The citizen-Republican. (Scotland, Bon Homme County, S.D.) 1???-19??, 1914-10-29

= Why THE DUKES ARE !
SELLING THEIR LANDS y

Editorial In the Baltimore Sun.


Editorial in the Baltimore sun.
With the duke of Marlborough auc-
tioning off his own lands-a live luke
crying the farmers bids; with huge
blocks Of London real estate changing
hands and portions Of many estates on
the market, the radical changes IN
~serVatives predicted a 8 a result Of
Lloyd-Georgie's policies are actually
taking place. With land taxed at it's
real value. many Of the dukes and gen.
try find 1t Improbable to maintain
their holdings. They are land poor"
and there is no question that many
large estates will be divided or reduced.
Lloyd-George struck a severe blow
at the whole system of landed gem
try by which the great mass of Eng
lish armers have been held as tenants.
AS long as landlords refused to sell. 1t
was impossible for the independent
farmer to get a foothold- Breaking UP
OF large estates into small holdings
means that the British farmer will en-
JOY an independence he a never be-
Tore possessed. and millions Of acres
that were held as game preserves or
left fallow or in forest will be brought
under cultivation.
The liberal chancellor began by
proving that the large landholders
were not bearing anything like their
share OF the burden OF taxation. Vast
tracts were on the tax books at the
same valuation that had prevailed
hundreds of years ago.. Retaliation OF
land. putting 1t on the tax books at its
true value, was the first step. That
was a mere act of Justice; but. as
Lloyd-George saw. the results would
be ~far-reaching. If fully taxed, the
SOIL must be put to use. The hue and
cry against his vast schemes of poor
ae.ief, insurance against illness and un-
employment, provision for the aged
poor. better housing of working people.
proceeded from the belief, now a Ger
talnty. that they would be paid for
largely by the wealthy who had not
peen taxed in proportion to their
means
His ambitious schemes for the well
1are OF the working classes entailed an
expense that shocked the more con-
servative members Of his own party.
Facing a deficit Of $25, O00, 900 in the
budget. the chancellor found even that
Where is the money coming from?'
his critics demanded. Lloyd-George's
smiling reply was, mo poor mans
cupboard shall be the barer by reason
or my proposals" In addition to the
larger revenues from taxation of land
at It's value. the tax on Incomes was
largely increased. Compared with the
British income. tax, that Of the United
States Is extremely light. On 1000
income the Englishman pays $3.50. On
So'ooV me american pays but S5; in
england 1t would be s11S. The tax on
100000 ! England is $685. 500, as
against S25,020 here. But it must be
remembered that a very much larger
proportion of Englishmen live off their
Incomes M pay practically no tariff
tax.
If the Lloyd George program meant
nothing more than increasing taxation.
1t could not be justified. But John
Burns. head of the British board OF
trade. estimates that within the last
eight years 100000 lives have been
saved by the Improvement in housing
n health conditions and infant wei
fare. Pauperism. the great bane of
England. which baffled the conserva-
tives. has been dealt with. the number
OF pauper charges in England and
Wales decreased by ITS, 900. The Brit
ism workingman no longer fears he will
become a public charge if he falls sick
or loses his job. The aged poor no
longer have the fear Of the alms-house
continually before them. There is in
surance against sickness, against I'M
employment and against old age.
thousands Of novels and noisom,
tenements have been torn down to Civ.
place to decent homes. And with all
this has come a new spirit of indie
pendence and democracy.
with dukes selling off sections Of
t1elr estates to yeomen and the house
Of lords stripped Of it's power sven
Macaulay. who. in his review Of Hal
lam's history, predicted sweening
mango In British government ana
life. would have been amazed at Tho
changes that are taking place.