Weekly Chillicothe crisis. (Chillicothe, Livingston Co., Mo.) 1878-19??, 1883-07-05

nature. whether n man shall take tn
product Of my labor by physical vic
lcncc, or cunning devices, or thrOug
the impcrfections of the social organ
ism which has not yet established a jus
equilibrium of exchanges, make littl
difference to me. In either case an
robbed. If my ignorance makes me un
fit to take care of or expend my mean
in romunerative channels, sOciet
should ut least see that these means ar
not used by another to crush me out o
existence. The greatest good to tn
greatest number should be the polio,
of all craftsmanship. And if liberty o
wealth removed above the plano o
competition is seen to conflict with til,
general good, then such liberty shoult
be restrained. Concentrated wcaltl
in philanthropic hands is thing no
to be fought against, for with dollar
as with men, in union is strength. Bu
concentrated wealth in the hands o
men whose whole lives have been :
greedy pursuit of power and glory fol
their own selfish ends, is the alarming
danger now before this republic.
The rich mans theories are such q.
will enable his conscience to be at east
while lOrding ii over his fellow man anC
squandering in show and vanity wealth
that he never earned. He has q theory
that he did earn it, and his money SUI
periority intensely lluttcrs his pride,
for he attributes il all to his profound
mercantile and financial judgment. Oi
course, no man can succeed without
training i'll his special pursuit, but cir.
cumStances more than all else, gives
prc-CminCncc. The Malthusian and
BicarGian doctrines that poverty is due
to the pressure of population against
subsistence, and that the tendency to
increase in the number of labOrcrs
forces wages TO the lowest point upon
which they can reproduce, was hailed
with delight by the wealthy classes
when first broachsd. Itparried the de-
mand for reform, and enabled selfish
ness TO tic its purse strings tighter I'M
der the plea Of inevitable necessity and
far-sccing philanthropy. They pointed
to the fact that in nature, life every
where beats wastcfully against the bar
ricr that holds it in check, and presum-
ed the same true of man. But, as Henry
George in his remarkable work PRO
grcss and Poverty" has shown, there is
Il great distinction to be drawn between
man and all other beings. He alone
gives play TO reproductive forces
stronger than his own. Animals in
crease at the expense of their food, but
the Increase OF man involves the in
crease of his food. MAN and hawk
cat chickens, but the more hawks the
fewer chickens, while the more men
the more chickens" In the animal
and vegetable world we can multiply
food ~ greater rate than his own in
crease, provided he has free access TO
the means. But the access is debarrcd
by monopoly of land. Where, rs in
the old world, land has become the
private property of the few, the labOrcr
has only the dread choice between
working for what is offered or starva-
tion. The steady mOnopoli2ation of
our own public domain is slowly bring
ing all the horrors of old world pau
perism amOngus. The lahorcr's powers
are worthless to himself when he has
no means TO employ them. Labor can
only be stored in products. When
and mining industries
fail to supply the surplus hands scck-
ing employment, and the land is all
prcoccupicd, then labor is at the mercy
)f the purchaser. He must sell his
lays labor Immediately or it is lost to
him forever 1t will not keep. Not
)nly will it not keep, but rent, food
md fuel have TO be paid for in the
putting him under u double
necessity to sell. Wealth is under no
such constraint, especially if invested
n land. 1t can remain idle for some
.imc without much sacrifice. Hcrculean
strength is opposed TO infantile weak
less and the robbery of labor is in
,vitable. In new countries although
he production of wealth is not very
argc, and tho rate of wages and in
crest is high, no tribute is paid to the
and. In old countries where more
wealth is produced wages and Interest
ire low because they pay II heavy pro-
portion to the soil. Wealth in all its
orms being the product of labor ap-
,licd to land, and any increase in the
,owcr of labor, through better discip-
inc, or diversion, or through the aid of
machinery, will be utilized in procur.
ng more wealth, and just in proportion
o this added power will it increase
he demand for land, enhance rents and
epress wages. According to Pro-
cssor Rogers; rent is fifteen times as
reat in England as it was five hundred
ears ago. The discovery and emigra-
ion to America has greatly retarded
ho upward tendency in the foreign
and market, and increased it in our
wn. Each year widens the gulf be-
wcen the poor man and possible
ONE of his own. The fortunate rich
Tho have risen from poverty arc gen.
rally blind to this fact. Circumstances
ave permitted them to rise, and they
hink there is nothing to hinder others
rom doing the same. Their theory is
hat prudence, economy and diligence
re the sole factors that bring success
nd rs they have been successful this
leory flatters their vanity. The poor
re poor because Of their thrftlessness
lleness and vagabondage, they think.
Iowever true this may be in the in
option of society where all start with
quail advantages, it ceases to be
'ue in proportion as wealth in
reases, society becomes moro COM
lex and land is monopolized.
'ach advance Of material progress lib
rates the fortunate wealthy and {
iackles the unfortunate poor. As
lachinery multiplies, population in
eases, labor rendered more effective {
Y intenser divisions, and governments {
ecome more secure, lands shoot rapid I
upward in value and rents to the I
Dor man increase. A few years ago s
trilling abstinence and saving would !
,re secure homo in the city to the |
borer. Now it is almost beyond his
and day by day passing fur c
er away. The development OF ma
linery which was expected to lift the I
irdens from the laborer and shorten I
$ hours of toll have effected neither. T
Il labor saving devices whatever only q
} to enhance the value Of land and q
crease rents. An individual here =
I'd there may save money from his $
lily labor by a greater degree of self v
,nial than his neighbor, but were they a
to practice the same rigorous econ
ny their competition for land and de- I,
rable objects would diminish the pur- 4
asing power of their savings, and !,