The Labor enquirer., 1888-04-07
Third. Man is a land animal.

Third. Man is a land animal,
and needs security in possession
of such portion of land as he uses
to live on and from. -
Fourth. Land contains all the
raw materials of wealth and nat
ural opportunities for the needs Of
all. -, !
Fifth. Labor is all human ex-
ertion. Wage workers are llwho
work with hand or brain .(not
alone the man who digs the ditch J,
All wealth is produced by, labor
from land. To own land is to
own men; to monopolize. land is to
check production, to enslave labor
to prevent development OF wealth;
to entail poverty. disease despair
and crime.
We cannot force men by legis-
lation to do right until we remove
the causes of wrong.
The community is entitled to
what the community creates.
The Creator created land. The
community created land-values.
All wealth is the product of land
and labor. Labor is entitled to
the full product of its labor.
The community is entitled to
rent or the annual land value
which it creates.
Just wages equals wealth created,
rent, provided no capital enters
into the production. Take out the
rent for the use of the land, return
it to the community. Wages IS
entitled to what is left, or if capi-
tai also be factor, wages equals
the product-(rent plus interest).
Land is entitled to its share.
Labor is entitled to its share.
Capital is entitled to its share.
Capital is a result of labor; is
wealth used by labor to assist it
in the production of more wealth,
or wealth in the course of ex-
change.
Land then is at the basis of the
social problem, containing all the
raw materials of wealth and means
of subsistence. How shall we
most fairly reserve to all men the
use of land, and how shall we pro
ducc the largest increase. and
the most just distribution of
wealth?
Take the first step by shifting
taxes off all improvements and
the products of labor and placing
all taxes on land values; restoring
to the community for the COM
mon use of all land values created
by the community, Justice is sat
ished and equality is preserved.
Natural opportunities are free.
Labor is emancipated. Wealth is
increased. Want and the fear of
want are abolished. And in con-
nection with other reforms, the
the government simplihed by the
abolition of custom houses, excise
boards and all consequent officials;
collections and expenses entailed
by all taxes on human industry,
which discourage the production
of things which we need, which
discourage Improvement and
hamper wealth under our present
system-can readily undertake
the control of common carriers
and all things which are in their
nature monopolies, and give the.
people better service at less ex-
penSe.
Pale moon; serene visitant of
earth; chaste in thy beauty, but
cold as thou art chaste, fade, fade
away with lovers dreams, and let
the warm sun of love and life re-
turn. Stars, silent stars, depart
in all thy loveliness and let the
glad light of day blend and beam
again. Night, quiet night, en-
blem of the dark and grave,
gather up thy garment of weird
gloom, and give place to laughter
and to light. Illusions, all of ye.
Grim and gay. Thou art but
errors, discords of the mortal
sense and mind. True thoughts
of God are beyond We all, hidden
by the mist of weak mortality.
So with the questions of the hour,
the truth is there, did men but