The Labor enquirer., 1884-02-16
bread, he ought to earn it; but he will
borrow it instead, if he can. If q man
needs suit of clothes. ha nIloht To earn

o. D.. . :
needs 2 suit of clothes, he ought to earn
it; but he won't if he can buy it on
credit, which is simply borrowing its
value. If a man wants q house, he ought
to build one. or earn the money to build
it. But he won't if he can borrow one.
A man going into business will borrow a
store to put his goods in, and even bor-
row the goods. A man who wants a
home will borrow the money to buy it.
If a religious association wants church,
they borrow the money to build it. If a
county wants court house, the people
borrow one; that is, they borrow the
money to buy one. II state runs be-
hind hand, it borrows money to catch up.
If q nation goes to war, it borrows the
guns and ammunition to fight with that
is, it borrows the money to buy them.
And it borrows the provisions and cloth
ing for the soldiers, IN the same way.
If a railroad has been operated at loss,
it borrows the money to make up the
deficiency, and pay dividends to stock
holders if il. wants to add a few miles
of railway, it borroHs the money to
build it; if it wants new cars and en-
gines, it borrows them.
And the craze goes on. Borrowl Bor.
rowl Don't work Borrowl Don't
raise wheat Borrow the wheat which
some one else has raised Don't build a
house to live in! Borrow one which is
already built Don't reclaim wild land
to make a farm! Borrow one which is
already reclaimed A ~
And 80 it goes. Men and corporations
cities, counties, states and nations are
madly borrowing. Three-fourths of the
world are eyes deep in debt to the other
fourth. And they not only owe that
fourth the debt, but are under heavy OBJ
legations for the accommodation. And
this obligation is a never ending one,
and involves the lifelong servitude and
ignominy of the borrowers.
Then why do people borrowP Because
they are weak, or unfortunate, or lazy,
or thriftlesss2 No, not entirely it is be-
cause they can borrow because there are
people willing and anxious to lend, and
because it is easier to borrow than to
earn. People are perpetually taking the
shortest method to secure that which
they wish. They simply will not calcu.
late the consequences.
And the natural result is that society
losesits equilibrium. The load is all on
one side. The borrowers grow poor; be-
come degraded; and finally degenerate
into condition of servitude. The lend.
ers, profting by the weakness of their
fellowmen, gain what they lose. One
class gets poor, and the other gets rich
One class does all the work, and the
other does all the resting.
And the real remedy must be one
which will prevent this condition of a
borrowing and a lending class. 1t must
protect the people from the temptations
which are held out to them to enter into
state of bondage. 1t must teach them
to earn and not borrow. On the other
hand, it should remove the incentive for
loaning which now exists; and as this
incentive lies in the profit which is re-
ceived, the remedy should be law pro-
hibiting the profit.
The effect of this condition is an un-
equal distribution Of labor, and as de-
priving the rich of the means of living
without labor, except by spending their
money, must inevitably finally result in
causing them to do their share of the
labor, and thus remove the cause OF
grievance it becomes necessary to con-
s:der the sources from which the rich
derive the means of living without labor.
And we readily find that it is from the
profits which they receive from the bor-
rowers for the use of the money or prop
erty which is loaned.
VIII.
The sources from which the idle classes
derive their revenues may be generally
classed under three heads
l. Rent of lands and houses.
J 2. Interest on money.
8. Dividends on stocks.
The methods by which these sources
of supply may be cut off are as followsl
First-By the passage of an act pro
viding that after twenty years from the
date of its passage, no rent, profit or
benefit Of any kind shall be paid or re-
ceived for the use of lands or houses.
At the end of that time, man may
still own all the property he chooses
There will be no prohibition against it.
If he chooses to own lands and houses,
and leave them idle and vacant, he can
do 30, although he must pay taxes upon
them. But he can receive no income
from them except by selling them. After
the passage of the law, he would have
twenty years in which to dispose of such
lands and houses as he could not use
himself. During that period, he may
collect rent 8 heretofore.
Il he shall sell his property within the
first ten or fifteen years, he will receive
near its full present value. After that
time, the money value will decline, and
he realize less. II he shall keep his
prop ,rty till the law goes into effect, he
can still hold II. and prevent others from