The Labor enquirer., 1884-02-23
WIN Not Corner Gr.vit.tlon, ,

to US not long ago an ingenious device
by which after hoisting his barrels of
crude material to sufficient hight they
were propelled by their weight just over
the receiving tank and emptied; thence
the empty barrels were again rolled, or
rather rolled themselves, along properly
constructed skids to position to be re-
filled, when they were again started to
roll by their own gravity on to the trans
portation cars awaiting them.
"Why not" we suggested, "embody
this ingenious combination IN bill to be
brought before the present congress to
nationalize the affair under the name
and title of the United States Gravity
Company thus making it vested right
and enabling you to draw royalty on
everything moved by its own weight,
from boy sliding down hill to trains of
coal cars similarly propelled on our
mountain sidesf''
"But," said an honest friend unappre-
ciative Of our satire, gravity is an old
thing and it cannot be DONE"
'True," said we, "but perhaps not
much older than land, lightning, mines
of coal, and other things which are taken
from the people and given to Spectators. I"
"Oh! Ahl Yes! I seew said our
friend. '"Good gracious, but that's SO,
and it is very strange never thought of
the matter before in that light"
Our friends simple explanation that
he had never thought of the matter be-
fore in that light" is key to the. mys-
terry of why the producing classes of this
country constantly and persistently vote
for sustaining land monopoly and kim
dred robberies, which they do every
time they cast ballot for men who are
not distinctly committed to antagonize
such iniquities. If they would think of
the matter that our national and state
government have no more right to alien
ate lands, mines and other benefactions
of nature from the people than to au-
thorize favored speculators to peddle out
sunlight, air, gravity, or any other
natural endowments which are not yet
corralled and cornered.
People may laugh at the mere sugges-
ton of cornering gravitation, but if they
will think minute they will see that
such cornering is not only inaugurated
but largely progressed.
The giant corporations which have
lately come into existence to lead the
lakes ofrock oil through pipes to the sea-
board, are but one instance. Farther
back the formation of water companies
to effect similar results is another exam
pie. In both cases it was necessary to
corner the fountain heads of both oil and
water, which God has given to His chill
dren, and next to seize upon that other
benefaction, the power of gravity, so
that the children of the Great Father
could not quench their thirst nor light
their homes without permission from
and tribute to the worse than feudal
barons who thus bar humanity from its
inheritances.
But, it may be asked, how can the
present conditions be improved 1t
surely cannot be expected that the resi-
dent of New York city shall walk to the
oil wells of Pennsylvania for a pailful of
kerosene or the Croton Lake for each
bucket of water he needs. We advocate
nothing of the kind, but do insist that it
is the duty ofgovernment to make mans
inheritance, whether Of land, light, fuel,
water, or any other natural benefaction,
as easily and cheaply accessible as pos
sible.
If we have not correctly suggested the
functions of governments in such mat
ters, we would like to be told what GOV
ernments are good for.-Irish World.