Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1884-04-18
"a SQUARE INCH OF SOIL

MIR. Henry George, who Is again attract
ing more than usual attention, because of
the dispute as to whether England re-
pudiated him, in his most recent work
asks: "How can man be said to have a
country, when he has no right to a square
this question is as patent as is Its weak
logic. 1t assumes that possession of soil,
or right to possession, is an essential of
having a country" and that there is in
this country no right to the soil vested in
any. Now in truth every man in this
country has the right TO own soil that is,
the right to acquire of the soil. To this
there is no limit and all mems opportuni-
ties are equal for the exercise of the right
so far as government is concerned, and
government over a given area constitutes
ones country. " Having country" does
not Of necessity depend upon exercising
the right, however limited by circum-
stances purely personal, to acquire an
inch of soil" The patriotic is an i'm
measurable, an Incompatible, and unSelfish
quantity. Having a country" depends
upon love of homeland and patriotism is
but the highest form and manifestation of
that love If it depended upon possession,
the amount possessed should accurately
represent the breadth and depth of the
patriotic spirit Having Il country" is
not, then, as Mr.. George in his fallacious
question implies, having hills or dales, or
rocks or rills, or forests or streams nor in
the tilling, or merely holding of soil
Ones country, in the sense of having it, of
loving il to the extent of 4 willing
ness to fight for it and die for it,
is the insensible quality attaching
man to given division of the
earths surface; TO given form of
society because of the undefinable envelop-
ing atmosphere of the place of birth, and
that is evolved from principles, traditions,
associations and memories To paraphrase
an epigram Of Sallust, we may have it read
with equal force that the safety Of 4 State
is not in its treasures, nor the possessions of
its citizens, but in its friends The shall
low depths of Mr.. Georges question are
fathomed by his oft announced belief that
it is repugnant to natural perceptions that
land should be subjected to individual
ownership. So, then, he world augment
the patriotic spirit by such control Of land
under governmental forms, as will ALSO
lutely, if carried to logical conclusions, bar
the consummation of the right to individu-
ally acquire soil The truth is the natural
desire of men is to hold and conquer soil,
and there can be no substantial
qualification of thd fright to
square inch of it without recognition Of
absolute individual ownership. Mr.. George
will not be able to lay his hand on one
American citizen ont Of ten thousand he
may meet upon the highway, who viii not
resent the imputation that he has not
right in the whole country, the soil, institu-
tions, sentiments policies and the determi-
ton of It's destinies. 1t makes no sort Of
difference TO these that their right to ac-
quire soil may not have been realized by
possession They would resent with equal
fervor the suggestion that when they face
the death hail in battle for country, they
fight simply because they have
foot of soil, or to protect from
invasion the soil possessed by others. The
physically selfish motive is an unknown
quantity in the having Of a country, which
is a sentiment, actuating, inspiring, ire
spective of personal results or fortunes.
Having country" is having national
heart, and 30 it is to be said to Mr.. George
that he has a country, who nevertheless
does not reduce to possession his right to
possess soil, as fully and truly as he who
owns thousands Of acres, If he has SYM
pathy with the institutions of the land of
his nativity or adoption. He has a country
more truly who is periodically inspired
having nothing, than he who has millions
and regards his country simply as police
barrier to protect his possessions from as
sault. Patriotism is the product of perma-
nent forces, not springing from mercenary
motives or selfish soil forces that exist in
dependent of material possessions, and that
have their fount and spring in the heart.
Il is an affection of such tenacity that he
who feels it realizes that he has a country
in the truest sense of the word, no matter
what his worldly condition. What Hol-
land so well said of home we may apply to
country, since lore Of home is the first love