The Dallas daily herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1887, 1881-11-29
RENT OR NO RENT.

| V'e Oausc' bul thcse thlngS nave stopped
here, and our own institutions have not
been affected thereby. We are, fortunately,
too happily situated in the United States
to render possible or necessary
at this juncture such agita-
ton as has rendered lately Great britain a
couldron ofpolitieal discomfort and proves
likely to remain as a thorn in the govern
lnent's side for some time to come. How
ever, revolution and supposed reform are
| ever contagious, and there will always be
found restless and ambitious characters who
would ifpossble pull down without thought
or warning, any, even the most sacred of
the fabrics of society. We will most UNI
questionably remain free, for many years
perhaps, from such vexing and weighty
questions, but there is philosophical
principle of great social Importance in
volved in the manifesto of the Irish Land
League, and some day or other the same
struggle now taking place on British soil
will have to be fought over within our own
borders. We have Just stated that our ma
terial interests or possessions, nor the peace
OF society had been affected by the troubles
OF the Irish tenantry, but they have at last
produced one practical result, and it may be
indeed, caused the firing of the opening gun
in n serious battle, On Saturday last the
Central organization of the United Trade
and Labor Unions of New York, Brooklyn
and Jersey City had meeting, as may be
seen from our telegraphic reports, and
adopted, unanimously and unqualifedly,
the principles Of the celebrated "No
Rent Manifesto and declared that
land was gift from the Creator to the
creature, free to all and not subject to the
proprictorship of any. A resolution so
sweeping in its contemplated reforms and
adopted without qualification by so large
ana important an organization demands
more than passing notice. The discus
sion of such question in America at this
time, is not so much as to its right or sound
ness, as to its present appropriateness or
oxpediency. 1t is gratifying to witness the
efforts of the advanced thinkers of the day
towards the amclioration of the condition
of the poor and the growing disposition to
throw oil'all restraint upon the freedom
and rights of man whether imposed
by government, monopolist, cap
italist, landlord, employer or
persons in authority, is but one of the rami-
ications of this comprehensive movement.
The common ownership of the land, the
denial of the right of landlords to rent, is
Il part and parcel of the same general phi
losophy. But the trouble here is lust such
MS is met IN all great subjects of popular
agitation, the reformer will go too far, re-
formation too often becomes revolution, and
all suffer, Law in America, cmanating as
it does from the man governed, is too uni
formly equitable and justice too generally
administered upon correct principles to
justify either the use of force or violent
opposition in inaugurating reform or
combating an error. Civilization and en-
lghtenment are matters of slow growth,
of gradual perfection, and de-
mand in their different stages or in
the adoption of their various articles of
social faith, the most attentive, thorough
and prolonged consideration. This organi.
cation, known as the Land League. has
scattered its doctrines and established its
branches over all of the United States, and
eventually important results may be ex-
pected and various notifications adopted
in the land system ofthis country. Nor are
we prepared to deny the abstract right of
its controlling principles. But before re-
form is instituted all laws in conflict must
be changed, and expedicncy demands the
proper experiments before the law is
changed, 1t will not do to remodel society.
or attempt so to do, by manifcstoes merely.
Nothing but confusion worse COMPOUNDED"
ever resulted from such course. and
we would certainly regret to see any
attempt of the kind made here. If this
government would only stop its policy of
irittering away our magnificent domain and
as an experiment, resolve with the new
philosophers Land-leaguers and more en-
lightened Socialists, that such property
was the common estate of all, and could
not be sold or more properly, that no fee
simple title could ever be created therein,
an experiment might be made more pro.
ductive in its conclusions of good logic than
all the arguments of the times But these
experiments must always be made within
legal limits and through legal forms, and
then it is always possible to reach
the correct reform or remedy
the real evil. The great trouble
We apprehend in the coming agitation or
attempted engraftment into the political or
social organism in this country of such
principal as "tree.land," and no individ-
ual proprietorship or ownership, will be
that disposition in its advocates to use force.
II is alleged by one of the leaders of this
school of thought that, las all land title.
rest but on force, no complaint can be
urged when force annuls it," This will
never do as policy or means of adjusting
rights, and under our form of government,
bcncliccnt and mild, where no crying
abuses exist and all classes seem TO have
so clear an idea of justice and such faith
in the law and we may truth
fully say, too, such regard for order, would
provoke storm OF opposition that would