Licking Valley courier. [volume] (West Liberty, Ky.) 19??-current, 1913-06-26

UIlc OG1GTdl ASoelilUly VI hGll-
lucky Of which | had the honor
to be a member to vote for such
a measure.
You mention my record upon
the homestead exemption law in
the last session ofthe Legislature
as Objectionable.
There are many good and suf-
ficient reasons why | introduced
and urged the passage Of that
bill. In the first place | believe
that the present homestead ex-
emption of the value of one
thousand dollars is inadequate to
meet the purposes for which our
fathers intended that law.
When this law became effect
i've in the year 1866 Kentucky
lands were cheap compared to
their value at this day, and be-
sides, the people did not have
homes as costly and commodious
as at present. One thousand
dollars worth of land including
the dwelling and outhouses in the
year 1866 would now be worth
three or four thousand dollars.
Forty-six years ago the people of
this State did not live in houses
as we'll built and as conveniently
constructed as theyIlow do. You
seldom see a farmer whose house
has not cost from six hundred to
twelve hundred dollars in these
days of progress and well living
Notwithstanding that the
housekeeper with the family is
the main stay of this country, its
prop in war, its support in peace,
yet has there been no provision
by law for an increased living
for his widow and infant child
ren, while the cost of living has
increased to an appalling degree,
property of all kinds have great
ly increased in value, wages of
the daily laborer doubled and the
salaries of the officers quad
lrupled.
Would it not be fair and just
to the housekeeper with a family
to provide a law for an increased
living to his family, along side
the increased living provided for
the salaried officers of this State!
The homestead exemption has
become a fixed institution OF
every state in this Union and as
it is conceded, by all proper
thinking people, a good one, lei
us make it effectual and not a
mere mockerg.
Why have a homestead exemp-
tion law at all? The answer is,
is that the family may have a fix
ed home; so that the boys and
girls may be reared and educat-
ed together, learn to love each
other, their home and country
so that they may not go to the
shops and stray about the coun.
try, the girls hiring to some
neighbor to cook, the boys to dc
any and all sorts of menial SER
vice. The homestead exemption
law gives to the family shelter Sc
that the head of the family has
no continual anxiety for Their
comfort, and the state is giver
in return a patriotic support by
citizenship Jealous for the wei
fare of the state and tied to hel
soil composed of Independent
home owners, and not of tn,
; transient and uncertain tenants.
Tenantry is favorable to mon
= arches and tyranies, on the con
: trary the freeholder has a fixet
! home, a hearth, a domestic altar
has an interest in his govern
ment and is full of the spirit o
independence, freedom and lib
8 erty; and why not let it be tn
q policy of this country to multipl
its freeholders, as it is the Gus
J, tom of tyranies to increase thei
. tenant class?
p Nor can it be truthfully sal
that the homestead exemptio
r encourages fraud or rascality
!, prevents or tends to prevent an
one from paying his debts.
e Money-lenders and sharp traC
r ers may provide for themselvt
{ and have their debts secured.
d Those who oppose an increa'
y in the homestead exemption la
e are against any homestead an
d all exemptions. They would sc
e the bed, the cooking stove an
4 A-.l. A. - lL A