Ashland tidings. [volume] (Ashland, Or.) 1876-1919, 1913-05-19

llOn VI pIlNhSS0 VI OdPiboii1oAOh VI
probation"
The annual increase in land values
in the city of New York is greater
than the cost of carrying on the city
government. The average value per
foot front of the best business prop
erty in that city is, say $4,000, or
approximately $S,OOO,OOO per acre.
Assuming a net income of per cent
to the land owner, the net annual
rent from one acre would be $780,
900. This income is approximately
equal to the income of $40 wage
earners earning the average wage
now paid in the United States.
Real estate companies inform the
prospective investor that the increase
in real estate values is sure and
rapid. In the summer of 1912 an
advertisement appeared in a New
York paper, headed as follows:
Millions for the City VS.. Billions
for the Land Owner" The proposed
additional subway, it was asserted,
would increase land values greatly.
The city would get more money
through taxation; but the land own
er would reap an abundant harvest.
In other words" reads the adver-
tisement, New York is embarking
on a plan that will create billions for
the benefit of the man who is fortu-
nate enough to own land in order to
raise millions to pay for the cost of
its own subway" And the general
public must foot the entire bill.
This burden upon the back of in
dustry is growing bigger and bigger.
While this burden of rent and
special privilege is growing, the rest
less American is also demanding
many reforms which are expensive
and which still further increase the
cost of living. The program of So
cial justice is an expensive one to
carry in actual practice. Movements
for improving the working condi-
tions, raising wages, shortening the
working day, providing old age pen
sions, compensation for accident and
sickness, and movements providing
for better and sanitary regulations
and more decent housing conditions,
tend to raise the cost of living.
Measures of this kind are placing
additional demands upon the pocket
book of the consumer And the mid
die or salaried class is most affected.
These reforms ought to come;
racial progress demands them. But
the burden ought not to fall most
heavily upon the salaried man and
the wage Garner. The big question
is: How can the burden be shifted
from labor and industry to special
privilege?
Increasing rents and monopoly
gains of various sorts must be paid
! for. IL these incomes go into pri-
vate pockets they constitute tax or
an inert burden placed upon the con-
sumer.
Rents cannot be eliminated, but
their incidence may be changed
Divert a portion of this enormous
flow of income into a private treas
ury, and other and repressive taxes
for example, taxes on buildings
on personal property and the like
may be remitted.
The municipalities and the states
have today golden opportunity tc
obtain large incomes. Better roads
and more and better school buildings
may be built; old age pensions may
be provided for our industrial vet.
erans; and many other desirable re.
forms undertaken. And the roa6
toward social betterment and social
justice may be cleared of many OBJ.
structions.
The policy of square deal de.
mands that privilege and rents be
taxed, that the inert burden be lifted
from the shoulders of active bust.
ness. Then will industry go for.
ward with giant strides; and ther
can municipal and state housekeep-
ing be carried out on a more gener-
Gus scale than is now possible.