United States Congressional Serial Set Volume 3046 (Paperback)

This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1892 edition. Excerpt: ...the State ought to have the right to put a tax on that land and confiscate it. When you confiscate the laud, why don't you confiscate the building on that land?--A. It is just as feasible as it is where buildings are now erected on land that are now under ground rents, as a great many are. Q. But that title is in some party?--A. It is not iu the man who puts the building on it. Q. Only for a certain length of time.--A. That is a matter between the parties which is just as feasible between the Government and the tenant as between the landlord and the tenant. Q. I want to bring out that point. I think you would have to come to the Government ownership of land.--A. Yes; I claim that ground rents should be appropriated to public uses, and, of course, if the entire ground rent were so appropriated it would result in abolishing the private ownership of land. Q. And you would rather have Government monopoly in land than private monopoly?--A. Certainly. I would not call it a monopoly in that case. Q. It would be a monopoly.--A. When everybody are eqnal owners of land there is no monopoly. Q. You could have a monopoly even under your theory, because one man might possess a larger or more valuable square than another.--A. That is to say, if all ground rent was paid over to the community it could be divided equally, if you saw fit, or you can use it in lieu of any other tax. Q. (By the Chairman) What do you call that belief, land nationalization --A. Well, that is a good enough name for it. Q. (By Mr. Washington.) Your equality of ownership, it strikes me, would be destroyed in this way. Suppose one man used his lot to put up a house worth two or three thousand dollars to occupy himself, and another man used another piece of ground belonging to the...