The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1877-03-15
Rights.

THERE appertalnS TO man certain pre-.
negatives, privileges and immunities as
high and as sacred as his very origin, ma.
ture and constitution. They are the basis
of all just social compaets, called govern.
ments. In all the doings and operations
of men they must be observed and re-
spected, otherwise trouble and wrong
surely come.
Animals are possessed of rights, which
spring from their relationship to man and
the earth at the beginning. The fact was
announced to man by the Creator himself,
at very early date in our recorded his
tory. The statutes Of all Nations recog-
nize these rights.
But it is not Of the rights of man or of
those of the creatures which were given
him for his use that we want to speak-it
is of another class of rights entirely-the
rights of the soil. If it is news to some
that the soil has rights which men ought
to respect and must respect, we trust they
will believe and be saved from the evils
which follow disregard of these rights,
and the sad fate which fell upon the
famers of Judea and of the country be-
tween the Jordan and the sea. They
looked to Jerusalem too much, and loved
Jerusalem too much, and forgotthe rights
of the soil they drew their support from,
until now they have almost lost their
manhood and their responsibility as hu-
man beings. IL
The old Virginia tobacco growers for
got that the soil had rights which it were
good for them to care for and cherish, and
the bottom fell out Of their prosperity as
farmers.
We are wont to dilate with good deal
of earnestness and sometimes with fierce
ness about the enormity of disregarding
human rights, and history is full of the
bad effects of disregarding them; but we
onOt stop to consider that not only the
well-doing Of individuals but of nations
also depend upon the just and careful
respect paid to the rights of the soil.
Should this Nation Of farmers neglect
this right for one hundred years we should
see as badly demoralized, ignorant and
imbecile race here as are the Mexicans
and Haytiens. This 10 not flourish of
words, bat truth and we incidentally see
by this how important to National pros
perity and greatness is the prosperity of
the eultivators of the soil. Commerce
and the mercantile trade, the lumber
and building interests, education and
morals all depend for their growth and
health upon proper observance of the
rights Of the soil. What are these rights!
Heaven has formed the earth with Ger
tain inalienable properties, attributes and
elements, among which are gravity, cohe-i
sion, heat; potash, soda, lime, magnesia,
iron, silica, chlorine. the phcsphates, car
han and certain acids; and has said unto
the earth, these are yours the hand of
hin, be he man, or angel, or God, which
deprives you Of them, ihAsl be paralyxed,
and viii put the mark Of poverty upon
Mm-he 1hall b. 8 !" tramp upon the
earth, and AL shal know whereof he is
aflictsd. s.
This eternal, Heaven-proclaimed law
Of right respecting the soil 1t behooves rs
all then 10 Obey. We al love wealth and
hate poverty--we all would ike to be rich;
We all dislike the ides Of being Or becom-
So ) man now, If be il really and truly
. man, loves knowledge ard hates ienof-
anCe. Well, what dos Re dof Does be
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