The London County Council has appointed a Committee to assess
the value of the land within its jurisdiction, apart from the value of the buildings standing upon it. The avowed object of the order is to find a substitute for the Coal and Corn Duties other than an increase of the rates, the idea being that, as landlords do not create land, they shall pay for its increased value. The Council, in fact, wants a share in the "unearned increment." That may be just, if they also take a share in the unearned increment of all property, and give compensation for innocent decrement ; but then, is it practicable ? The Council will hardly interfere with leases, and at every expiration of a lease the tax will be put on the ground- rent. You cannot tax grass and not tax hay. There is, however, not much fear of injustice being done. When the inquiry is complete, the Councillors will he astounded at the number of petty freeholders, especially in the suburbs, and will recollect that election-day approaches, and that free- holders have votes. Dukes are easy to tax ; Building Societies of workmen are not.
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