The herald., 1894-12-04
THE UNEMPLOYED.
THE PROBLEM DISCUSSED BY THE
SINGLE TAKERS.
The Proposed Organization OF the N.
NJ. p. A.-Ralph Hoyt Claims
That Land and Labor Are
Kept Apart.

The single tax meeting last night in
Blanchard Fitzgerald hall, the new
quarters of the club, was attended by
large audience and the exercises were
of the liveliest and most interesting
character. Instrument tai music OF
high order Was furnished by Charles F.
Walters and N. s. Guzmsn. also by
Prof. Singleton, the autoharp
player. Music WAS followed by
the reading of paper proposing
the organization OF the IN. P. Az,
written by Mr.. w. s. Creighton, but
read by President Ralph Z. Hoyt, owing
to Mr.. Creighton being too i'll to be
present. The document was q fine
satire on certain things which the
writer had in mind, and cop tanned many
splendid hits which the large audience
highly appreciated and loudly applaud.
ed. The production will doubtless ap-
pear in print at an early day.
OF the unemployed and what should
be done to abolish involuntary poverty
was opened for discussion and kept up
vigorously.
Ralph E. Hoyt opened the discussion.
Among other things he said:
This problem of how to deal with
the unemployed element in society 10
serious one. and is becoming more seri.
GUS ss the opportunities for earning an
honest living grow smaller by degrees
and beautifully less. So far &c relates
to men who are tramps or vagabonds
from choice those who need work but
refuse it 30 long as they can exc out q
miserable existence by begging. the
only way to deal with them 10 to compel
them to work or leave the country.
But with those who need employ msnt,
are seeking for IL, and cannot find it.
the case is quite different. Az yet
have heard OF but one plan for their re-
/ lief that is anything more than mere
makeshift-a temporary resort which,
while it might render q few human be.
ings less miserable for . short time,
would soon collapse, leaving the cause
of involuntary poverty untouched and
she ia payers with less money in their
pockets. Whenever We are confronted
by human beings suffering from lack OF
food or shelter it is our duty to relieve
them if possible, and we generously do
30 without stopping to inquire into the
cause OF the distressed condition. But
tonight les us see il we can not asoer-
tain why there are millions OF people
seeking vainly for employ ment in .
land sufficiently productive to sustain
the entire population Of the world. The
cause is not to be found in our competi-
| tive system, in financial jugglery, in
contraction OF the currency, in high
rates of transportation, or even in tariff
| lawe. Whatever evils may be wrapped
up in any or all OF these things, they are
not the underlying cause of present con-
ditions. The foundation cause lies in
the fact that land and labor, the only
factors of production, are kept apart
by unjust laws. Everything We cat,
drink, wear or otherwise utilize and en-
JOY is the result of labor applied direct.
ly or indirectly to land. 1t is impossi.
BILE for labor to exert itself without the
use Of land. Therefore, TO whatever ex-
tent labor is shut from access to the
passive factor in production. to that ex-
tent labor is cramped, oppressed and
enslRved. The one word landlordism is
the real key to industrial depression
and the existence of swarming srmies
of unemployed seeking for jobs which
they fail to find. 1t was the apprecia-
tion OF this fact that induced Mayor
PinRree. Of Detroit, Republican, though
he is, to devise a plan by which large
percentages OF the idle land and idle
labor in that city were successfully
brought together.
No matter what may be said or done
toward affording immediate relief for
the unemployed who honestly seek foe
work, or for the punishment of impoe-
tors. this problem OF giving employ ment
to labor can never be settled till IL is
settled right ; and it will never be set.
IL 4, II - a.. 1oI 81
justice and natural laws. Every
other go called remedy is
only piece OF temporary
furnishes oil the raw material required
for wealth production. Give labor easy
access 10 that raw material and there
need be NO idle men, unless idle from
choice; while idle land that is valuable
would soon show signs OF improvement.
The single tax offerS the only real solu-
tion of this most serious problem"
/. The discussion was continued by M.
v. York. j. o. Blakely, Mr.. Van Slyck
and others on the part of the Populists,
and by @. A. Miller, III. W. Conkling, Ira
B. Wood and Samuel Levi representing
the single takers. The latter speakers
earnestly contended that none Of the
palliatives proposed by the others would
avail any thing Of consequence 90 long as
the source OF production continued to be
monopoIized by private parties.
Each speaker on either side was en-
Enthusiastically applauded, the audience
being divided in sentiment, Altogether
it was one of the most spirited discus
sions ever known at q single tax meet-
ing in this city
The chair announced an address next
Monday night by Hon. Lawrence Dun
ham, Of New York city. on Labor and
Capital. to be followed by discussion
and questions.