Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1891-01-30
a London Landlords soliloquy.


'Hah! A letter from Jones, the grocer,
asking me to renew his lease, on the
ground that he has built up business
after great expenditure and years of
work, and will be ruined II don't allow
him to remain whore he is. Jones is an
imperfectly informed person. He i'm
AGNES l exist for him, whereas Jones,
like all his hbors-those living in
the streets which belong to me. and
those living in other streets as we'll,
throughout this vast metropolis-all
exist and toll and think for me. Ha!
ha! ha! just think of it; own squares,
and streets, and terraces, and draw
splendid and princely income from them.
And not only get my rents regularly
paid, and see houses which were built
on ground that fortunately refused to
sell and would only let-like my
ancestors, wise men-on short
leases, gradually falling into my hands,
becoming my own, to be let at high and
increasing rents, but l see all London
toiling to make mo richer, and conse-
quently more powerful and-happier.
What delightful thought it Isl
mot merchant, who increases the
wealth and trade of this great metropo.
lis; not workman, who adds to it's in
dustrial product not an author, or writ
err, or scientific man that adds to its rep
utation; not builder, not a father Of an
increasing family, but puts gold into my
pocket by augmenting the value of my
land and houses. / toll not, neither do
] spin. Why should | when all tho
world around is toiling and spinning for
me? My gifts even-they are not great,
for invest all / can in real property, SO
that those who follow me may have oven
greater wealth and power than myself
can all be made to enhance my own DO
sit on. II beautify street, or give n
site upon which a handsome church or
chapel can be built, or subscribe to i'm
perial institutes or South Kensington
improvements, do | not still benefit N.Y.
self? Every thing works for the
best for me in this best of all possible
worlds. The brains, sinews, energies,
inventions of all mankind are mine in a
peculiar sense. / not only profit by
them as other people do, but they all.
tend to one end-the increasing value of
my property. So that while the toilers
and moilers-even the most socialistic
and democratic-thinlo they are benefit.
ing themselves, / am taking toll OF
every blow they strike and every work
they do Gradually this enables me to
make stronger the golden chain-the
strongest and perhaps the cruel
est-with which 1 and my fellow land
lords and plutocrats bind society, even
down to its lowest stratum; reinforcing
it's links, lengthening it's extent, in
creasing its repressive influence. For,
after all, who can estimate the power OF
gold, in politics, in society, in religion,
in administration-ofg gold when it con-
sists OF millions, and can be used, il
need be, to hold down and fetter? Yes,
Jones is an ill-instructed person IL he
imagines | have any part or lot with
him. He may be ruined, but even then
he will benefit me. can not attend to
his petition, for weakness must never
be the characteristic of one for whom
the world turns round"
ITO whomsoever the soil at any time
belongs, to him belong the fruits Of it"
is truth that becomes moro and more
apparent as population becomes denser
and invention and improvement add to
productive power; but it is everywhere
truth-as much in our new States, as
in the British Islands or by the banks
of the Indus. Progress and Poverty.
TIE tax on land values is the only
tax of any Importance that does not dis
tribute itself. 1t falls upon the owners
of land, and thero is no way in which
they can shift the burden upon any one
else. Progress and Poverty.