The times., 1897-05-17
LABoh,s ONE OPPORTUNITY.
A LaymaB's Views on the Single
Tax EIoquently Expressed.


III the absence Of DR.. Kent from the
Peoples Church yesterday morning the
pulpit was occupied by Mr.. John c. Bra,.-
shaw, OF Winfield, Kan. Mr.. bradshaw is
the private seer etary OF Congressman
Botkin, Of Kansas. The discourse, the
subject Of which was the labor problem,
wds eloquent in the extIen-e and drew an
audience or vast numbers. In the course
of his remarks Mr.. Bradshaw said:
''In the middle ages The labor problem.
was solved In summary manner. The
barons owned the land and the only alterna-
tive left the laborer was 10 attach himS
to the fortunes of some feudal despot The
old tory idea was 10 enrich the lords an1
gentlemen SO that they might dole out a
pittance to the yeomen. The modern idea,
as expressed by a certain class, is to
protect and enrich few favored indus
tries so that monopoly baTons may lole
out a pittance 10 wage-eaIners. 1t is an
eminent success so far as the protected
barOns are concerned
"Tbe productive power of labor was never
SO great as now, yet never has labor
struggled go hard and received So small
q share of the values it has created Oar
purblind politicians are striving TO clothe
the conditions of todaysin the mesger gar
ments of aneconomic system that prevailed
when great areas of our public domain
lay open to the willing homeseeser
Mankind viii never be permanently
benefited by spasmodic outbreaks of char
ity. 1t is lot charity that labor wants,
but opportunity. Neither can the labor
10 ~ Ie,
worn platitudes OF the old fossilized relics
of antiquity who usually constitute tie
Presidents Cabinet In the Administration
of Grover Cleveland the colossal intellect
of ]. Sterling Nor ton made the remarkable
discovery that the American people eat
too much. The farmer and laborer have
always been taught that overproduction
is the cause of all their woes. They will
be thankful to Mr.. Morton to learn that
overeating is what troubles them.
What, then, is the solution Of the labor
problem? The single-tax is the most lcgl-
cal solution ever offered. Land Is as u
dIspensable to labor as are light and air
and water. Those who are allowed 10
monopolize land hold the world of labor
at their feet. SO long as land is cheap
Labor is dear, and employment plentiful.
When land becomes dear labor becomes
cheap and employment hard To find.
IAN illustration may be found In the
settlement of our public domain. .st was
tine opening oe these lands, and lat pro
lection, that made American wages higher
than In other countries. When the work
man was out of emplo yment he had access
to the cheap lands Of the West. And
there in that broad empire labor performed
a greater miracle than was wrought by
the rod Of Moses in the wilderness. 1t
smote the rock that frames the worl1 and
gave to man sandstone for building, N arble
for decoration, and jewels to adorn he
brow of youth and beauty. 1t touched the
soil an ID 1t smiled with flowers of mill on
hucs, and gold Of harvest fields and the
billowy green of emerald meadows.
ut felled the forest and piled with
plenty the rugged mountain side. At Its
magic touch palaces and temples reared
their stately walls. Cities arose, the will
derness receded, and homes were filled
with love and hope and Joy. 1t waved It's
wand, and the wigwam became the cot
tage, where hands Of love twined the rose
aud jessamine and music's myriad voices
thrilled the heart of the pioneer. It fol-
lowed the dimly blazed bride paths Of the
desert, and they expanded into mighty
highways of traffic and travel 1t en-
tered the primitive canoes, and they Were
transformed into magnificent floating pal
aces, plying from busy mart to busy mart,
carrying the commerce Of the world. No
myth or fairy legend can compare with
the achievements wrought by labor when
the land lay open before 1t.
THE single tax would have the same
effect as the opening Of public lands 1t
would destroy land speculation. and make
natural resources so cheap and abundant
the men now idle could maintain
themselves. This would remove enforced
competition. Then labor could make it's
terms instead of being compelled to ask
permission to toll. Drive out the land
speculator, open up the opportunities Of
nature, and the labor question win settle
itself -