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

sishal. AS population increased greater
pefmanenov was required tor their babiia-
lion, and greater security foi their posses
slons,. hence arose the homestead 70
crestion lay claim and defend
sgslnst intrusion. We think we shal
soon find that there is 10 mature"
such thing as a"fee.simple 10 land"-Mr.
Henry George TO the contrary, notwith.
standing. We flnd early in the patriarchal
age the servants Of Abraham and Abime'
lech contending for possession OF well,
and that Isaac, more than one hundred
years after, obtained possession OF this
well because Ibis father had digged It,"
riditary right. and not In land but water.
one OF the free elements. We next find
Abraham and his nephew Lot agreeing to
occupy separate boundaries, Lot choosing
the fertile plains of Jordan, while Abraham
remained in Canaan. Separate and defined
boundaries became necessary as movable
property increased and permanent rights
recognized in land as well as NOV.
ables, TO prevent aggression and
secure the value of its products. Black.
stone says: Necessity begat property, and
in order to secure that property recourse
was had to civil society, which brought
along with an inseparable train OF con-
comitants-states, governments, laws, pun.
ishments and the public exercise of re.
ligious duties" Thus in short arose alike
the restriction and protection of personal
rights. Thus fee simple in land" be-
came necessity, the existence OF which
under divine sanction we VIII cite one
more illustration: Upon the return OF the
Jews to Canaan, to prevent the encroach-
ments of tribes upon each other, their lin.
its were distinctly assigned by Joshua, and
individual grants made heredi-
.s,y: Every BibleIeader o will re-
with the conquest OF Kirgath Sepher.
bv Othniel, who received as his recompense
bis COT sin, Acsah, SIS his bride, who moved
him to ask of her father field" which the
patriarch, we doubt not, bestowed with a
right coed will, since he gave her both the
upper springs and tie neither springs"
This is u pretty picture of jewish social
life, in which the father naturally and
righttully dispenses part OF his proprietary
grant. So much for the origin of properly
In land. We are told that this question Is
not to be considered in regard 10 expedi-
ency. To us it seems inseperable. But as
Horace tells us. 1.-THE excellence OF a.plcture,
depends upon the light in which 1t is seen"
70 opinions differ according to the circum-
stances which influence our views. We
honor the philanthropy of the man who
wishes to lift the burden from the Ioiling
masses, but there have always been
"hewers of wood and drawers of water"
and we opine these always will be
Macaulay says, History teaches by ex-
ample" "Liberte, Fraternite, Egalite" has
been the motto of the communists of France
for nearly century, yet communism has
not prevailed. The seeds of the Frenchr v
olution, which were sown by Voltaire,
Didcrot and Rousseau, were century in ger
minating, but when they did, they brought
forth like the dragons teeth, armies who
drenched France with blood. drove the
priests from the sanctuary, banished religion
from the altar, and gave the world the un.
natural spectacle Of triple regicide
Feariullyhass she expiated these crimes;three
times have foreign armies entered her cap
tal and dictated terms of peace. Altern-
ate!y subjected to anarchy and tyranny,
she is perpetually on the eve of new revo
luton. Let us be wise and profit by her
example. MENALcA.