Idaho County free press. [volume] (Grangeville, Idaho Territory) 1886-current, 1894-04-20
LAND MONOPOLY.
IT'S Effect Upon Labor and Capital and the
Xviii Results ~ Produee.

IT'S Effect Upon Labor and Capital and the
Evil Results u Produces.
Congressm an J. g. Magaire ia Washington
Times.
There is only one general artificial con-
dition at all capable OF bringing about in
dustrial depressions that has existed in
all countries to which they have extended
and throughout the whole period during
which the world has been afflicted with
industrial depression. That cause 10 the
private monopoly of land, the only source
from which labor and capital can produce
wealth the only foundation upon which
industry and commerce can prosecute
the production and exchange Of wealth.
This monopoly control of the natural re-
sources and Of the exclusive means of
wealth production has enabled the monop-
olists to absolutely control production
and to exact from labor and capital every
where share in the distribution of the
wealth which labor and capital have pro-
duced, measured and limited only by the
avarice OF the monopolists themselves.
With this power in the hands Of the
land-owning class, with no limit to its
exaction Of ground rents and royalties
from industry, save it's own avarice, there
is constant temptation and tendency on
|
larger share Of the results of industry and
commerce than labor and capital can
possibly afford to pay, thus making pro-
duction and exchange improbable to
labor and capital and causing production
and exchange to cease for the time being.
To illustrate this pressure Of ground
rent against production, let us suppose
that a given piece of land, no matter
whether it be for agriculture, or pasture,
or manufactures, or commerce, has pro-
ductive capacity of IL; that the cost Of
capital used in the production is 4, and
the cost of labor is 4, leaving margin of
4 over the cost OF production.
This margin the landlord (or the COM
mrnity) may take without in any way
interfering with production. Taking the
margin leaves the cost of production un.
impaired But suppose that the land
, lord, in order to make his land "pay de-
cent interest on it's value" should de-
, mand five parts, instead of four, as rent
What effect would that arbitrary increase
of rent have upon labor and capital?
1t would Immediately make production
: improbable to them notwithstanding thu
J fact that the location would naturally
yield large margin over the cost OF pro
duction. The landlords occupying thu
) controlling position, capital and labo
can do nothing but subm it land fgh
among themselves) until the landlord ex
, action becomes unhearable and then pro
duction ceases until either reduction o
, ground rents or an increase in the nat
: ural margin of production, resulting from
y inventions or other causes, enables labo
and capital to resume production at
profit.
The checking of production by thi
pressure at one point lessons the deman,
Q for production at other points until fin
ally the whole network of our industrial
a and commercial system becomes para
]. lyzed, involved in an industrial depres
, sion." This is the true cause of indus
a trial depression. ,.t.
q Every check given to industry lowers
i. in the margin Of production, and groun
j. rent which is properly the productio
q only, should fall with that margin, br
!. it does not 30 fall. 1t rises with ever
r tide of prosperity and it follows prosperit
l. to it's highest point, but it does not ia
a when prosperity ceases. 1t continues il
70 exaction until labor and capital al
"a practically bankrupt, and then it fal
q only to give the victims of land mouopol
n another chance to provide tbemselvt
;s with means to pay further tribute.
II The single tax in it's unlimited appl
q. cation would take for public use the q,
"a act margin of production, taking eha
! of production small enough to leave lab
4. and capital their full reward, but lar,
al enough to make monopoly at all tim
Nv profitable.