Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1895-02-23
CORRESPONDENTS.

MI HTTNOSOy VI '''CF'Ne''
MILLBURN, n. j., Feb. 6, 1895.

MI. lISeSey SFiticistu.
MILLBURN, N. j., Feb. 6, 1895.
To the MINING JOURNAL.
am glad to see the MINING JOUR-
NAL accord so much space to the dis
cussion of the Single-Tax system.
| have for many years been firm
believer in the one effective and per-
manent remedy for the social inj justices
under which our civilization is suffer
ing, andI have. therefore, been interest
ed IN the letters which have appeared
from time to time in the JOURNAL from
the pen of Francis B. Livesey.
Ny object in sending you this letteris
not to try to clear away Mr. Livesey's OBJ
jections to the Single-Tax, bit to point
out to HIM proper ground on which the
question should be discussed.
| am clergyman, and, therefore,
an humble follower and servant of
Jesus, but it is great mistake to dis
cuss this matter from IA purel y religious
standpoint. 1t belongs rather to the
domain of social science, and the closer
we stick to the practical and scientific
discussion of the subject the more
easily and quickly we shall reach the
truth. 1t is not claimed that the
Single. Tax rests on the authority of
the Bible or of any part OF the Bible.
1t is great mistake TO bring religious
considerations into the discussion of a
purely scientific question. We all
know how much the progress of both
religion and science has been retarded
by this failure to keep each in its own
legitimate sphere. To be sure, a be-
+lo T,x, ,b,, Al
believer in christianity cannot but feel
the conviction that the abolition of
private monopoly Of land values is in
full accord with the spirit of his Mas
ter's life and teachings, but that is
equally true of every truth that he
finds anywhere in science, or reason,
or philosophy. He halls these truths
as parts Of
"One stupendOus whole,
Whose body nature is
And God the SOUL"
and he himself lays his discovery at the
feet of his Master, to whom all things
both in heaven and earth belong. This,
however, is only the christians sub
jective attitude toward the truth
which he believes he has found, and
cannot be used as an argument by
which to convince others. We must
meet all men on a common ground in
the merits of any scientific proposition.
Nor does the alleged selfishness or
immortality of Sing. e-TaX men, which
seems to bother Mr.. Livesey good
deal, affect the scientific status of the
Single Tax system one way or the
other. Truth is truth, no matter by
whom it is held or uttered. The truths
preached by one who never thinks of
practicing what he breaches are truths
Just the same. The devil cannot turn
truth into falsehood, nor can an
angel turn lie into truth. This pop
uiar error of confounding the personal
character and habits of an individual
with the abstract truths which he holds
always causes confusion, and is as
stupid MS it is disengenuous. All per-
sonalities should be completely elm
mated from the discussion of scientific
matters, as indeed, they always are by
men of science. If Henry George and
everyone of his followers were each a
selfish and greedy landlord, grinding
the poor under his feet, it would no
more affect the real merits of the
Slngle-Tax principle than the pen with
which | am writing affects the law of
gravitation.
If Mr.. Livesey will state his OBJ
jections in a scientific and direct
manner to the Single Tax theory
and leave out everything irrelevelant,
i shall, if you permit me, through your
columns, answer his objections. or else
publicly acknowledge my inability to
do SO. l think it is sheer waste of
valuable time to start out to discuss
the SingleTaX and then to veer off
and discuss everything under the sun
except Single Tax.
Let Mr.. Livesey sit down calmly
and with an open and unbiased mind
think over the whole question, and
believe that what appear to him now
as mountains of difficulty in the Single
Tax platform will vanish like vapor
Mr.. Livesey will always find plenty of
Single-Tax men ready to argue the
question to finish if he will only stick
to the point. W. A. WATSON,
Rector st. Stephens Episcopal Church