Southport telegraph. [volume] (Southport, W.T. [i.e. Kenosha, Wis.]) 1840-1850, 1848-03-31

{
ance, demanding right to life and 10 live, they
very grayely say, " We own this soil. we cannot
/ permit You to have access to it, True YOU cannot
live without it, but that is nothing to us You can
till il as our slave, or you can lay down upon il
and die" The absurdity Of such claim or such a
monopoly on the part OF the ten, need not be dwelt
upon. Well. the ten first inhabitants of the earth
have, probably, about the same proportion in num-
bers to the preScn, population as it has in numbers
TO those who are yet to come and the present pop
uaton have done the very thing which we were
supposing III the case of the ten Now, how can
the proposition be for one moment sustained. that
those now on the earth have right to monopoze
the means ofexisence and render those who follow
cy, FOR lie. Do not accuse US of agraranism or
desire 10 dcspoH any person of his property 1t IS
the question OF property we are arguing. 4 man
has a right to that which he creates with his own
hands ag,ins, tie world, but what exclusive right
has lie TO that which he does not create He does
not create the earth; by what right then does he
claim more OF the earth than is necessary for his
subsistence. The exclusive possession of the soil
is at deadly war with the rights of property, be
cause il enables the land monopoli>t by the power
which it gives him over the tenant OF his soil, to
take from that tenant the products created by his
hands. No man can be secure in the products OF
his hands while his means Of life are in other hands
ard in warning against land monopoly, we are wor-
king for, not against, the right of property.
In speaking ofthe evils ofthis system which have
already manifested themselves, our attention has
been more particularly turned towards Europe
There are good reasons why this country and par
tcularly this western country should not yet have
felt these evils 10 their full extent But principles
are the same every where, and Will inevitably work
the same results. Land monopoly is unchecked
here, and lands at government price, or public lands
must some day become exhausted. Then the pop
ulation increases and Just in proportion as it does
do these evils increase till the extreme of wrong
and suffering is attained, as in Europe. VIII not
preventing this monopoly check this evil and de-
stroy tbs Danger
We know The opinion is entertained b. many.
iha, TIC earth is not capable OF sustaining in com
fort those vino must naturally by the ordinary IN
crease o. population, upon lis surface. Those
who thus argue should be prepared to say that the
tree is not capable OF nour.shing the leaves which
pat forth nom its branches The leaf is not more
natural 10 the tree or more tremendously proper
toned to it, than is man to the earth The Leaf IS
the result OF law framed BY Infinite wisdom--not
less SO is man The forces Of the tree ultimate in
the leaf the forces OF the earth ultimate in man
and the same design and harmony manifest in one
case, belongs equally to the other
That it now requires given quantity Of land to
sustain an individual, which quantity, compared
with the earths surface, will not admit Of great
increase of population is no argument. The pro,
gress in the arts and sciences certainly keeps pace
with tue increase Of population and as it is the arts
and sciences which alone can test the capabity OF
production on the part Of the earth, the power Of
the earth to produce remains yet to be fully tested
MI nature teaches that there is harmony between
man and the earth, ana there can be no doub. ia
eng reasonable mind, that as the population of the
cagth increases 50 will Increasing wisdom develop
from the cart. Increasing means Of subsistence
The paragraph at the head of our article shows.
tina, there is III the earth an abundance for all and
consequently there is no positive necessity tina, there
should be any suffering in any quarter, for the ne
cessar.es OF lie Yet there is suffering from this
cause, and vast deal OF It. Do not say that want
and suffering are occlsioned by idlcness Is there
an instance on record where an individual has pre-
tcrrcj to suffer fro want or to die OF famine rather
than work Glyc us work that we may earn a daily
pittance. is their constant prayer But there is no
work for them, Machinery has driven them from
the work shop, and the earth is shut out from them
by parchment deeds They have no place to live,
and it would seem they hay" 10 right u live, fer
they are driven forth to die. Who can say that
land limitation would not correct and remedy this
evil 1t would. Is it not, then right. DO not tell
US about cxpcdicncy; don talk to Us Of agrariansm
radicalism, any other ism. Tell US is it not
,gdtl lit be- can it be Tor the interest OF any one
that tie present system OF wrong continue No
person, or community can derive permanent benefit
from any system of wrong. but it IS upon a system
Of right alone, that they can hope permanently to
prosper 70 establish the right then, becomes
not only the higAcs. duty but the highest interest
Of all.