Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1889-07-27
LAND AND MACHINERY.


Continued from second page)
two plans in question, or BOTH would
be carried out honestly and success
fully,
AS no structural change would there
by be introduced in the economic fabric,
it is plain enough that the most which
could be achieved would be no'more
than temporary relief, dependent for
its duration upon the further progress
of capitalism.
The present system being maintained,
public works on large scale would
soon come to an end, for they could not
be extended indefinitely without en-
croaching upon what is now private in
dustry. Large numbers of wage earn
ers would then be dismissed by the Gov
eminent to again swell the OVERLOOKING
stream of unemployed labor, and mat
ters would be worse than they ever
were. On the other hand, with the en-.
larging application Of machinery to ag-
riculture, the new settlers would find
themselves compelled to sell out to
greater capitalists, while their labOrers
would, for the most part, be thrown out
of employment.
The fact is that no plan looking to the
permanent relief and progressive eleva-
ton of Labor can now be devised that
does not contemplate the entire abol-
ton of private capitalism, in the section
at least where that plan is first to be
carried out, But, without laying any
claim to greater foresight than any
observer of social movements and ten
denotes ought 10 possess, | may, for obvi-
GUS reasons, venture this assertion: If a
proposition with this end in view is to
ever force itself upon the consideration
of Congress, it will be on the opening
day of a great industrial crisis, and after
widespread agitation of the subject in
normal times, resulting III thorough
comprehension of the democratic theory
of economics, and in a popular demand
formulated accordingly; SO M to make
it impossible for our statesmen" to at
tempt the adoption of any capitalistic or
demagogical makes lift.
As a basis of discussion, subject to
such Improvements as the discussion
itself may suggest, therefore submit Il
demand which appears to me quite
practical and extremely conservative
for the present, at least, whatever its
future consequences may be.
In the same manner as at a certain
time in the history of this country a
halt was called in the spread of Chattel
slavery beyond the territory which it
then disgraCed, a halt should now be
called in the spread of wage slavery
upon the public domain. In the same
manner as the slave holding power was
then notified that no new State would
be placed under its control, the capital.
holding power should be notified that it
must be content with the vast area I'M
der its dominion, which it SO misman-
ages that i'll the NEST prosperous times
two million workers are kept in en-
forced idleness in the midst of undevel-
oped resources, and consequently de-
prived of necessarles in the midst of
plenty: that henceforth, no land, no
water, no mine, no natural wealth of
any sort, and no public privilege. no
public franchise, no public function,
shall be conferred upon 1t on that por-
ton of our national territory which is
still, in law and in fact, the property of
the people in common.
In predicating that every citizen has
an equal, undivided, indivisible and in
alienable share in the public domain;
that no one can appropriate square
inch of it without robbing us all; that
we cannot sell it to spectators or even
grant it in limited quantities to the