The Labor enquirer., 1884-11-22
Afssr =. Dsss.r Ad.a..

L8zafuS wishes 70 QlHcuB pfInclpleS VI
puzzle the world with his original terms.
/ made several statements which he
should refute il he is in earnest. but he
disposes of them by telling stories.
/ asked him to give the exact relation
between wages and profits; said capital
can be properly used only by the state,
as its purpose is to perform . function
that cannot be performed. or 80 well
performed. by the individual; / want
him to show that a principle can be
true only within certain limits !" wish
to know whether he sees any difference
between rent paid for land alone. and
that paid for the use of improvements
on the land. Does the Doctor consider
society an accident or science?
As an Anarchist he should not ignore
these points. IF he is afraid Of them, it
is useless to discuss further with him.
A prominent feature of his arguments
is the total disregard Of basic principles,
The Doctors social science consists of q
mass of expedients to be applied by
every individual sovereign who finds
himself bewildered by chaos of evil
conditions. Everything is temporary
and comparative. "If Others have a
capital less honestly earned, "as though
there were degrees of honesty.
The Doctors tenant found the vast
extent of land near his native place
covered by titles, so mad to choose be-
tween job-work, emigration and renting
the Doctors field. He perhaps made
the best choice possible in the dilemma,
and that fact makes it right for the Doc
tor to complacently POCKET the rent.
That statement of the origin of prop
erty, in which Nature is both masculine
and feminine, will not bear comparison
with facts. The chief fault with present
conditions is, that the impression made
on nature by the laborer in producing
wealth, is NOT reflected to himself. The
wealth created is reflected and retained
by those who make no impression on
nature, nor the mot me-" except evil
and selfish impressions. "Mutuality or
reciprocity" does not YET exist, and for
the Doctor to insist on it until doomsday
will not create it. To exchange wealth
without profit is the kind of reciprocity
we need. reciprocity, like love, cannot
be made to order; it must grow ont OF
proper conditions. If people have a
natural tendency to exchange wealth
but lack honesty, then laws to compel
fair dealing are protection to the hon
est portion and beneficial to all. The
maxim is not true, for it is dependent
upon something which does not exist.
Social science must deal with men, not
with angels or some other kind of beings
with superabundant "mutuality."
The illustration of the huckster-lad
becoming rich and selling corn at double
the cost, does not teach any fundamental
idea of right. The lad traded along
or continually received more value than
he gave, lndulging in as little reciprocity
as possible This the Doctor calls being
"frugal and steady" The law of gravi-
tation is fundamental law. All our
actions are subservient to it. The null
tiplcation table contains nothing but
basic truths, to which we constantly
refer, and we are never deceived. The
artist, the chemist, the logiclan, the
moralist and the true statesman have
certain principles always IN view which
guide their action. The abolitIonist
cried equality for all men," women
suffraqlsts cry equality for the
sexes" the revolutionist's cry
was against taxation without
representation. DR.. Lazarus cries
nothing. What few principles he
recognizes are only true within certain
limits" Is it possible that every process,
growth or phenomenon In the universe
acts according to fixed laws, but the re-
lations of men are left without law? If
so Dame Nature is fool.
Perhaps 1 had better make no more
statements of my doctrines for they will
only be ignored or distorted. For in
stance, said rent for land and return
for capital should be kept distinct. The
doctors improved farm, i. e. the perma-
nent results of his labor upon it, is capi-
tai and his recompense should be called
interest not rent. Winter stores of
grain, pulse and meat" are not capital
if we accept the economic meaning of
the word This distinction between
capital and stored wealth is recognized
by Henry George and other economists,
but according to Dr. Lazarus it belongs
with "a set of fanatical phrases" which
"bamboozle minds unaccustomed to
think for themselves" This is all the
argument we get.
The assertion'that the Marx school of
Socialists would "exproprlate monopol-
lists" needs support, So does the follow
ing:
Mischief to property is the only
weapon within, reach of the State Social
ist agitators."
1t must be sorry doctrine that has
no exponent but destruction. DR.. Lazar-
us can point to no platform or declara-
ton of the State Socialists which fayors
destruction of property, nor were such
1. r L., G., t,to O.