The Memphis appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1886-1890, 1888-01-10
LAND IS LOWER.
Some Facts That Prove That Henry
George Is Premature.

|
George is Premature.
| From the Kansas City Times
II seems strange to one who is accus
toned 10 gather in all possible, everyday
facts before giving a deliberate opinion
that so many people have gone almost
wild overthe Henry George idea although
do not mean to say that Mr.. George is a
mean thinker You hear IL said on all
sides that the one persistent cause Of hard
times is the monopoly OF land values and
the consequent pressure OF population
against the power OF the utilized and utiliz-
able land Of the country 10 furnish sub
sistcnce. Now what desire TO prove is
that the pressure OF the population Of this
country against the land il not ~ yet felt
at all, except In rare and exceptional cases.
DO ! make plain my meaning? Then
will put Il this way: That there is not,
relatively to other eras OF our history, any
considerable scarcity Of lands in America
mean TO say that with the advance OF
civilization in this country land has be-
come cheaper. will at once rouse
the ire OF those who have worked them
selves warm with enthusiasm over the
ptbIbts
But ! ask you 10 follow and see whether
my statements are not borne out fully by
the unbiased testimony OF historic facts.
Have the great railways whichrun through
out the west, have they, say, not opened
up TO the market millions OF acres OF cheap
lands that formerly were rs useless and
unavailable 10 us ms the Sahara desert?
For many years, M old residents know,
A al. A. Il
most nil, absolutely nothing. Any one
might squat" Oh excellent soil without
fear Of disturbance Men have owned
numberlcss tracts ON which cabins have
been built, and on which families have
gone and lived for years, the owners pay
ing no attention To the occupants, yet pay.
ing all the taxes: where also hundreds OF
thousands OF acres have been sold TO men
on long time, no security being asked but
the land, and no interest paid for many
years. Well, what Of III DO you ask7
Let me tell you that during these same
ycan, when lmd could be bought for u
song, the same phenomenon OF industrial
dcprcSions have occurred in cities and In
factory centcrs. Can you ascribe the evils
Of barons and bareicet coexisling by any
tenet Of Henry George? They say IL is the
dcarncss Of tho land, and yet the assertion
Is most false
Please bear this startling statement in
mind; that the population OF the United
States WIS really greater in 1886 than IL is
today. DO notin in absolute numbers,
but ! mean so far M the pressure OF popu-
la,ion on subsistence " concerned. How?
Why2 Impossible, do you say2 Well, prior
10 1855 all free labor Of the United States
was confined north Of Mason and Dixon's
line, and actually nearly all west of the
Mississippi river Save Illinois and few
other small regions, tho new lands were
heavily timbercd, and il took years 10 clear
away the forests. There were three fences
which incloscd free labor within narrow
bounds The ocean AT the east; slavery nj
the south; the Indian and the forest ut tho
west. There was no railroad west Of the
Mississippi river. Twenty millions fenced
within the bounds indicated crowded the
land per acre more dcnsely than $1,000, 900
now crowd nm empire bounded only 10y the
geographical limits Of the continent.
Suddenly, from 1865 10 1870, all the
south, the "ncw south" was opened to
free labor, while daily vast and fertile
prairie rcgions were thrown open 10 in
dustry and immigration by railways that
were crossing the mighty plains. Land
fell In price on the east side Of the Mis-
sour river from $40 per acre down TO ~,
and the real estate market all oyef Europe
even WIS shocked 10y the sudden opening
up Of n continent 81 the hest land on earth
10 the people, without money and without
price. Now, II wns Just at this time,
when there was plenty OF land, that our
great labor troubles first began. Al the
beginning Of these labor troubles the
Union Pacific, the Kansas Pacific, the
Santa fc, and many other western roads
had bought millions Of acres within few
days connection with tho harbon Of the
Atlantic. This land WIS ready for the
plow. Every man was FIRE 20 take up
even more than he could cultivate. The
word tramp" until then unknown, be.
came familiar How then, can you say
that civilization has made land dear
and times hard2 In this part Of the wOrld
steam has lowered the price Of land. But
the owners OF tho roads rob the farmer
when he ships the products Of the soil.