The morning times., 1896-05-31
0ingleTaxC Colunn
Ozzssssz Gus
The Times undertakes no RESPONSE
bility for views expressed In this
column. sp
HOW TO INCREAsE PATRIOTISM.

HOW TO INCREASE PATRIOTISM.
Our numerous patriotic organizations
that are making such earnest and we'll
meant cndeavors TO iDstill the love of
country in the hearts OF all Americans
should investigate the single tax. They
will find il the greatest promoter OF pa
triOtiSm ever yet discovered, for 1t would
enable more Americans TO have homes of
their own. And while men will not lift a
finger to defend mere boarding house, they
will fight valiantly to defend their own
homes.
In tile early years of our republic, when
| every man had a home OF his own TO pro-
! tect and defend, there was no need OF
artificially stimulating mans PATRIOTISM
! by societies organized with that SPECIAL
| end in view. Every man was then born
| patriot, and would as naturally defend his
| own country as lie would his own property,
| because lie owned part OF that country
Is it any wonder now that most men are
| mere tenants in the land that ought to he
| tbut really is noJ) their country; that the
| artificial stimulus of patriotic societies
| is Sc urgently needed To inspire sort OF
| artificial patriotism to supplant the eX-
| piring natural patriotism.
! Indeed the very need of such societies
but too sadly proclaims the rapid decline
| of natural, Unborn, genuine patriotism.
| AS well expect slaves to fight to sustain
! the power of their masters over them as
| expect that homeless Americans will fight
| TO make themselves tenants instead OF land
| lords.
Changing our social system, so that
! every man can easily own his own home,
| will augment genuine, spontaneous patriot
! ism more than all the other methods ig-
noring this fact that auman ingenuity
! can ever devise.
INCREASED RESI- ct FOR LAW.
To command respect, men must deserve
respect by being just. And TO command
respect, laws must likewise he just.
Public respect for man or law ike wanes
when either upholds injustice. BY as
! sociating with evil men, good men incur
| public disrespect, and assocating bad laws
with good ones decreases public respect
| even for the good laws The true friend OF
| law would therefore increase public
respect for all law by eliminating the bad
! and questinable laws.
| Just laws are always consistent with
| themselves. Incons StenCy indicates self
evident injustice. SO, If we tax whisky
and tobacco to lessen their tinjurous) use,
| ought We to tax goods-good things TO
| lessen their tbeneficial) use?
We desire to reward industry and punish
| theft. Nevertheless, he who robs a hen
house is fined once, while he who builds one
| Is fined ttaxed) once every year. To
decrease the number of city dogs, we tax
them. Is it to decrease the city's products
that we tax them?
The more goods are taxed, the less of
| them Will lie produced. The more vacant
lots are taxed the more ofthem are offered
for sale and use. Taxing goods taxes
| labor. while taxing land values taxes
/ monopoly Why tax him who uses land
beneIicially more than him who holds it
| Idle? Unless we wish To discourage i'm
provements, why increase a mans taxes
for making Improvements?
| Let us abolish the incofB2Stency and in
| Justice in our laws and thereby increase
public respect for them and benefit hu
| manity.
PRESENT JUSTICE.
The kind of justice that is delayed
| until the next world is not very inviting
! to honest men. though it pleaseS rogueS
| wonderfully. The former are afraid they
! won't get Justice and the latter are afraid
they will get it. And ardent advocates
OF future rather than present justice are
generally reapinS present profit by the
! delay.
Many persons profess an ardent belief
| in soCialiStic heaven, where each inmate
wears identically similar white robes,
crowns and ha!oes. yet protest in holy
| horror against having any such socia!istic
equality here on earth ard thus lnaugu-
rating such a heaven here. Then he who
than lie who toed similarly only from the
| eleventh hour.
Single takers, however, do not advocate
equal possessions, but only equal opportuni-
ties for all leaving the amount of each
individuals possessions thereafter depend
on the relative amount of his industry and
economy. But they most earnestly be.
lieve in present rather than future Justice.
If injustice is permitted here, why should
it not he permitted hereafter? Posses
sion is nine points of the law and they
desire to have justice now rather than
have it deferred until after death.
FREE MORAL AGENCY
The clergy tell us that 'iman is Il free
moral agent" and build all their argu-
meuts on that assumption. But. if de-
barred from having equal opportunities
with his fellows SO they can financially
euslave him, or, if debarred from free
access to natures reservoirs, without
which he can't live, how can be be free
moral agent?
With only a purchasable right to the
natural elements, by which alone he can
sustain life his free moral agency is
null fled. AS well talk of the free
agency of slave. That man may
really become what the clergy claim he
is-'a free moral agent''-they should use
their most powerful influence to make him
such, by helping to give him free access
to all natural opportunities, through the
single tax. And, until they do so, all their
arguments based on mans free agency
are absolutely nuGatOry.
When deprived of their moral rights men
are no longer morally free. A s Well talk
of free slave as of a " free moral agent"
shOrn OF his fundamental moral right
that of sustaining his life by free access
to ma lures reservoirs
When, like Christ Himself, the clergy
fearlessly denounce the erring modern
"scrihes and PhariseeS,' as He did the
ancient ones, they will follow him nearer
These self-appointed keepers OF public
morals are about as deep In error today
as they were 1000 years ago. And a
consistent regard for truth and Justice
is as necessary to inspire public confidence
now as then.
BY carefully investigating the single tax,
patriotic societies, the clergy and thos e
desiring to promote increased respect
for law will doubtless find that it meets a
iong-felt want. DIV. G.
Discouraging.
''Well. how do you like farming? Has the
hog chole IA got in your pigweed patch yet?''
asked the friend from the city.