Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1888-05-19
SOME FADS OF NOTE
THE FRAGRANT BLOSSOMS OF
AMBITIOUS THOUGHT.
Money Il Medium Of Exchange Free
Trade Cooperation The "Sin.
gle Tax On Land Which
Labor Would Surely
Have TO Pay.

In the course of the labor move
ment or, rather, the social evolution,
there have appeared on the surface
numbcrless "curcs' for the soricty's
Ills, and one after another has at
traCted the attention of the thinkers
and phllanthropists only to give way
to some new, and for the time
being, more attractive, fad. 1t would
be impossible in short review to
mention them all--the various rolig-
lous, political, medical and spirit
uaIlstc panaceas offered by the sin
cere and lnslncere ministers to the
peoples unnumbercd aspirations for
something better; but there are at
the present day in simultaneous
blossom the flowers of ambitious
thought, each shedding q fragrance
peculiarly It's own, though for the
matter fragrance, each would proba-
bly, designate by another name the
odor of every budding fad save its
own.
The money question came up for
consideration some years ago and in
terested many in its labyrinthian in
vestlgations. If only the money of
the country were properly distrib-
uted, everything else would order
itself. Nor can it be said that the
money question is not live one to-
day; but in its consideration alone
and disconnected from the many
social questions, it is but fad.
Even recently, one of our CORES
pondents conlided to US his belief
that the money question fairly equals
the land and labor questions in i'm
portance, if it is not more important
still. And yet, the money question
is but subordinate onc-su ubord-
nate to the question Of production,
as 1t is but a medium for exchange
of productions.
Just now there is a great hue and
cry (newspaper) over the question of
taxing people for importing wealth
and capital into this country. For
the importers on the one hand and
the employers of productive labor on
the other it is very live question
indeed; each would so order things
that he could make profit without
interference, or by interference of
the power Of the State. But when
working people-wage slaves get
excited over this question Of tariff
or no tariff, they certainly have a
fad on hand which they may play
with to their hearts content, while
their employers use them rs pawns
IN the political campaigns,
One of the most singular fads that
has occupied the thoughts of en-
bryo political economists is the idea
that by taxing "land values" and
placing everything else on the free
list, Labor would be saved from in
direct taxation and receive its due
reward. Tax the landlord, and the
tax cannot be shifted upon the
shoulders of Labor, was the rallying
prophecy. Then some began to IN
vestigate, and 10 and behold, they
came to the conclusion that as Labor
created all wealth, and wealth was
paid as taxes, Labor really furnished
the taxes after all. And that bubble
was burst, for the thoughtful, at
least. Yet there are some who pre-
tend that it is all true, and they will
90 in for a "slngle tax" whether or
no. The fad will have to run its
course.
Corporation, big word meaning
much or little, according to its appli-
cation, has become a fad of most
plausible aspect. Not the co-opera-
ton of all the people, but the CO.
operation of some poor people to
"get around" the rich co-operators.
The quarries will hardly furnish
material for headstones enough to
mark the graves of "co-operative !"
enterprises. And still the fad is
talked AMI talked, while some, in