The Labor enquirer., 1886-02-20
THE pH1LosoPHERs.

a
Under Mr.. Robb's bill alien land own
ers could choose between selling their
property at any time within three years
or allowing the state to take it at the
end of that period on the valuation set
by the boards of supervisors. 1t is OBJ
ljected that fair prices could not be Sc
cured under these circumstances and
| that the appraisements would certainly
be much less than the market value.
The truth is that nearly all the aliens
holding land in Iowa bought it years ago
at rates little more than nominal, and 1t
has increased IN value through the labor
of the resident farmers and settlers in
developing the country. Even at the
lowest valuation likely to be put on the
land alien holders would receive three
or four times as much as they paid for it.
Then, too, any alien can avoid the con-
demnation of his land by becoming
resident of the United States and cast
ing in his lot to some extent with the
people.
The above is from the pen of the
philosopher who is immertalizing the
Chicago Tribune. 1t refers to a bill to
exclude alien land holders from Iowa.
How strange that he stumbled on the
truth that the land of Iowa "has in
creased in value through the labor OF
the resident farmers" The Tribune has
always upheld land ownership, and the
Justice of giving the unearned increase
to the owner. But please notice it is an
"alien" who is here compelled to take an
appraised value instead of the natural
price set by necessity. He can avoid
the discount bv becoming resident of
the United States. In short it is right
for citizen to get something for moth.
ing but wrong for an alien. =
Arithmetic and common sense both
teach that there is no difference in the
benefit to the people whether. rent
money goes out of the country or re-
mains in it. The money remains in the
country. What of it? How must the
people proceed to get any of it? They
must give q vatote of three to one as
profit if in trade, or as labor product if it
is received as wages. There is more
capital than labor can employ on these
unjust terms, already in this country.
If it were true that all capital must en-
ploy labor; if it must be applied to
manufactures, trade or agriculture then
some slight grounds might be found for
the theory. But landlord may lock up
his wealth, gained by robbery, or send it
abroad, and it's all one to the tenant,
who If he gets it back can do so only on
the ter ms by which he originally parted
with it when nearly all of it went as pro-
fit. The dude philosophers have not
studied up to this point yet.
clip another item which exposes a
sage from England: -..
At St. Georges hall, Langham place,
DR.. B. W. Richardson has just delivered
| before the members of the Sunday lee
ture society. of which he is one of the
vice-presidents, an address on 'The
Poverty of Wealth" He emphaticallv
deprecated the remedy which some per-
sons thought was to be found in Social
ism. The Socialist millennium, if it
were possible of attainment, would lead
to the very poverty which now afflicted
so many of the wealthy. 1t was said bv
these propagandists that if all worked,
twoFhours labor would suffice. and that
twelve hours might be devoted to pleas
ure as one might choose. But such a
disposition Of time would not lead to
health. strength, or happiness, but to en-
nui and poverty of mind and body, and
to policy of "Let us eat. drink and be
merry, for tomorrow we die" So long
as we lived by eating we must live by
work and then the true kind of wealth
would be certain to follow.
! From these confused absurdities we
learn that while we "must live by work, u
we must work more than two hours
even if that time Will yield all we can
consume. Pounding sand might be the
proper occupation for the time neces
sary over two hours; if we do not feel
inclined to do it, some one must compel
US for the sake of our health. To allow
twelve hours for 'such work as one
might choose" would be our destruc.
ton. But how? Notice that the twelve
hours are not mentioned as being
probably devoted to trifing, drink OF
mischief, but some kind of ,"work ,
painting, carving, mechanics, inventing
writing or music. Too much of these
things will produce barbarism. What il
the world fails to recognize the ability
of these philosophers. and force them tc
phile-a-saw-pher living, or some other