The Labor enquirer., 1886-04-03

may hereafter create. In the several
states outside of the question of the
public domain, the same principles sp-
| ply, and the same duty is imposed upon
the various legislatures as would be upon
the general government. ...s E
The prime principle of ownership of
the soil should be actual me and occu,
patton, and no law should be allowed to
disgrace our statute books that permits
any man, or any power, to withhold
from the legitimate field of production
and benefcent growth the bounteous
J earth, given to mankind. The laws
should prevent undue and exhorbitant
valuation upon lands. Even now, in
the older states of the union, the ficti-
tious value attached to land has risen to
such immense proportions that no man,
not originally possessed of fortune, can
come into the ownership of real prop
ertY. This is but another scheme of
speculation and oppresslon-an rther en-
gine of tyranny-another blot upon the
escutcheon of this republic that it is the
duty of the people to wipe out of exist
ence.
had the pleasure of reading an ad-
rirable address which Incidentally
touched the land question, delivered
some time ago before the Social League
by distinguished member of the legis-
lature of the state, upon this question of
undue appreciation of land. The sugges-
ton there made with reference to the law
of eminent domain is singularly apprc-
pirate. Mr.. George in his work upon
the land question has suggested the rem
edy of placing all the burden of taxation
upon the land, his theory being that if it
was taxed to its full rental value, the re-
suit would be the same as if it had been
taken possession of by the people, and
then let out to the highest bidder. The
objection might be to that that it would
! ton of vast tracts of land by syndicates
representing enormous capital. I be-
lleve the only solution of this question
is regulation of it by the national gov
ernment, and by the several States
Every mans right in the land is ab
sorbed from the ownership of the gov
eminent, that is, from the ownership of
the people, and yet, in the face of that
proposition, the appalli'.g fact remains
that the people, theoretically the own
ers of the soil, control but an insignif-
cant portion of its extent. Even as in
Ireland to-day, the struggle is going on
that the inhabitants of the country NAV
enjoy the land they live upon. 80 to-day,
we may be warned of the approach OF
that same condition of affairs in this re-
public, and unless the intelligent wis
dom of the people rises and meets the
exigences of the hour, the time will
come when wealth and poverty must
meet on some other field than that of
argument. 1t has never been ques-
toned, either as matter of law or pub
lie policy, or of right that even the pri
vate and domestic affairs of citizens
may be regulated to meet the require
ments of the public good. Ownership
in property, dangerous either to public
health, morals or safety is everywhere
regulated by such laws as restrain care
lessness and effect the highest conditio n
Of security. No less is it the right and
power of the government, for the public
good, to restrain the accumulation of
vast capital and vast estates, and to rem
edy, through It's law making power,
those alarming evils that if not re-
strained would lead to the terrors of
Revolution.
Let the lands of the United States be |
controlled by the government of the |
United States, representing its people. |
Let them be settled and occupied by |
those who will till and produce. From |
the crowded cities let sturdy workmen
come upon the land and develop from it |
the power and strength of the nation. |
Let the legislators who represent YOU |
exercise their wisdom in devising means |
by which this blessing may be brought |
about; IN preparing such laws as will |
regulate the purchase and transmission
of real property. as will provide for its
use-as will restrict aggrandizement of
estates, and provide for reversion back
to the people of the United States OF
that soil which is permitted to lie, un-
touched and fruitless, in a land of
plenty.
This question is only one of many in
which the thinking people of the " orld |
are to-day interested. 1t is upon the |
same level of those other questions |
pending between centralized capital and |
divided labor in this country. Thanks |
to the freedom of our institutions, and |
the constitutional guarantees yet vouch-
safed to the people, you are permitted to
educate yourselves and to think upon
the questions that most nearly concern
your lives and happiness. You are able
to resolve these questions. to decide
them, and you hold in your hands the
power to enforce til EN-.
And now, in conclusion, let me say
from such societies as yours emanate
patriotic sentiment and wholesome
consideration of questions deeply con-