The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1894-07-20
Highest of all in Leavening PowerLae u s. Govt Report
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has free access, is his property right
against all the world, and no one has
right to deprive him Of il. Our present
, politics economic system ignores this
principle of private property. aS well as
the principle of the equal rights of all men
to the use of the earth because il makes
private property of land thus making il
profitable for spectators To hold land out
! Of use until labor i compelled To yield up
lis fruits for the privilege of access to ii,
invadeS the domain of private property for
the means to pay the common, community,
expenses.
This is just where our labor troubles
Sprang from. The real enemy OF labor il
not legitimate capital which in its prop
er sphere is the helpmate Of labor but
landlordiSm-Urivate property in land
which enables this helpmate To transform
itself into an absolute master and cruel
| oppreSsor This is why every labor-Sav-
| ing device becomes, instead of a blessing,
| only a curse 10 further Cypress labor.
1t is very important that this great truth
should be- perceived ia time by all we'll
meaning people. before the labor orgamiza
lions in Their blind fury bring on a terri lie
revolution which may turn the tide of true
perhaps To repeat this cruelty unjust >yS-
! TEN where the few under the forms of law
opprcsS the many in their bitter struggle
| for subsistence where under natural con-
ditions all could live easily in peace and
| plenty.
ANY one reading j. Ms article may
readily see the chaotic state of the ideas
expressed. He says each one should have
| a Sufficency of land free. = We would
not put tax on industry or improve
mentS." Again: "AlI land is to pay an
equitable rate on a fair valuation Then
he goes On to defend the protective tariff
| system. What il the tariff but a tax ON
trade. and what is trade but industry?
How anyone who is for reform in the
direction of freedom and human rights can
advocate a protective or any other kind of
a tariff is puzzle.
A tariff for revenue is bad enough. The
idea of raising the revenues by taxing peo-
pie indirectly on their expenses instead of
on their incomes in some direct form seems
not only ridiculous but positively cruelty
unjust. especially on the poor " hose " hole
| income does not suffice to keep them in
comfort. But protective tariff which in
addition To the above actually gives the
favored ones the power of laying tribute
on the people for their own private enrich
ment is an abominatinn of iniquity. We
see a result of this monstroSity in the
manner in which the trusts are keeping
their greedy grip on the throat of legiSla-
tiOn in our present congress.
The idea of a free people being deprived
of free trade or free any thing else that is
mortally lawful. is 81 preposterous that il
admits of no explanation except that it is
suSl aimed 10y the avarce of the few and
the ignorance of the many.
j. NJ. says the tariff raises wages Let
us see. A farmer raises one hundred
bushels of wheat. takes it To Europe and
sells il for one hundred dollars. He spends
fifty dollars for supplies for his family.
When he arrives at his native shore he iS
met by an officer who collects fifty dollars
off him tariff. This is the way the
tariff raises the farmers wages.
What nonsense to talk of protecting
labor by tariff on products. while the
gates open to the immigrant.
The protection that labor wants is to
take away the barrier of land monopoly
which shuts out labor except At the terms
of those who own the earth with all its
treasures. This is all that abOr needs
and this the single tax will give.
| His assertion that the single tax would
put the burden on the farmer is too trans
parent to need answering.
| The farmer is taxed now on his land. ms
house, his barn, his implements. the cloth
ing aud food for his FAM V. his stock. the fer
Jilizer he puts on his soil, his fence, not
only for government uses but for the en-
richment of trusts and other mOnOpOliSti,
corporations and waen he is taxed to deatt
his poor widow will be taxed for the very
nails in his coffin. The single tax would
relieve him of all these except a tax ON tn.
bare value of the land exclusive of all i'm
provementS. The land value i not founC
chiefly among the farmers hut in the citie
where one acre is worth -IhouSaudS o
farms and in the vast mineral deposits al
| in the hands of wealthy spectators.
No it is not necessary TO diSpOSSeSS thoS,
. who hold more than their share of land
but simply to base our tax on the lanC
: value due To the presence of population
this will divert capital from its preSen
/ channel where it is an oppreSSor, to it,
proper one as u helpmate of labor and oul
labor difficulties will disappear like the
clouds from the sky on 4 summer morn
ing.
As my friend J. NJ. in a friendly Spiri
challenged any single taXer to a debate OF
that question, he will be accommo ! a tee
cheerfulIy if a suitable time and place caI
be agreed upon.
Thanking for your esteemed favor ant
courtesy, | am yours sincerely, J.F
.