354 STUDIES, SCIENTIFIC AND SOCIAL chap. 



were a foreign State, or a private individual who would 

 spend the money on himself. But the State in this case 

 is the community, consisting almost whoU}^ of tenants who 

 are to benefit directly by reduction of rates and taxes. 

 They would therefore be able to pay higher rents, and the 

 landlord, "acting always as a monopolist," would exact 

 those higher rents so as to bring back the respective 

 position of landlord and tenant to what it was before the 

 tax was imposed. 



The only other argument used — that if it would have 

 the effect we urge the landlords would not object to it, is 

 hardly worth answering. Landlords are not a specially 

 intellectual body of men, and why should they not be 

 blinded by the alleged " authorities " as well as the 

 followers of Mr. George ? Besides, there would be some 

 loss to the landlords, especially to those who had granted 

 leases. All we urge is that in a very few years the 

 landlords would necessarily recoup themselves under the 

 inevitable laws of supply and demand, they being left in 

 possession of a monopoly of what is essential to all men. 

 In his " Scheme for the Abolition of Landlordism," in the 

 Westminster Review for May, 1890, Mr. Charles Wicksteed 

 hit the nail on the head by his suggestion that all receipts 

 for taxes on land should be applied in the jmrchase of 

 land, not in relieving tenants of rates and taxes, and 

 thus prevent the landlords from recouping themselves by 

 raising rents. This simple proposal has satisfied one 

 member of the Land Restoration League that the im- 

 position of the 4s, or any other tax, to be applied in relief 

 of other taxation, would be useless, and would ultimately 

 leave the landlords as much masters of the situation as 

 they are now. It is to be hoped that others will be 

 equally convinced and equally candid in acknowledging it, 

 and thereafter retire from an untenable position. 



The Conditions Essential to the Success of Small Holdings. 



As there seems to be considerable difference of opinion 

 on this question, and as success or failure in the first 

 steps towards obtaining free access to land for all who 



