The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-12-20
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Lahoring man,
ED, NEwa- DEMOORAT'-ATe we not
unoOnsel0usly committing social sui
eide, morally %religiOualy and financial
lyY In q previous article stated that
society must live and do business In all
branches Of trade and industry, on the
wealth II has at lis command, Aud
that IN the production Of wealth there
arc three factors, land, labor and CAPT
tai, That all wealth must be taken
from tho land or water In sons form
and shaped into wealth by labor, This
| think win hardly DO disputed,
Now, 90 the welfare OF society de-
ponds on tho wealth II has At liz COM
mand, and as all wealth must come
through these three factors, l will con-
slider each one In In turn,
Az land is the principal factor from
which al wealth must CONS, II becomes
the business OF society flor which all
land was creat0d) 10 sec that tho land
be properly utilized for the benefit OF
society, Is society doing thisY Ia II
not clear that II apart OF society owns
all the wealth, the roat OF society are
dependent upon them for u living, ~
they can only take as much az the own
ers see NJ 10 allow society TO have for
its support, The fewer the number
that own the wealth, the less chances
there are for society, 80, when all the
land is owned by a part OF society, II
may or may not be properly utilized,
Space will not allow ma 10 show, 40 1
will leave TO tho good sense Of the rea'
der 70 Judge, whether land 10 being
utilized at all for the benefit Of society,
Will simply draw attention 10 tho
fact that 20,5570OO acres Of our best
land Is now owned by foreign capital,
which American citizens must pay for
tho use Of, this much we know Of,
Something like lSOOOOOO0 acres In
owned by railroads, while other mil
Hons OF valuable productive lands ale
llNlN WI hlNNAlhNlNN Nllh lhN NAllfNN Nv
all, So that on the whole II IN very
clear, land n not utilized for the benefit
Of society Now, II the government
would tax this land ~ ita fun rental val
nc, societywOuld get the benefit OF tho
rent, whether II was utilized or not.
But would that be an Injury 10 the far,
merY Not no all. Farming land would
be considered OF small value as compar-
cd with The speculative land, In aud
around our cities; valuable gold, silver,
copper, lead, ore, and coal lands and
valuable timber lands from which the
farmer would get his share OF the rent,
which would vastly oyGrbalance what
he had 10 pay rs tax, on his own land,
Besides he would be- exempt from oil
other taxes,
Labor being one OF the factors In the
production OF wealth, the more fully
labor In employed ana The better labor
Is paid, the more wealth society will
have ut liz command, This ls certainly
clear. The laborers constituting the
bulk Of society, the more wealth labor
has, tho better for all CLASSES OF bust
ness.
Most Of my readers understand the
condition OF labor to-day, and the fact
that over 70 per cent, OF the wealth Of
the country, Is owned by less than 70
per cent Of society. Besides own
ing the sOurcos from which
all wealth must come, with
human nature AZ II Ia, the condition
OF laborers can easily DO comprehend.
ed by M, This necessity demorali2es
society, for thousands are too poor and
proud 70 attend 0lther church or school.
Fowler truely said In his predictions OF
the future OF this country, that 40 poy.
erty and misery would increase by the
domestic Preside, inildelity, immorali.
W aud crime would increase In the
land. The late campaign shat We have
just passed through, shows that the
moral condition OF the nation Is low.
ering very fast. The intelligence OF the
average labOrer, no matter how honest,
will teach him that while he owes n
duty to society, and 10 his creditors, he
owes n paramount duty to his family,
and ho will get them the n%ecessaries OF
life If he can, whether he pays for Chem
or not, This has u demoraliZlng affect
on him aud his family. Capital being
one Of the factors In the production Of
wealth, and being o part Of wealth, for
society must first have wealth before Il
can have capital, therefore the two lrst
factors are the more directly essential.
The grasping disposition OF human ma.
ture sometimes causes capital ~ 70.
strict rather than facilitate the pT0duc.
ton OF wealth. Therefore the more
evenly the wealth of the country is
distributed the more capital society will
have to help production and the less
chance aVarice will have 10 corner OPP.
tunities, and prevent production.
Our protective system Is centralizing
the wealth of the country very rapidly I;
which enables the few 10 rob the many.
AS society is sustaining this system,
this Is financial suicide 10 society.
Many are disposed TO think as long as
there is plenty of money In the coun.
try we have all the wealth We need.
This is q mistake, rs money is not
wealth, simply q representative of
wealth, and money without wealth,
would be worthless. Besides the PEG.
pie that have the wealth, will have the
money, and society can only get IL In
such quantities, and on such terms 10
suit those who control II.
think that | have now shown that
we are uncousciously committing social
suicide, financially morally and relig.
iously, A. j, KNIT.