The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1894-06-15
Rent of Land and Rent of Money.

Rent OF Land and Rent OF Money.
The single tax disciples claim that all
men land women too) have an "equal'
right to the use of the land But to enable
any one to enjoy that equal right he
must be i'll condition to enjoy or exer-
else it. 1t will readily occur on
moments reflection that vast multitudes
are not in that condition and never can
be- This host must seek employment
from others who possess organizing abil-
ity. In order that these organizers may
have the power to expand the field of, or
for labor to its greatest extent, they must
be supplied, or afforded the means of
supplying themselves, with the indispen-
sable tool of labor and the medium which
enables all business to be transacted,
which is money.
Freeing the land from the grasp of
monopoly and allowing this indispensable
medium to remain III the control of mo-
nopo1y as at present, will not result in the
dream of the single tax being realized.
The man or money monopolist who can
exact interest, all that the business will
BEAR will take all that the single tax sets
free. The single taxer says the State is
entitled to and should take all the rent
for public use that society creates or is
the source Of Very we'll. Without the
use of money society would be powerless
to create rent. Money is indispensable to
society. 1t cannot organize an advance
without it. AS surely as the land is the
gift of the Creator for the use of man, so
surely is money the creation of society for
the benefit and use of society In the
sense society is used in discussing this
question implies government. If govern
nent, responding to the demands of the
people created money for their use as
effect follows cause, it is the duty of gov
ernment to prevent the monopoly of
money and supply the people with it at
cost. They are now supplied through
banks and individuals who 1nonopolize it,
hold it out of use and charge high rent
for the privilege of using money i'll the
production Of wealth.
The Insurers who 1nonopolize money
own it in the sense that the landlord owns
land. The latter has gathered together
money which he has exchanged for land
that he foresees will be demanded by
society i'll the near future for use. De
mand creates price or rent always
The individual money loaner has ex-
changed property for as much money as
his ability can control, and assists to the
extent of his ability to hold it out of use
and create the greater demand for money
by making ii artificially scarce, the same
as the landlord creates an artificial scar
city of land where the demand is greatest
for its use
The bankers are granted corporate
privileges to still further control the
money by gathering it into their custody
and loaning that which is deposited with
them at a rate of interest which the most
needy will pay. This compels all who
use money in the industrial pursuits to
pay the utmost farthing in the shape of
rent or interest for its use.
This is fully as great an extortion and
imposition on the industrial classes as the
monopoly of land and should be pre-
vented, not by demanding this money
rent or interest from the usurers, who
bear the same relation to money that the
land lord or land monopolist bears to
land, but by establishing government
repositories or banks for the safe keeping
and distribution among the people at
rate of interest which would barely cover
the cost of the work. This would set
money free to all users of money, who
gave the necessary security for the return
of the loan at its maturity, the same as
the distribution of money is now effected
minus the drain of interest which goes
into the pockets of the money cornerers,
which interest would remain i'll pos
session of the laborer who now must part
with large portion of the wealth he
creates to pay the idle money inonopolist
Free money and fee land must go hand in
hand-free in the sense that government
shall protect the users of both from the
non producing monopolist of both