The Labor enquirer., 1884-10-25

put, and 50 firmly yet persuasiyely
pleaded, that it seems to carry irresistible
convincing force with it. There can be
no doubt that Miss Taylor's sympathies
are fully and fervently with the people.
That she feels their sufferings and shares
their sorrows and more than that, she
has the courage and purpose to fight for
the people, to contest for their rights and
attempt to awaken them to knowledge
of their wrongs. .
! say SO much because / must disagree
with Miss Taylor's remarks upon
this occasion Miss Taylor said the land
question was the most practical of all
questions at present. That it was of the
most pressing importance !; that it was
at the root of all poverty, and that we
had the best reasons on historical
grounds for the restitution of the lands
to the people. This statement was, to
some extent, qualified by the remark
that land naturalization would not cure
all evils But still the different state
ments here are, fear, not quite correct.
The land question may be. practical just
now it may be possible soon to put the
soil in the hands of the state; but by
Socialists such a proceeding must be
looked upon with suspicion, so long as.
the state is a bourgeois state. This is
bourgeois state Socialism, and will leave
the laborers just where they are at pres
ent, while it will add the hideousness of
farce to the present ugly, barefaced rob
berry. .as, ~ .s
1 cannot agree with Miss Taylor that
we haYesthe abest" historical grounds for
the restitution of the land to the people.
The grounds are certainly good, they
need not. be stronger. But the historical
grounds for the restitution of the instru-
ments of production to the people are so
plain and strong that nothing could be
or need be palmer or stronger. And as
the historical reasons for the resumption
of both are equally plain, so the necessity
is also. All the machinery in the world
cannot make wealth without land, and
all the land in civilized countries is un-
able to support us without machinery.
Ii we took the land and left the machin.
cry we would have to pay as interest to
the capitalist all that we formerly paid
as rent to the landlord. If We took the
machinery without the land We would
have to pay as rent to the landlord all
we now pay as interest to the capitalist;
because either land or machinery is use
less by itself, and if a class own one, it
matters not which one, it can tax or
extract surplus value out of the COM
munity to any extent up to what will
supply the mere preventive of starva-
ton to the workers.
It Is significant that the name of
Michael Davltt was most enthusiastically
received at this conference, Miss Taylor
put Henry George as second to Davitt
and think George is very much, second
to Davitt. John Stewart Glennie an
nounced himself as a thorough going
Socialist
The rest OF the speakers we're Of little
consequence. excepting the Scotch dele
gates. l will deal with them in future
note.
An attempt is being made to raise
fl 900 to bring Henry George back to
Scotland. OF course the money can
easily be gotten if only it is properly
looked for.
A good story anent our Comrade Schue
is goin round. Some time ago at a great
dinner party the manifesto entitled $50
cialism Made Plain passed round to
Mr.. Gladstone. He read it carefully oyer
and when he came to the names append
ed laid it on the table and impatiently |
exclaimed that "that foreigner Scheu is |
the mover of the whole affair"
JOHN L. MAHoN.