The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1871-11-11

the workings and Dement'S oil the law LOT the uvlSiOn
uf the estates oil interstate proprietors. They and
their predecessors The true cust0dians and de-
tenders OF the law; but the International, being
men OF progress ana OF bold IDEAS, have hit upon
mode by whichever that benellcent law may be in-
proved. The amendment they propose Is. tlat the
aoaDd0ned estate tnat IL to saw abandoned because
the owner mas not chosen 10 dispose OF II DO
fore deatn), instead OF beng divided among the
hers-at-law OF Inc deceased. should be appropri.
the proceeds gong into the public treasury, TO be
distributed among the nation through The REMISSION
OF taxes, the Improvement OF rivers anu commercial
roads aud the establishment Of Charitable lnstitu
tt0ns for the helpless aud incompetent At irst
sgnt this seeWs 10 be bold invasion OF our ordinary
notions Of the rights vi property; but on renecti0n
II WIN be that the proposed system t0ucnes no
rights except those which have been resigned, for
the Proprietor Is always at liberty, even on MS
deathbed, to SELL divide or give away the estates
winch, only through MS own neglec or selnshle5s,
may become subject to It's operation This rs tho
only ameudmenG winch the International propose
to what Is obviously the best land system In The
werld; and that II Is an improvement on ours no
candid reasoner Can doubt. l nave discussed u
with many men oil wealth IN Paris, and Jney have
all agreed that the D opposed amendment Is good
enough Tor them. They say that they have cont-
dence enough IN themselves 10 believe thai they can
GUY establish their children previous 10 their death
out OF the property they nave acqured and the man
who Is SO misery as no! to 40 tnat IN Time out 70
grin. Is not entitled 10 much COMMUNICATION or re-
spect from body else. Besides, they also take the
the crisis OIL death. and they would rather nave the
chance TO profit Dy the negligence OF Those VINO are
less generous OF less Sdgacl0uS IMAM themselves.
ENGLAND VS.. AMERICA.
But the best proof OF the value OF this law rs
democratic measure Is the contrast which us results
afford with me present condition Of land tenure and
land ownership In England aud the United States.
In England, through the centraliling influences OF
the laws Of prImogenlture and entall which tie the
land to families and asten ts descent from eldest
son TO eldest son. The entire surface, on wnlcn 80
many mlllions depend for their subsistence, Is
owned Dy the ridicuOusly small number oil $4,000
propnet0rs; aud the number OF these prOpretOrs is
annually decreasing, through laws which surround
the trans er OF land with SO much expense that II
has ceased to become marxeLaDe article. Indeed,
II mas been for several years the settled policy OF
the governing aris.ocracy OF England to concentrate
the land Oi the entire dominion Oh treat Britain
into as lew hands rs possible, and to TINS end tho
owners OF the larger estates are constantly endea
v0ring TO Duy up and absorb the smaller ones. As
an evidence ol tois there were In England, u nun.
dred years ago, 2,o0J propretors tor the $4,000 OF
to-day: 10 quote from AIR. George odger who nus
recently contributed very aD.e article TO the Con-
temporary ReoteU upon the land question:
better notion Of the growth Of the monopoly may be OBJ
tanned IRON the following The Earl Of Brsadabanc can
snge direction Tne Duke OF sutherland the county
Duke Of Richmond holds Of acres at Cor
don Caste ana Goodwood ana the Duke OF Dsonshe $4,000
yey stated ina. less .nan hundred and sixty
sc tani. Ine way In winch political power largely
monopon1cd Dy landed propreors has been used be
gle med from the that within the $50 years. 7Oo5o
OF common lands have addei their estates
that Ia, to the estates OF adjoining proprietors.
The result OF this criminal conspiracy TO absorb
the common inheritance Il, Of course. to make the
people poorer ana poorer and TO constitute the
the owners OF the population OF the
country rs well ~ OF the land. Hence the aris-
tocracy OF Great Britain IS the most powerful,
wealthy aud well organized In the world; ana,
pcrial sysiems OF other countries, taey are the
tirmest supporters-nay, the chief rellance-of The
mel lhe English Established Church the stoutest
reliance Vi tile papacy AZ Rome.
TaE LAND MONOPOLY IN AMERICA.
