The Colfax chronicle., 1892-01-09

our CrltlC8 ASK tu2t Au8u WIN nus Vus
his honest earnings into land, should
have It confiscated? What better than
robbery Is that-aud the virtuous critic
gives us withering look Of outraged
honesty, which In thA-eyes- of the un.
thinking Is equivalent to annihilation.
President Walker and Prof. Clarke. OF
Smith college. are prominent In this
role. Al truth crushed to earth will rise
again. we come mp smiling. to ask who
Is doing the conAscation? What does
the single tax propose TO take? Sim
ply the economic rent or annual value
which the growth of the community
has gwen to the land Taking for the
benefit of the people value which
they alone have made. Is Justice, not
confiscation.
Our proposition is to put q stop TO the
present confscation, and to rescue
from private appropriation what
belongs to the public. II compen-
sation is to be made. 1t
should be from him who appropriates
te him who Is desl oiled, not the re-
verse. And one would think that even
preJidents and professors OF colleges.
observing the crowded and unwhole'
some conditions Of city life-the siums
wherein the wcskingmen and women
are forced to dwell where anguish
drives thousands TO the oblivion OF
drink. and prostitution claims its sub.
jects frosu starving class--wouid
sometimes ssk themselves what COM
pensation ID possible for these victims
which society that arrogates to itself
the name of Christian, offers mp on the
altar of land monopoly.
Emerson understood the true method.
when the stakeholder called for COM
pensatiou-
"Pay ransom to the owner
And nj the bag TO the brim
Who 10 the owneri The Slave fs owner,
And ever WAS Pay him"
To me, as well rs TO many others,
the lessening of poverty and the raising
of wages, which the single tax prom
ises, was an unwarrantsble prophecy,
and in my letter Of sympathy to Mr..
George said: II do not believe thai
your plan Is the panacea of poverty.
s.Nor l." he replied, but am sure
freedom ia" Since then my faith hai
grown and Is growing In the efficacy O
this measure with the fiscal name. II
10 the handmade Of freedom aud mus
unlock the bars and bolta
Voluntary poverty which results
from willful disobedience we have M
concern with, although with altered
conditions and higher standards OF liv
ing that too must wane. But self-de
gradation. as sad - It Is, IL mot thu
; sight that wrings our souls The sensu
alist and idler may be safely left to th'
natural punishment which accompanies
transgression. '.As close - sin and
; suffering joined" !" Is the descriptive linz
; Of Whittier. 1t is the involuntary an.
I enforced misery that Is 80 dreadful
man suffering ct the hands OF hi
brother.
The wonderful increase Of materia
: wealth, which fairly distributed woul'
make want almost disappear, tn
swollen and stolen fortunes, side b
side with the swestrshops and beggarl
the carnival Of luxury and the discon
tent of labor. ALI indicste the danger
which threaten the republic and whic
; we would avert We trge NO arbitrar
remedy, but make the kafe and modeI
! ate demand conveyed In Emerson
= wise words, give no bounties, max
equal laws secure life and property
! and you need not give alma Open th
Z doors Of opportunity to talent m
|, virtue and they will do themselves ju'
: !, tice, and property viii not be In b
hands"