The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1889-01-31
POVERTY AND WEALTH.
Philosophy OF Poverty What Pro-
portion OF Poverty is Produced
by Mans Folly aud lndlacfetiOn, aud
What by Unjust Laws.
How Land Monopoly Creates Composition
ThAt Increases Want and Produces Pow
erty-The Philosophy OF tho single raE
1BYetsm M%luoidahed,

single tax system OF taxing land values,
abolish poverty The disposition OF
man ~ oppose any great refOrm move
melt and set up ridiculous ideas ~ u
part Of tho teachings OF such move
menta, ID wonderful Then 10 worry
audiences, refuling these ridiculous
ldeaa as u part OF the teachings or a TO-
form movement, IN this enlightened
age, Is hardly exouBable, And tho dis
| position 10 ignore solid arguments In
favor OF such movements, ana harp on
some questionable grounds taken by
some crank In the movement, Ia simply
marvellous, But while neither Henry
/ George nor any other Intelligent single
tax man claims that single tax would
abolish all poverty, They do claim
that II would abolish 10 u great extent
poverty produced by legislation or
such Il thing exiRtH).
Whether / mouth the sentiments OF
single tax advocates or not, | claim
that about fOur.litha Of the poverty OF
tho world la directly or Indirectly tho
effect OF Legislation, and that The single
tax system would relieve much OF This
poverty. First, by increasing the
amount OF wealth prOduCedi aud sec
Ond, by distributing tho wealth pro-
ductd more equally. And this IL not u
haBty conclusion OF mine, but u ccnclu'
sion based on serious study. observation
aud thought.
All wealth and capital are produced
by the application OF labor ana capital
10 tho natural opportunities furnished
by nature, And as the poverty of this
world Is owned principally by the labor
Ing classes, and ~ the wealth of this
world Is owned principally by those
that gather II, rather than produce H.
Wal wing the fact that some men have
natural advantages for gathering
wealth, some superior natural qualillGa'
lions; but when by layorite legisla
ton some are enabled to gather wealth
faster than they could gather II with
out such Legislation, ANA poverty 10 the
result then that poverty Is tho result OF
legislation.
i now propose TO show that about
f0ur.llfths of tho poverty is caused by
such legislation. Assuming that tho
earth was created for the benefit of
man. Assuming that all men have
equal rights 10 the use Of the earth, and
that mans rights are limited only by
the equal rights OF others, Assuming
that legislation IL necessary 10 protect
men IN their rights,
Legislation may, II IL will, cause pOv.
erty In three ways, First-by hinder
Ing tho production OF wealth enough
10 supply the wants OF the people,
Secondly excessive taxation. Third
by partial distribution.
now propose TO show that leglsla-
ton In guilty In all three of these ways
First-in production. AS before stated
an wealth Is produced by the applIca.
ton of labor aud capital To lnnd 10y
land ls meant MI natural materially. 10
is evident therefore that the less appli
cation OF labor and capital to land, the
less wealth society Will have; conSe'
quently the more poverty. Without leg
iBlatlOn no man could hold land rs nm
individual right AZ against MI other
men. Therefore by legislation monop.
Olists and spectators are enabled TO
hold out of use, for the benefit Of them.
selves and their children, millions Of
acres OF valuable lands, thereby rre-
venting labor and capital from produo'
ing wealth from these lands; thereby
forcing capital into more Improbable
channels, and throwing millions Of
labOrers out OF employment; causing
competition among laborers, causing
tramps, pauporism and crime, ana plac'
ing labor NJ the mercy Of tue unsCru'
pulOus employers, whose sole aim is 10
gather all the wealth they can,
Then again, by forcing capital into
Improbable employment, thereby max.
ing IL impossible for capital to pay labor
living wages. All this seems so clear
to me, that further comment appears
like M insult TO intelligence, But my
space Is up, and II the readers the NEWS.
DEMOCRAT will follow me through, |
promise 10 make the other points inter
esting ileanother communication.
A. j. KINT1.