In tho United states we nave been freed from the
laws OF prlmogcnllure and entail, and 1t was
8Oy supposed wnen GnlS great liberation efec ed
int land monopoly IN country favored as ours
aud wltnal SO broad could never reach n point
whence 1t could threaten The pubic liberties. Yet
We nave lived 10 see an nsurrecti0n OF landed pro-
prletors VI the SCUM, VINO nad become so rcn mat
lney no longer desired TO remain republican, and
have before our eyes today the fact tnat IN face OF
against land monopoly, the Congress Of the
United States have, within the last few years,
donated away to railway spectators an amount
81 tile national DOMAIN equal to The entire area or
France. kaiiway lords are combining together to
the internal carrying trade OF The
Try 10 an extent CnaE VIII enable these corporatOrs
to say AZ what rate Dusle OF wheat raised In MIS-
souri, shalt be eaten IN New York, anu what the
West shall pay for the Things Lhey use ana
wear. 1ne tarins they Will lay VIII De more OnerOus
tnan those OF the govern nent, ana their comoned
power viii oe greiler the worst feature OF the
problem 49, that waen we turn to the only quarter
potenl enough TO curb this rapidly increasing dan
ger we are coniroAtcd by Congress when IS
tendency 10 une with the conspirators ana use the
puollc rs It's pi ey.
THa ooNspIRAcIEs or WEALTH.
The danger which now threatens the public llDer.
ties III the United states and ITS very form OF
OF wealth, In Inc iorm OF land, railway ana steam
sup mohopoIies and moneyed corporations. if Is
on the subject; Uut 1t is obvious tnat unless the
system OF land grants and SPECIAL charters is
speedily arrested and The law OF France for the sub
Ivison Oh estates adopted, our boosted institutions
VIII soon cease 60 be an example 10 IN tnkind. am
smoant OF monarcHical element mat now exists Ia
ne United states. Twelve years ago maa wond
have been laughed at Tor saying that there
was any percepiiuie traction vi our popu-
ALTON in favor OF abandoning republican
or monarcnica institutions. nevertheless, we have
nearly one-aalf OF the country swing OF III bulk
ma enlerta,n proposals for a KING. IL IS tue col-
mon impre sson oil the naton-nay OF our lawyers
lhat the laws OF primogenlture anu email nave no
aXisence within our boundaries; yet We See num-
Ders OF such families as the Astors or New York
Carefully nivIng their wealth and passing II from
defeating the spirit OF INSTITUTIONS which, II not
exactly CRIMINAL, Is deserving OIL the seyerest repro
Dailon. Thls evil example Is being follower not
only very generally 10y the amDtlOns Handles o. tue
South, but is spreading OF late among the wealthy
Df Inc Northern states IL VIII De perceived, there
fore, that instead Of the monarchcal leaven OF pri-
aud entail having Dcen eradca,ed rom
Dur land, 1t Is spreading Win new luxurllnce and
rapidly disseminating future evils.
WE ARE NATION or sUPPLR-KNEED COUNTERS.
wish could stop here IN the enumeration OF the
dangers which we nave o tread; but there - one
more certain to sap tle public liberties than any
have glanced at. aliude To the trade OF politics,
WHICH, uttucT NdTlouS IOTuiS Oh pdrtlcS Ill tiic
United States. mas become 4 regular national IN.
iustrv, and has converted us To large extent into
nanon OF ONCE seekers, or In palmer words. Z
ion OF supple-kneed, b0win0. scraping and rule.
serving cou ticr.aye, courllers. rhluk OF thar "a
-csutng destiny for the once austere hignsDlriec,
people OF America
The iruilfu source OF this national deterioration
8 the reflective feature OF tho Presidency OF the
United states Elected for term, VITA the post
)iiltv OF being elected again aud AGAIN, It ~ the
ltrect interest OF every incumbent OF the Office to
shape ms course 50 az TO keep IN avor with the poll
lctans instead o.! labOring to serve the public 10
THIS object he constantly holds himself
ready, under the Amusement or his party council
Ors u appoint any incapable rogue 10 place III hts
own personal interest, instead of selecting merely
capable and honest men for the service OF the coun-
rv. rhe wnOle vast organization of government thus
becomes a mere machine OF party and every piece
D legisla i0n every pubic movement, IS studied IN
advance, more with % view 10 the next presidential
canvass than IN consideration for the puoc gOoi.
Washington ana Jackson saw the dangerous eiects
Df tails feature o. system, and In their farewell
addresses earnestly ADVISED an nmcndnen; 70 the
constitution prohibiting Tue reelection OF Presr
lent; and every subsequent asplrant 10 the Presi.