The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1886-12-04
The Archbishop OH Social
ism.

op Corrigon, read yesterday in the
churches under his charge, is speci-
ally noteworthy to the community
at large for it's warning and argu-
ment against the doctrines of So
cialism in regard to property rights
The natural, historical and philo-
sophical arguments against Henry
Georges theory of the "freedom of
land" have not been elsewhere pre-
sented with greater dignity and
kindness, and at the same time
with more cogency and force.
"Undoubtedly" says the Arch
bishop, "God made the earth for
the use of all mankind, but whether
the possession thereof was to be in
common or by individual ownership
was for reason to determine" And
such determination, he adds,
"judging from the facts of history,
the sanction of law, from the teach
ing of the wisest, and the actions of
the best and bravest of ofmadkind, has
been and is that man can, by law
full acts, become possessed of the
right of ownership in property, and
not merely in it's use." The reason
given for this is that "a man is
strictly entitled to that of which he
is the producing cause, to the i'm
provement he brings about in it,
and the enjoyment of BOTH" The
effort to base an argument against
ownership in land upon the univer-
sal distribution of air and light is
declared by the Archbishop to be
"only freak of the Imagination"
The air and the light, he affirms,
Eve take as God gives them, and
we owe Him thanks for this bounty.
1t was only the earth which fell
under the primeval curse when
man had sinned, and only the earth,
not the air or light, which mans
industrious toll can coax back to
something like it's original fruitful
ness. When he has done so his
just reward is to enjoy the results
without hindrance from Others"
Had the argument of the Arch
bishop descended from principles
to particulars he might have re-
minded his flock that the theory of
"freedom of land" had full trial
on this continent under it's aborig-
inal inhabitants, the Indians, and
is in force now on reservations
where it requires 1000 acres to half
support semi-savage family. The
communal idea, as step beyond
wild freedom, was tried by some of
the earliest colonists. And such
was the paralysis of enterprise and
failure of ambition which resulted
that they nearly starved to death.
"Whc," asks the Archbishop, would
burrow the earth to draw it's buried
treasures if the very mine he was
working were at the mercy of the
passer-by whom it's riches might
attract? Who would watch with
eagerness the season when to sow
and to reap and to gather the harv-
est which is the very fruit of his
labors if he is told that those who
stand by the wayside idle are equal
ly entitled to it's enjoyment?"
But though standing for the right
of property as natural one, and
defending ownership in land as a
most conservative force in civilza-
tion, this high official of the Church
does not fail to recognize that Gin
many painful instances the rights
of the toiler are trampled on and
the fruits of his labor snatched from
his grasp" This he proclaims to be
an evil that needs redress, but he
warns his people that "such redress
can never be brought about by de-
nying a fundamental right or by
perpetrating radical wrong"
Such warning, from such a
source, can not fail to have weight
with those who revere the ecclesi-
astical authority. 1t may also in
struct others who have given ear,
in their perplexity and despair, to
the ideas which it combats. But
the great body of American citizens,
whether native or adopted, are al
ready mistakenly devoted to the
principles and the policy that haye
made this country nation of land
owners, land of equal opportuni-
ties, the haven and the hope of the
poor and oppressed of all the world.
~ Y. World.
With the exception of $50, the
entire State tax levied in Alabama
for the last fiscal year was collect
ed.
|
About thirty miles below st.
Louis, on the river bank, aheadless