes could do the state of Delaware might
also do. , -
The state could have condemned the land itself and paid all
expenses out of the increased value the work would give to ad
joining lands ,
might perhaps have been necessary to first get rid of
constitution that framed by relics of the dark ages
and also Of some judges and legislators belonging to the same
period but that would not be an impossibiliy.
The state could itself lay and all the trolley telephone
and pipe lines instead of farming out such privileges as Mr.
dupont intends, to private corporations. .
Of Mr. dupont deserves whatever for the
lack of intelligence displayed by the Delaware legislature which
gave him this valuable privilege.
It not improbable that he himself believed that he was
about TO engage work Of philanthropy which would bring
him no other reward than the applause of shallow admirers
he must know better by this time and should the peo-
pie OF Delaware.