The Dallas weekly herald. [volume] (Dallas, Tex.) 1873-1885, 1883-09-27
FREE LAND OWNERSHIP.

DENTON, Sept. 1S.-[Edltor HERALD j
The reply to our review of the HERALD ed
itorial of the 23rd ult, calls Tor a rejoinder,
which we confess we feel little prepared
make, depending as we do upon our I'M
assistated memory for facts and. authorities.
We entered the lists in this controversy
with diffidence, having waited for some one
more skilled in the warfare of logic than
ourseli, to become the champion OF the
laudbolder, yet, Notwithstanding we feel
abashed at our own temerity, with true
feminine pertinsccy, we are still disposed
to crv "scissors." We feel however that
we h ave In the editor of the HERALD a
chiyalroas foe, who has done us too
much honor In his notice of our
review. But clad, as he is, in the armor OF
logic, and fianked by such formidable
array of authorities, as he has brought to
confront us, this knight of the quill can
well afford to be generous; and II his pen
has not been "plucked from the wing OF an
angel" it has certainly been stepped in the
fountain OF philanthropy, from which
source alone could emanate the communis-
TIC views with which his argument is tinged.
We thought that we had demolished the
stronghold of Mr.. Henry George and Mr..
Bailey, of Atlanta, who assert that "the
poverty of the masses depends upon the
INSTRUMENTATION of land" when we showed
the varied avenues which wealth had open
ed TO the laborer, and that the Federal
government and the STATE OF Texas mad, by
actual donation, offered homestead TO
every man who might be willing to incur
the hardships and inconvenience incident
to an actual residence.
We are told now that all this is "irrel-
evant," and that the "real question Is,
whether the laboring classes would not be
better of. and comfortably well of, too, il
private ownership In land did not exist.
This is sheer hypothesis. 1t Is a seii-evi-
dent fact that a poor man would De peter
off II he had fee simple in land but that he
would be better off as tenant of the com-
monwealth Is not so obvious. The artisan
ALWAYS receives larger remuneration than
the filler OF the soil A common ownership
OF the soil is impracticable, being incou-
patible with the present state OF civilization.
All cannot be farmers; only part OF tue
population is necessary TO provide
dispense with the professional man
or the mechanic. The injustice OF abro-
eating the rights which the present owners
have obtained, Is also apparent. Hobbies
saws, where no covenant hath preceded,
there hath no right been transferred, and
every man has a right TO do everything,
and 90 nothing Is unjust. But where
covenant is made, then TO break us un-
ust."
Nov, II would be manifest injustice TO
break the covenant which the common
wealth has made, or allowed TO be made,
between individuals. ergo, community Of
lands, however desirable, Is incompatible
with Justice; and, as Mr.. Herbert Spencer,
in his Data Of Ethics" observes, mot
general happiness becomes the ethical
standard By which legislative acaon Is TO be
guild Cd, but universal justice" There
would be no Justice Ia taking from our citi-
zeus lands which they or their foreiatbers
had endured hardships aud periled fortune
and perhaps life, 10 secure, and distributing
them among the population with which
Europe is flooding our country. Suppose
she chooses TO empty Der Iszrsnouses upon
our shores. as abe Is said 70 be doing. must
the Defendants Of American pioneers have
their homesieads parcslled out 70 make
room Tor the beggsrs OF burope1
That land was once the common inherit
tsDce OF mankind" admits Of no denial.
bot that 10 should periorce remain 90 u
sophistry, which requires but the touch Of
the ltbunel spear OF truth 70 unmssk spo
expose iis fsliscy. To attempt 20 bring
. bout q common Ownership would be 20
refrogrsde In civilization
We are next told that our proof that the
grants Of land IN America were Obtained ~
charter from reiening soveiens pspes Tor
nothing. because re have pepeo DI tne IN
5srlvfne question hos the rt1gning s0ver'
.ifns b-csme possessed Of land, isDd 20 on
brcf % To rive an account In oetsil OF the
e-riefn Of property IN land, and the oouse-
1uent growth Of government would MI
work. but Il will be SUFFICIENT
~ cur purnose 20 cite q few instaDcrs from
be mos ancient Of historical recor1s-toe
,ook Of Genesis We are sWare inst %
.ducine our Arguments from the Bible. We
q onos write ourselves down - common
,lacr and non-progressive. and that ne are
RELY 70 initiate against the sify. meta
Ihrsir.l notions Of Mr.. Hsury Georgt, NJ.
Herbert euencer ana many other faDciini
rrffe~a. Ithfn holy urit alone tnat ne
ind IN ncront.f Of tie erosion 81 man, sn1
bat % nsn vas given dominion over 81.
Be earth, and over t1e nsnss q
be ga the fosls q TIE ar,
nd every ITinf wing
81 moved upo1 ne fscs d the eartb.
This." saVs Blackstrrs rs the only true
~ srlF foundstiun for rna1's Dominion
~ errernsl Tines The esrth nus -
ne fhs esnsrsl property % runrfln1,
no wers fsu IN number an1 cnierq % !
49,. nrouirfnr rorsessi1r ~ 500 Lanes
~ - fteT usef anf crlT ubils ~ acfnal
- AM. Nils 5nsliT s1Tr a rlr,lt ~
|rratfr rrurFrfT rns 81 rscorrirr1. tut
=. &c - rr.rsrf ne lattsr TerrErIlir1
-.-rr~~fr In |<nfs - - st1L - erl.lec
r|r~- - It<rt-EcT ~ tts Isr1. re e1-ll-
n Tr~m 81 r<rsrruE1r niIer - rau+