New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-05-13
RIA. SATURDAY MORNING, MAY Is, 1913.

are imprudent enough to invoke against me, is
precisely what arms me egitimatcly against you,
who DO not appear 10 suspect that You are my
spectators, anG agains, your artificial Right, which
pretends TO sanction the usurpatlon OF which am
/ the victim.
The present system of property Is consc-
quenty lllegltlmate, and is based upon iunda-
mental spohation. How could it be otherwise in
a Social Order which has but Just emerged from
the Warrior Period, and under system of Legls-
lation which can but be modification OF the old
Right OF Conquest
The sentiment of this iegality has led some
theorists TO the idea of an equal division OF the
SOIL But II Is easy TO see that this system. which
would be still coniscation OF the earth and
would take from the individual his Right OF Usu-
iruct OF the Common Property would not possess
the merit even of beng contorlnab!e TO the Nat
ural Right, inasmuch as each individual coald
say do not accept this little corner OF land,
which you wish to force me to take IN exchange
for my Natural Right do not want the own
crship OF this little patch, and | claim the Usu-
fruct of the Common Property.
The First Principle consequently. to be LAID
down is, that the Umfruct Of the Earth belongs
to each indiridual Of the Species it is a natural
imprcscriptiblc Right, and OF the same nature as
the right to the sun and to the air: for Man, to
accomplish his existence requires the fruits of the
earth as much az he requires light and air. We
will suppose this point well understood To COM
prehend, in the next place the principle upon
which Iudiridual Property should be based and
have legitimate existence, we must understand
the Fundamental Principle Of the Right OF Pro-
pcrty. 1t Is this
f" Every Man POSSESSES LEGlrIMATELf THE OBJ
JECT which his Labor or his IntcllIgence--or IN
more general torms-whlch his Activity has Gre
ated.
This principle is incontcstable, and it is well
to remark that 1t contains implicitly the acknow-
Judgment Of the Right of all to the Earth. In effect
as The earth not created By Man it results
from the fundamental principle OF Property that
the earth-thc common stock given to the Spc-
cies-cannot in any manner be legitl.na;ely the
exclusive property OF such or such individuals, who
have not created that property"
We have consequently two kinds of Property to
consider, and two rights corresponding to those
two kinds of property, to secure.
lst The Earth, in its original and unimproved
state, which is the jont Property Of the Species.
I'd. The improvements upon it, which are the
work of the Labor and Intelligence Of Man, and
belong to tie individuals who made them.
nrS dikingS, etc. in towns. cities and edlfices OF
every description. in roads, bridges, canals and
aqueducts. il vessels, steamboats, and other water
craft, in tools implements and machinery, in ilocls
and domestic animals OF every kind, in workshops
ana manufactures, in furniture, in works OF art
and science, and III accumulated cash capital.
These improvements constitute the capital of
the world they are the works OF particular gene
ra,ions and individuals, and arc the legitimate
property of those who made them, or of those to
whom they have bcqueathed or disposed Of them
for every individual has the right of disposlng of
what is legitimately his, as he wishes.
These two kinds OF Propcrty-thc Earth and
the Improvements - mot I've separated, and the
great question is 10 devise System OF Property,
by means of which the right of the human Spc-
cies to the Soil, and the right OF the Individual TO
the Product of his labor and intelligence, will be
fully maintained This IS perfectly impossible in
the present system of Society the earth goes
with the Improvements, and becomes the cXclu-
sye property of those who own them, and the
original Right OF Man to the soil is confcatcd.
In Association, the increased value given 10
the soil BY cultivation and the Improvements will
be represented by Stock divided into shares,
which will be private property, and will be owned
by those who are entitled to them.
They who hold the Stock will not possess the
absolute Ownership of the soil, manufacturers,
etc.. and be able to exclude the other members
from working on or in them. On the contrary,
every member will have the full right OF cultlvat-
ing the soil, and of using the improvements ne
cessary thereto so that the original Right OF Man
10 the Usuiruct OF the earth will be respected.
The other right-tlle right of the individual! to
his improvcmcnts-wil be secured By remuncrat-
ing him fairly and literally for the use of them
he Will receive one quarter of the product OF the
labor of those who in cultivating the soil, enjoy
the great advantages and facilities which the I'M
provcments must necessarily afford.
Man is entitled to the Usufruct OF the earth,
ii is true, but only in It's original and rude state
as received from the hands of the Creator he is
not entitled to the use OF the Improvements. II
the improvements enable HIM to produce a vast
deal more than he could have done without them,
they may be Justly considered Z Joint source OF
production, and entitled, consequently. 10 share
of the product; this share should. We estimate,
be about one quarter but this proportion time and
circumstances NAV somewhat modify.
For further explanations OF this subject, see our
Pamphlet, entitled y concise Exposition of the
Doctrine of Association 4 second edition OF
which is Just published and for sale.
HYDRAULIC IINE-Orders left at box so, Me-
ch1nics Exchange viii receive prompt atteation. lIce