The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1920-12-18
IiiE POWER FOR GOOD AND THE
PkOEIT IN HOME OWNING.
(Manufacturers RecordD


PIE snail to . large extent become
'''''c oNn'f' IS a difficult problem
\" 5"IF'. me city OF Baltimore has
~ '""''H mace greater progress i'm
'""' uIfoct!"h than any other city i'm
Ahit!lca' Tor home owning iS here the
! "fdef ol the day. Thousands Of dwell
lngS are annually erected by canita,-
lists and builders for the express nm
pose of being sold on long time and
easy payments.
, A rev years ago a compilation was
made showing that within the ten
Year period prior to the war BaIti-
more had built about 10000 houses.
| most of them comfortable, sWo-stOrv
well-equipped dwellings, nearly every
one of which had been sold by the
builders on the building g-association
plan. To the conservatism of Balti-
more labor, based on this homc-owm-
ing spirit, is due much of the remark
able progress Of this city
During the last two years more
money has been raised for industrial
development in Baltimore than in the
preceding eighteen or twenty years,
the amount running into several hun
great enterprises now being built
here located in Baltimore because OF
the supply of conservative labor as
compared with other cities, and this
conservatism and contentment of la
Dor have come about very largely
through ownership of their own homes
by the laboring people. 1t has been
made possible in Baltimore for a man
OF moderate income TO buy his own
dwelling and pay for it through the
building association or the savings
banks, and whenever a man becomes
q home owner he becomes a broader
and more patriotic citizen.
Bearing on this question of home
owning, Nh. G.. W. Soule, a leading
manufactures of Meridian, Miss,
writes to the editor OF the Manufac-
turers Record:
OF course, you, like nearly all
Intelligent people, claim that the
nome owners are the great bull
Wark of our nation. The best
method of promoting the owning
OF homes would be 10 make eV-
cry moderate home entirely free
fall taxation SO long as il is
owned and Occupied as a home for
its owner; that is, make it more
economical TO own Il home than
TO rent one
1T is our opinion that every state
should at the earliest possible
moment make the moderate home
entirely free of taxation; that
the United States government
should make such part of the
income each may invest in 4
home exempt from income tax
If such could be done imme-
diately, it would more greatly
promote the resumption OF busi-
ness than any other measure
that could be adopted.
AS conditions are in most parts
OF the United States, it is usual
ly considered unoconOmical to
own ones own home The taxes
on a home probably average over
per cent of its value in our cities
and towns
We believe that YOU will en-
dorse this suggestion, and hope
mat you will take the matter up
in your paper and invite its dis
cussion by your readers.
We are glad to publish Mr.. Souls
OF the subject The proposition which
he makes of exemption from taxa
ton on homes is possibly not feasible,
but the idea is at least worthy OF
discussion, because home owning
means broader patriotism and great
CT national safety We do, however,
believe that that portion of his let
ter which suggests that the govern
mcnt might exempt from income tax
alton whatever investment may be
made in the purchase or the build
ing of a home is feasible and could
be carried out to advantage. More
over, We believe all communities
could wisely exempt from taxation
for, say, five or ten years all invest
ments now made in building or i'm
proving dwellings.
The legislative assemblies of New
Jersey and New York recently pass
ed laws providing fCl' the exemption
from taxation of dwellings erected af-
ter the passage of the laws. The
New York law authorizes the legisla-
tive body of city, town or county to
provide for exemption if ii SO desires;
while the New Jersey law provides
with certain eXceptons) that taxes
shall not be levied upon dwellings
erected during the next five years.
Some method of taxation must be
devised which will encourage house
building and homecoming.
The country is more than 1,000,-
600 dwellings, short of its actual needs.
some authorities even estimating a
shortage of more than 100000
dwellings, and with immigration pour
ing into this land at an alarming
rate, this congestion will grow more
acute, and out Of this will be dcVel-
oped spirit of bolshcvism and an
archy. 1t is exceedingly important
that this situation should be met by
an active campaign for house build