The daily telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1901-1926, 1914-12-10

tof the evils which end in eviction,
land which have been the traditional
dread OF the English-speaking and
Celtic tenant Distress was one OF
the privileges attached to teudal SUI
lperiority. and means that the repre-
sentative Of the landlord can enter
the leased premises and seize per-
Iscnal property in his discretion for
the satisfaction Of overdue rent The
right Of distress for rent has gone so
far that authority has been given to
lput In keeper as soon as growing
Icrops appear above the surface OF the
land, the ultimate harvest passing
into the possession OF the sower.
Harassment by successive distresses
and ultimate ejectment from the
holding were pictures that the Eng
llish, Scotch and Irish immigrants to
the United States had only too for
lcibly in mind and the exemption of
household goods, the implements OF
labor andgrowing crops from seizure
for debt is the universal character
ftic OF the law OF American states,
although Pennsylvania still clings to
"a form Of note Of hand which carries
many Of the obnoxious features or the
old English law.
The land system Of France Is very
largely one Of small holdings in fee
and this is a historic condition. The
French revolution grew out OF econ
omic and political, rather than land
Questions. and the bulk of the people
who rose against the nobility were
small proprietors Their wrongs did
not result from conditions as tenants
but from political privileges and re-
lsulting exactions in taxes and unpaid
services. The segregation OF land in
France has been promoted by equal
iity of division among heirs, Just as
concentration has been brought about
In England by primogeniture, or des-
cent to the Oldest son.
The Germanic countries Of Europe
represent 80 many different modifica-
tons OF the original Teutonic com
lception which has previously been
described, that 1t is impossible to
make a generalization. In. Prussia
there are many large and successful
tenant estates. In some parts OF
Germany, a leasehold is continuing
institution and may be transferred
and devised by the lessee and. is, in
erect, permanent part Of the title.
The unearned Increment OF land, as
| 1t is called. is an incident Of real
property which is attracting more at
tention in the United States as he
population increases and the use of
land becomes more intensive The
proposition is stated that the entire
industry Of all the people adds value
to the land beyond he work OF the
occupant, and that the individual
owner should not be allowed to retain
all the results Of this benefit.
This proposition has been put In
practical form In New Zealand and
other states OF Australasia In It's
primary form, 1t is a question Of state
revenue, rather than Of the dispos-
lition of land, and taxes are assessed
ION the basis of the value that has
Ibeen given to land by improvements
lin its vicinity, rather than on the
basis of the cost or the percentage
Iof income of the land itself. The eff
fleet of this method OF taxation is
'Iheld to be that the land will not re-
main idle as speculative PROPOSE
ton. but will have to be disposed OF
Ito those who will make active use
Iof and income from 1t, and the own
.lership by all nations of all the land
INCLUDED within their boundaries has
been urged as means of better reg
',ulation OF its distribution and bur-
dens.
In closing this series OF letters. II
may be pointed out that the question
of land titles-strictly speaking, a
close and technical one. having to dc
with the forms of tenure and transfer
of real propertv-,is, in reality. vital
topic In the final analysts. all econ
omic questions must he referred Ia
1.-THE land system OF the country they
affect and no country can be pros
nervous and no necple contented and
happy except under favorable condi-
tons of land tenure.
i, #
fSt..-.A~-r.R-,-r 80