The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1888-04-19
PRIVATE OWNERSHIP IN LAND
IS AN INJUSTICE AND IN
JURY TO ALL,

| Because it defrauds labor of its
wages, rObs legitimate enterprise and
business of its just reward, and demor-
alizes society. Private ownership in
land is depopulating the country and
driving labOrers into pens in larger
cities like sheep in a slaughter house,
where labor is compelled to compete
against labor for its very existence. If
you go into Ireland you may see all
through the country the sites of once
populous villages, now, by individual
ownership of land, given over to the
breeding OF cattle. If you go into Scot
land you may see thousands of acres
from which, by individual ownership
of land, men have been driven in order
to give place to deer and grouse. If
you go into England you may see great
tracts which, by the operation of indi-
Yidual ownership of land, have passed
out Of cultivation, while the descend
entS of the men who once titled them
are crowded into poor houses or hud-
died together in the soul-destroying
slums Of cities. And in our own coun-
try you may see, from the Atlantic to
the Pacific, the same cause producing
similar results. 1t is found to be more
profitable to the land owner to farm
large tracts of land by machinery than
to cultivate smaller tracts by labor, and
by this process our small towns and vii
lagos are becoming useless and desert
ed. LabOrerS and mechanics are mi
grating to larger cities in hopes of find
ing employment. This forces mechanic
to compete against mechanic in the
production of the necessaries of life
until wages are reduced to the lowest
minimum at which labor can live. Not
only is labor reduced to the lowest liy-
ing minimum, but all the credit that
labor can command is also appropriated
and drawn from legitimate business,
through the necessities of labor. All
perience, but few understand the
nature of the cause. Starting from
London, England, where we find over
one hundred thousand families crowded
into one and two rooms to the family,
piled up twelve and fourteen stories
high, while one man alone is allowed to
own and control as against all other
men, over one million acres of land, and
other capitalists nearly as much. And
this is not only true Of London and
England, but is true of nearly all the
larger cities of the world. Even in our
booming city of Canton laborers and
mechanics may be found on our streets
ready to work for less than living
wages. Thus private ownership i'll
land defrauds labor Of it's wages.
Private ownership in land robs legit-
innate enterprise and business of its
just rewards. Legitimate enterprise
and business belongs to the class we
term labor, and is affected by anything
that affects labor. Private ownership
in land produces state of affairs as
have shown, that makes it impossible
for labor to supply its wants and pay
its bills, which is direct loss to busi-
ness and enterprise And this again
enables the money lender to extort
usurious interests and exorbitant rents.
And as this differs in different local
thus forcing on to the country trades
labor organizations, business
combinations, trusts formed by the |
various enterprises, strikes and boy |
colts, all of which have been forced up
on the country by this forced competi-
ton (Which everybody seems to cherish |
and protect), which is the effect of one
principal cause, and their beneficial eff
tects must necessarily be temporary so
long as the cause is allowed to remain
that produces them. Thus legitimate
enterprise and business is robbed of its
Just rewards.
Bird. Private ownership in land de-
mOralizes society. First-Because it
lefrauds labor of its wages as | have
shown; and all right thinking men will
admit that on the wages of labor de-
Dends the welfare of society. On the
wages of labor depends the feeding, the
and the sheltering of hundreds
If millions of human beings. On the
wages of labor depends the prosperity
If all classes of business. On the wages
If labor depends the prosperity of the
church. On the wages of labor depends
he education and the intelligence of
he masses. So that anything that robs
abOr Of its wages demoralizes society.
Again, when legitimate business is
IN the decline illegitimate business is
N the rise, for it is natural for men
o engage in that which pays them best.
Again, when religion and intelligence is
N the wane, infidelity, immortality
nd ignorance is on the increase.
gain, it is said that idleness is the
mother of crime, and an intelligent
ommunity can be spared the temized
of any people crowded
nto cities with little to do, little to
year and little to eat Thus private ,
in land demoralizes society ,,
nd is an injustice that is crying to 3,
eaven for vengeance. A. j. KNIT. !