The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-12-01
UNJUST TAXES
FORCE farm E Rs.
|NT0CANADA
Dominion Farmer Not Pena|Ized
For Improving Property;
Spectator Hit.

NEW YORK, Nov. 29.-Restless-
ness among. American farmers has
given a fresh start to the exodus into
Canada.
In q published interview the Denver
representative of the Canadian Paci-
fic railroads, W. A. Smith, states that
that corporation has put $500 Ameri-
can farmers upon western Canadian
farms within the past year. That
may not seem large number, but 1t
does not tell the whole story The
Canadian Pacific requires a payment
Of $4,000 of those wnom it settles
upon its "ready-made FARMS" The
proportion Of those actually settled
to those eager to go may be judged
from the fact that out of 500 applica-
tions from tenant farmers of Texas
and New Mexico only 20 were classed
as good prospects, and Of these only
3 actually bought.
In telling of the arguments used,
Mr.. Smith speaks as = salesman only.
Yet if he. were. a propagandist of land
value taxation, he could not put the
case differently. In a published in
tervieW he said:
Talking Points.
Two of our best talking points are
the state hail insurance and the land
tax system.
Instead of paying high rates to
private insurance companies, direct
tax is levied on the land in Saskatche-
wan and Alberta to pay off all hail
losses. In Alberta the rate is 2k
mills.
There is no tax on personal prop
erty in Alberta. The farmer is not
penalized for getting more stock and
farming machinery, or for improving
his property. This means that the
speculator, who is holding land out of
use, is taxed so heavily that he can
not afford to hold his land idle. It
does not bear any more heavily on
the man who is using the land, be-
cause he is exempted from other
taxes
Since the war has started there
has been an additional wild land tax
levied, running up to a maximum of
$40 section on wild land held out of
any use. This tax law was on the law
books years previously, but was not
enforced before.
1T has been brought into use now
to pay extra expenses caused by the
war. But 1t does not interfere with
the honest farmer who is using his
land and not holding it for specula-
ton. 1t lessons the tax on the real
farmer by collecting the additional,
money from the speculator.''
Anticipates Reversal.
Alberta is helping the working
farmer in way that American legis-
lators are reluctant to follow. Little
is done here to restrict land specula-
ton, while other belligerent nations
are devising means to enable return
ing soldiers and other citizens to OBJ
tain homesteads without submission
to extortion. 1t is not surprising
therefore that so competent an OBJ
server as immigration Commissioner
Frederic G. Howe should look for
reversal of the tide of emigration
toward Europe, once peace has been
declared.
This may not be the worst possible
happening under existing circum-
stances, since 1t is not desirable that
people should remain where they are
denied the right to earn an independ-
ent living. But it is an Indictment of
American craftsmanship nevertheless.
AS long as there are in this country
unused lands, opportunities to work
and to acquire homes should be open
to all. Whenever it is clear that this
is not the case then it is also clear
that American craftsmanship has
failed in its most important duty.
The exodus to Canada is an indica-
ton of such a failure. It would be
well to remedy the matter before
evidence becomes overwhelming.