The sun., 1893-05-07

! 70 so enormous % to tend to press daneerousiy
!. on the limits Of subsistence. II emphasizes
the circumstances under which this power
. may become most dangerous. and Identifies
these ms the conditions OF n Lazy life and cheap
abundance. and OF n consequently low stan
dard OF desires It indicates tho real source
OF danger as lying In such conditions as max Q
the growing numbers OF any community use
less to other men as market for tho products
OF their labor. They thus reproduce nothing
but themselves. contributing nothing to the
increasing number and Increasing com plica-
tion Of the needs and desires which at once
create and satisfy an ever-expanding amount
and an eror-rising level Of demand.
| uI.
Tho Duke OF Argyll allots tho greater part
OF chapter to Mr.. Henry George. with whom.
as 1t Is wol known. he hns had some discus.
sion In tho public prints. The Duke tells us
that In 1879 there came to him from the other
side OF tho world. md from q perfect stranger.
n courteous letter panied by the present
| OF book. The author had read the Dukes
book. The Reign ofLaw." The letter was from
Mr. Henry George. and tho book was Progress
and Poverty" Both were then unknown to
fame: nor was It possible for the Duke fully to
appreciate the co plim ent that was paid to his
| candor until lie found that Mr.. Georges
book was intended to prove that almost all the
evils OF humanity are to be traced TO the very
existence OF landowners. and that by divine
| right land could only belong to every
body in general and to nobody In par
| ticular We are reminded that In The process
sion OF new opinions which had begun to pass
across the European stage while Voltaire was
sun upon 1t. this particular opinion against
properly In iand had been advocated by jean
jacques housseau. Voltaire turned his glance
upon THIS opinion. and this Ia how he treated
IL: y. lave you !orrotten that Jean Jaoques.
ono OF tho iathers oi the modern church. has
oa'. '''a. Tue hrst man whe dareo 10 enclose
Snu eu''i'a'e oi' Oh iahd was an enemy Of tho
human race VINO ought to be extermtnated.
and that tho fruits Of tho sarh belong to all.
ana that the iand oe'ongs to nobodyP A Who
~ thts jean JACQUES he must be some Hun
oi poia nina VINO mas written this abomina-
o'e ioiS. OF some taa Joker VINO has had
nhihu 10 riuicuie that whlch TO tho whole world
mas oeeh the most certain OF all truths" Tho
bukeoi ArEyl discaims Tor MS part any tncli-
nation 70 snare the mockiae spirit OF Noltaire
wheh ne Is invited 10 LOOK at tho fallacies of
com mun'sm. But two things he says. were
ciear 10 MIN on reading MIR. Georges
pooR. Ihe hrst was that tho writer's
loea OF tho ownership OF land was almost en-
ureiy Iouhued on tho special facts con-
nee.eo win IL IN country In process OF
hrse setuemens under very peculiar condi- |
uont. In california and othor States OF the |
Iar west Mr.. George saw speculative pur- |
chassrs buying land In Erea. quantities as |
investments Tor reoale Mt n high profit when
the rising stream OF population should create
q new market for it. This. In he Dukes view.
Is perfectly legitimate or~ration. and is
directly contemplated AS In TIE public interest
oy every new community which desires to
make the most OF its territory by holding out
this inducement to settlement It's. however
conceded that 1t Is the condition OF ownership
In law which brings most into notice a uni
versal feature In oil values. that they depc nd
on the advent OF new or Of an increased de-
mnnd 1t was natural. therefore. that the
orist in California should see every objection
and prejudice that can be srrayed against the
operation Of this law o. values as exhibited in
the raw exam pies OF a new country On the
other hand. the Ddke maintains that Mr..
George had no conception OF the con-
tinued outlays on land which had gone
on for generations in old countries. and which
have gradually Incorporated centuries OF
equipment and OF management with tho bare
original right OF exclusive use over tho soil.
This was. however. not the only specially Of
81 Progress ana Poverty" which at once struck
our author. Another thing seemed clear Tho
whole conceptions OF the book turned upon
tho Ricnrdian theory OF rent supplem ented
by the Ricardian theory OF wages. and. more.
over. upon an unQuestioninr assumption Of
tho Ricardian theory OF values In its crudest
form. According to the latter theory. tho value
Of everything is determined by tho quantity OF
nero manual labor bestowed uron tho pro.
iuction OF it. But tho theory of rent was tho |
ulcrum or leverage by means OF which Mr..
5eorge's philosophy was to unset tho world.
ovest In ;ts or,lity ma, boi1 80 J...,.t |
he value OF all similar things that have bettor
md higher qualities, The poorest land. that
'unnot be let out on hire at ALL will be tho
muse why richer land can be lot at n good |
ent II costermongsrs require doukevs. the
existence Of donkeys SO weak and worn ont as I
O be worth little or nothing mora than {
he cost OF their keen will be the determining &
ause Of the value OF young and strong dom
,eys able to get through much work. Such. ,
to the Duke Of Areyll IA tho ever {