THE CALL OF THE LAND 



remedy the evils of too big farms, land 

 dearth and speculation, without entirely 

 ceasing to draw public revenue from other 

 sources than rent. I suppose, however, that, 

 as a matter of fact, rent would pay all taxes 

 and leave a vast sum remaining. Were the 

 state to take it all, the fund would be greater 

 than it could safely disburse, inducing 

 subventions which could not but work 

 detriment to the economic character of all 

 sorts of people. On the other hand, should 

 the state not take the surplus rent, the evils 

 attaching to our land tenure, instead of 

 being cured, would be simply more or less 

 assuaged. I should, however, prefer this as 

 far the lesser evil. To collect unnecessary 

 revenue is, in finance, the unpardonable sin; 

 and it would in the end work as ill socially 

 as it would financially. 



Whatever advantages of a purely social 

 nature might attend sweeping simplicity in 

 taxation, such a scheme would, as a measure 

 of public finance, involve considerable 

 difficulties. These may seem petty until 

 reflected on, and might not at any rate prove 



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