Still I do not see
how this consideration weighs against Lord Derby's title to his
lands, if the body politic has determined that on the whole it is
best for the community that land should not be held equally by all,
and sanctions by law Lord Derby's monopoly of a large area. On the
theory of the natural right of every infant born to its arithmetical
share, the monopolisers of land are liable to a perpetually recurring
ransom: this can only practically be carried out by a special
National Rate on Real Property (_i.e._ Land, with the houses, mines,
etc., inseparably attached to it), which must be in addition to such
taxes as income tax, succession duty, etc., which land already
suffers equally with trades, professions, offices, and personalty.
The local rates in England exceed L25,000,000 annually; and the
ratepayers perhaps reckon this a large enough ransom. I should remark
in passing that one man with 1000 acres of land does not dispossess
any more babies of their rights than do ten men with 100 acres each.
The ransom therefore must be a strictly level rate: to put a higher
rate on large holders, or to despoil large holders of a portion of
their landed property, will be to work the ransom unfairly. It hence
will follow that any heavy ransom is now impracticable.
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