Norfolk day book. [volume] (Norfolk and Portsmouth Va.) 1868-1880, 1869-09-04
ADVERTISING RATES,
SATURDAY MORNING, Sept. 4, 1856!
CAPITAL AND LABOR.

continue. The workingmon of the North
and South will have to keep their wea-
Their eye open on two mammoth evils,
land-monopolies and bond-monopolies,
otherwise they will be swamped in their
future efforts.
We have recently seen a very pretty
theory put forth in one of the monthlies,
bya gentleman hailing from this State,we
believe, in behalf OF land-monepolies.-
He treats the subject very prettily, and
we acknowledge with somewhat of force
when it is considered in regard to ma
tions and tribes, as between the Cau-
casians and the wandering tribes of the
earth. That's all very true and all very
pretty. But land-monopoly as it should
be viewed by the people of this country
now, has but little to do with the In
dams, tartars or negroes OF other quar-
ters of the world. Here it forms ques-
ton between capital and labor--between
the wealthy classes and the mechanics
and workingmen of the country. And
while we contend there is no conflict or
antagonisln between capital and labor,
We also contend it is the duty of both
of those interests to See that no conflict
or antagonist shall be built up in any
shape between them.
There are large quantities of unculti-
uated land 10 the South, which is not
bearing its proportion of taxation, and
never has. 1t is the direct interest Of
the working man that this land shall be
taxed its fair proportion, even if it has
to be thrown into market to find new
possessors who can or will pay its fair
proportion of taxes.
Now, land in this case is wealth, and
wealth, not labor. should pay the taxes
of the country. Labor should be free,
and when it makes wealth, let that
wealth pay the taxes; for labor has to
make the country and fight its battles.
If a laborer builds himself house, tax
that house, but don't tax his labor. Let
mind and muscle be free, and they will
soon make wealth enough to gather all
the tax from that is required. Well, as
we have said, land is wealth, and land
should be taxed; otherwise it will be
monopolized, and boarded as heretofore.
and by and by, when it becomes thickly
settled by tenants,we shall virtually re-
lapse into the old feudal system, and
have our lords, and dukes, and earls,, or
something of that sort-worthless fell
lows who neither spin nor toll, but live
on the labor of the working people.
We are clear for having bonds taxed
and land taxed, as they both constitute
wealth, and if ever war is brought upon
us at all, it is very apt to be brought
upon US for the protection of one of these
two; and then labor has to do double
duty; while wealth, as general thing,
is snugly ensconced in some secure office
Or bumb-proof,e out of danger.
While we say all of this in behalf Of
taxing wealth, we admit it is but fail
aud natural for wealth to use all of the
advantage it has, or the land-holder OF
bond-holder may have hereafter,i if it has
fairly paid it's proportion of the taxes
and the advantage will be very great
indeed; in fact, much greater than most
people take the trouble.to think.
Only imagine the advantage any
one man in a community has, who
owns, say ten thousand acres of land,
all thickly populated by class of in
dustrious tenantry. What is to prevent
such man from being perfect nabob
aristocrat, or even tyrant over those
who occupy his land? Nothing. There
is no law that can be framed to hedge
him into decency or anything else II ht
is disposed to lord it over his people
SO with any other man who is extreme
ly wealthy. The very bread the work
ing man labors to produce for the PEG.
pie can be speculated in to the point Of
starvation of the poor-and all fair and
legitimate, and protected by the laws of
the country; even to the extent of calling
out the working man, putting musket
in his hand and making him shoot down
his brother, who may be starving for the
bread the wealthy Spectator is hording
up for higher prices.
Wealth regulates the price OF food,
and labor has to protect wealth; there's
fore all sources of conflict or antagonlsm
between capital and labor should be
avoided, and there is no better way I'M
der the sun to make them equally de-
pendent on each other than 70 make
labor do the work and the fighting for
wealth, and wealth pay the taxes for
labor.
Now, then, if the land-holder can
pay his fair proportion of the taxes and