New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1892-05-08

Try CABLE TO THE TvIBCSE
,.,,,,cht; 1872. By The Tribune hssoc,anon
london. Nav THE English Radical Of the
80, school is to be seen at his worst perhaps, in
ling with questions of property, and especially
't,and. Mr. John Morley is the best specimen of
s,,u He has culture sweetness of character, good
~.ort;ons abilities of high order, and
rs;osophy OF politics which leads straight to the
r.,,omless pit. Mr.. Haldane is another, though he
:. not English but Scotch lie also has great
Utilities, and has. too. much philosophy of a GER
.;n sort He and Mr. Asquith, both successful
scotch barristers and Members of Parliament may
W. bracketed with Mr.. Morley-nOt exactly as
,rres for there are few Radicals equal TO either
~ them in character capacity, but as leading
man in the New Radcalism which is eating into
,hc English nature. They are shining examples
Of a truth sometimes forgotten, that learning,
talent. and even honesty. are worse than worth
,ess 10 the State without good sense, Judgment
and balance of mind, in which all of them are
,.cLnr Not word is to be said against any one
Of the three personally. 1t is only as leading
.avocates Of a pcrnicious doctrine that they are
open TO criticism
Mr. IIaldane brought in. Mr. AsQuith supported,
and Mr.. Morley voted for the newest Of many new
hills and proposals for the confiscation of property
in land That, of course, is not the title OF 1t.
The New Radical especially if he is Scot APP
nroachcs his object cautiously. If he wants to
steal. he does not even call it convey Once he
called it, as Mr.. Henry George did. naturalization
But Mr.. Morley. Mr. IIaldane and Mr.. Asouith are
all for certain purposes followers OF Mr.. Gladstone.
and Mr. Gladstone has honestly denounced nation
alization as robbery. The word has, therefore,
necessarily fallen into some dsrepute. 1t is
H. ii; ico1a oil IN
syuonym or substitute Some of them first
chose multiplication Then it was pointed out
that stealing was stealing. no matter who the
thief was II land or property in land he taken
without compensation it is confiscation. whether
the Nation takes it or whether part of the Nation
called municipality takes it. Besides. bill In the
House of Commons must have title. Inc mos'
clumsy title is best liked. partly from custom.
party because il does not put people on their guaru
against the secret aim or sinister effect OF the oiii'
Mr.. Hadane's bill is called in Parliament jar
CON the Local Authorities Purchase OF Liio
bill" It is bill to do two things: first. 10 enapie
local authorities TO acquirc-a shrewdS cnoeeii
,,ord-such land as may be thought necessary III
the interest Of their constituents; secohui!' "
confscate the unearned increment OF the Iu'''e'
If the second is the most shameless, the hrsu -
the most dangerous No more sweeping proposal
was ever seriously made None sum ""'
anywhere passed into law
Mr.. Haldane would set mp an analogy pe'wecn
his measure and these measures under which ,ahu
is taken by railways and other pnonc enterprises
There Is no analogy, not the remotest' E'erSpo"s
knows under what conditions, restrlcuohs' ii'ni
Nations and wise precautions the IfelS'a'"''
grants power to corporations to oo'alh iahu III
certain specified purposes. his Is propoo"i "
IT, AVID horo
buv land not for any specific purpose, but such
Iond on tbov in their wisdom might think likely
70 be wanted, now or hereafter, III TIE genera
interests of the municipalities or counties winch
tho councils represent They may have this iaho
volued They NAV then buy it, or tie 1t up by al
ontion 70 buy at any time within twenty years
at the same valuation. This is speculation OIL 'i'e
largest scale, with the certainty of JoDoing on
scoIo eouallv large If the land increases III
vaue. they will take it. If it decreases 'heS
will let ii alone.
Tho o,yner meantime is practically disposseseu,
II. e oyper and not owner. His lana Is SUI"
.nd ursod II is no longer his own 10 10 aS
h. likes with. 1t is not paid for by the poU"',''
liver II is not certain that 1t ever Is 10 =,
mid for IT. NAV be returned on his hahue, Sho"'u
tho notential buyer change his Nina Inc n."
of the council is a mortgage ior WHICH "0
bas recciyed no consideration. lie cahho' GILL; "
-, ;,l bpv with this county council opuon
,ovn;r,, over him. lie cannot build or o'ierwise
a.-olon his nroperty for the same reason i''
,,ronartv is hung I'D during all this period. rrao-
,icallv il is confscated. If it rises IN value 'o
council gets the benefit If 1t iails' ."e o""'.
m,st bear the loss. Such are Kadicai lucas VI
eouitv. Justice and honesty.
Worse follows. The doctrine OF the "he''n.
increment Is 10 he applied TO land Of tNe s'i' .,,u
., a casual saying OF Johh o'ua'' '
I, is long since Mills authority o1s ,n
10 decline. 1t is doubtful whether he "I.'
,bis particular dogma at all !" y.
sense now given it, it is not certain wneV'ie. -,
he ever held it, lie adhered 10 IL. h' Nv
NO. :, With him fundamental. 1t formed no part
Of that body Of economical doc'rihe ""i0i ."
Mn his hold on opinion. 1t was never argued
80. 7. MS q. most = dictum. Neither Mill nor
anvbodv els, ever drew valid distinction between
,hn ,nsarned ent OF land and the unearnea
increment OF other property. All three OF "'e
New Radicals now conspiring against properly
in land have tried it and have failed; buO the
distinction must bc nade good, If the dogma is
70 avail Nobody yet ventures to say that the
State or society or an artificial section OF society,"
has the right to annex any other unearned mere
ment than that OF land. il a man lhherits raii'
way shares or Government bonds, and without
any help from him they rise in value, 1t Is MOI
proposed, not yet proposed by any Of these gen'ir
men, 70 confiscate this increased value. Society
would make short work of any such pr posaL But
il il is Just for land it is just for other property
Who can define unesrned increment, or say VIVA
i earned, and what is uncarned? IL has nevc
leer done. But here are three agrarian amateur
who would ortain that the owners foresight. busI
ness judgment and good management OF his proPrt
shall go for nothing. Other causes have con
trbuted TO increase the value OF his land, ana th
increase is to be appropriated by the State, De
cause the whole Of it may not have been dircctl.
due to the efforts OF the owner.
TIE House of Commons made short work o
Mr.. Uaklanes bill, rejecting 1t by 10 majority