The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1890-08-16
SINGLE TAX DEPARTMENT.
PERMANENT VALUE.
How Jim McPherson Puzzled the SCHOOL,
masters.


James Mcpherson was boy OF some
intelligence. with father an ardent
protectionist, and an uncle an uncom-
promising free trader of the Manchester
school Naturally, as Jim's father ana
uncle lived in the same house Jim got a
! pretty fair idea of the stock arguments
on each side: but what he never could
| make out was how labor benefited by
either policy. His father sternly main
tanned that in a protectionist country
there were better wages, while his uncle
just as strongly maintained the same In
regard to free trade countries. Now,
Jim thought to himself, there can't be
such striking difference between them
in any case, or there could not be any
necessity for such an endless amount OF
argument about the subject. At any
rate, he thought he would ask the school
master; and one day a favorable oppor-
| tunity occurred when that gentleman
was instructing Jim's class regarding the
vaINe of population. every additional
head OF population" said the school
master, represents clear gain to the
State or to the community as whole, OF
many pounds, and adds to its total
| wealth"
"Who gets the wealth, sir?" asked
jim
| The schoolmaster looked with surprise
at boy who took an interestin econom-
ic questions which, as a general rule,
did not interest his pupils. "The
wealth." said the schoolmaster, lis
taken by those who earn it, and who by
their industry and frugality deserve
| it."
Have you much wealthY' said Jim,
looking into the face of bis master, who
the whole neighborhood knew was
model of industry and frugality.
A troubled look passed over the face
of the schoolmaster as he replied: MY
occupation is not directly productive,
but as every man can not educate his
| own children, schoolmaster by doing
SO leaves others more time to produce,
and thus keeps the carpenters, tailors
and factory hands in production and
adds to the national wealth"
Jim didn't see that this was an answer
to his question. SO he tried again. do
all carpenters, tailors and factory hands
who are sober and frugal share in this
wealth that you say population gives to
the Staten
"Yes," said the schoolmaster; sfn
degree, of course they do, but their
share is much smaller than that which
goes for interest and rent"
"Why?" said Jim.
"Why?' said the schoolmaster, "why?
la. LII
ers, and more laborers mean more CON-.
petition, and more competition means
less wages"
'.Fhen population does not give value
to labor?" said Jim.
NO." said the schoolmaster; ION the
contrary, competition reduces the value
OF labor"
yet it gives increased wealth to the
community. Who gets the value popu-
lation gives?" said Jim.
Those" said the schoolmaster, "who
possess certain advantages which labor
must nse to live, and for the use of
which labor makes large return
Are there many people possessing
such adyantages?" asked Jim.
NO" replied the schoolmaster; ''they
are in one sense numerous, but compared
to population as whole they are few,
very few"
''Are those few persons Industrious.
temperate and frugal? Do they take the
wealth because they earn it. and by
their industry ard frugality deserve it?"
said Jim.
1T by no means follows" said the |
schoolmaster; ''those few persons pos
sessing certain advantages gain wealth |
by the possession of those advantages, |
and may be neither industrious, frugal |
nor temperate"
''And they get the largest share?'
said Jim.
"Yes," said the schoolmaster.
'1t does not seem fair" said Jim.
''It is state of things" said the |
schoolmaster, shat is not our place to !
grumble at; these advantages are natural |
opportunities, principally land, which |
few people have obtained and which |
entities theuSto the value given by pop
ulation."
''Then II population does not give |
value to labor it only gives value to
land" said Jim, because labor can not /
do without it; and the man who owns |
the land gets the greatest share of the
value''
IF you could only prove that, my bow"
said the schoolmaster, you would make |
ont case for the followers Of Henry
George, whose works, by the way, have
not read. Unfortunately for his theo-
ries, population gives value to many
things beside land"
Permanent valued" said Jim.
'Yes," said the schoolmaster.
"What things?" said Jim.
"Well," said the schoolmaster, sIet
me see. Here are tho boys hats, for
example. If store-keeper had a lot
OF hats, and population suddenly in
creased, hats would become valuable"