The morning times., 1896-07-05
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The Times undertakes no RESPONSE
fbtlity for views Expressed IN this
| column.
THE RIGHT OF PRIVATE PROPERTY
/ When Proudhon said, IAN property is
robbery" he thereby revealed an inner CON
scioumess OF an ethical right to some
thing OF which TO be robbed rs wrong. The
word robbery implies this. for without the
cOnception.Ora a right to something the word
J robbery ceases to have meaning.
This paradOxical proposition OF Proud
| hon is buA one Of a thousand instances that
might be cited in which brilliant minds
have involved themselves in contradiction
| in consequence or their attempts tD theorize
| on social questions without the guidance
| Of the principle OF equity OF equality in the
| fundamental rights OF men. ~
Had ProudhOn denied the right of an hon
| est workman to his wages, the utterance
would have been significant, but, taken as
| it stands. it is incapable of definite inter
probation. 80
The colossal work OF Herbert Spencer, ,ex-
, tending over a period of some thirty years
! was undertaken for a single purpose that
| OF finding for the principles OF right
| and wrong in conduct at large u scientific
basis
Other writers on sociology contend that
These latter seem to think it more scientific
to tell us what sort OF life ,savages lead
than to work out, logically, the simple
principle OF equality before the law toward
which advance in civilization and govern
nient ever tends.
, REASON FOR EXISTENCE.
The truth is, every science has an ethical
reason tor its existence, TO which scientists
constantly appeal In justification OF their
work. The object or all science is kuOwl--
edge, and the individual right to kowledgc
Is the reason FOR our boasted freedom of
thoug gbtand speech whereby advance in sci
ence is made possible. To eliminate NOR
ality from science is to destroy the reason
for its cultivation and Danish faith in its
results -a-r--.' r..., -.
Herbert Spencer has well said that every
real political question is at bottom AN
ethical question. So practical politician
as Lord ROsebery recognized this truth.
While premier OF the English government,
he said In public address: Il believe
that at last the community has awoke toits
liabilities and duties to all ranks and classes.
And believe the people are now inclined to
think that politics Is not merely a game AT
which the pawns have to be sacrificedto TO the
knights and the castles, but 1t is an rl.-
waiting and enDObiing effort to carry into
practical politics and practical life the
principles OF a highermorality."
This was said in response TO an address
from the progressive majority of the
London county council, requesting the in
fluence OF Lord Rosebery's government in
favor of meas ure to secure to the people
of London the power to increase the tax
on land values In that city, so as to reach
the pockets OF the great landlords But 10
single takers, the most significant utterance
OF Lord Rosebery, on that occasion, wis
this:
rhA I n.,h "a
down sOtne principles which will not tie
allowed TO die until they are carried into
effect. Tie first Of these is the Ia xatiun
of ground values.''ii.-
Now If Henry Gebrgeor some other single
taxer had said this the flippant critic would
promptly say 1t was proposition to con
riscate private property But to the siugie-
taxer is II proBusiii.H Ia. check the cop e.
fisca ton Of privateproperty to some extent.
This brings us TO the ma in question: .an-
WHAT Is PRIyATEPROPE
NO one contends that private property
can consist Of the sun or the moon or the
stars. But when IL comes to this planet
we call the earth people make exceptions
They quite generally think that the earth
must he owned as II condition precedent
TO any good use Of, IT,. 1t seems to he
the opinion Of some that no one would be
disposed to use any portion OF the earth
effectively if not required to buy the right
10 use 10 from sJin. ole who did not want
10 use il himself.- .. VI. 80 y 4. j
10 Space does not admit 81 df'nen,ioiitig one
out or a thousand curious ideas afloat about
the supposed necessity for earth ownership.
But the Supreme Court or the United States
has expressed the opinion that what We
call ownership OF land is simply the legal
right to collect rent for its use. pollock
v. Farmers Loan Co, April, ls95D
Now, il Is not at all necessary that Il man
l.lrNd
his private benefit. He can just as we'll
he granted a license to collect rent from
Others who call themselves owners and hold
titles. or course, to avoid confusion tie
license would have 10 design:te the parcels
OF land over which 1t gave the licensee this
power, and If IL Were granted to him his
his heirs and assigns forever, it would be
just as good as a land grant.
But wouldthis license be private properly?
Certainly ii would, in precisely the same |
sense that land is private property now. |
1t wouldbe property created b V law.
Has any man an ethical right to such |
license? The same right that he has to a |
deed to as much land as he can appropriate,
with the power TO collect rent forever |
Whoever admits the Injustice of such a |
license, must condemn landlordism. But |
il rights and legal privileges are ideBiicalin |
nature, considerations of justice and injus-
lice are out OF place. .y ,l,1r -I.-5ls--
The philosophy OF the single tax clearly
rights from legal powers and
privileges. Until this difference is fully
ippreliended IT is impossible to defend the
-igth OF private property consist emily, or
ift our politics above the level of inco-
lerent wrangling. -.....,. .,-,..- -
EQUAL RIGHT TO LAND.
1t is because sin ingle-taxers believe in the
light Of private property that they in
list upon the equal right to lad. Con-
'istently with the right to hold land in
private possession, there IS absolui civ no
way to secure. equality in the
light to acquire and enjoy private prop.
'rty. except by the method OF the single
ak.
The right of private property is Inherent I
n the right OF the worker to wages. III