Industrial freedom. [volume] (Edison, Wash.) 1898-1???, 1898-07-09
sUYLOCK, PATRIOT.
BY PETER L. BURROWS.

The principle of state control or
state ownership or state anything
but police, military and light taxes
is always rcpuguant to the land leech.
Yet he always has his eye open
towards the capitol where his deeds.
are recorded aud where his duns and
his gums are kept in readiness. Pri-
vlte ownership claims for the indi-
vidual-under the guns of the much
reviled state. mark you the indi-
viduaIs power of withdrawing the
earth from use. If this Internal
wrong of withdrawal were not includ-
el in the light of private ownership
of land no socialist would care very
much who is nominal owner so long as
nothing is unused or abused.
In point of fact the individual ac-
QUESTION and ownership Of land Is
based upon this presumption that the
late really stands above all other
owners: who only own through its
sanction. endorsement and protcC-
ton. If the eminent ownership Of
the state we're not always the fact
underlying land acquisitions we would
all be standing on the fences of our
holding with guns in our hands t. de-
fend our purely Individual acqusl-
tions, by force of arms. against all
corners, But the iudividualist, while
damniag the statc.dcvoutly comes to
the communion rail and swallows
with unctuously closed eyes all laws
consecrated to himself
The state is declared a contracting
party to the sale of land. Why must
it alone be held forever to the deed:
No matter how vile the misuse made
Of his occupancy by the party OF the
second part, the party of the first,
that il. the imbccile state. must re-
main bound hand foot to all the con-
sequences of d bad contract Private
owners make no such contracts with
each other as they feign the state to
have made with them. No misuse of
favors: no scandalOus abuse of pow
ers: no degradation of land: no pollu-
ton OF streams no stripping of TO-
liage: no telling of timber: no firing
of forests: no exhausting of soil: no
depopulation of the nation. can or
shall give the state any cause for re-
lease or interference with the rights
of property which it alone created
or for resembling the terms of an
abused agreement to which in the
public interest alone, as d state, it
becomes one of the contracting par
ties with class.
Pensions are revoked, marriages
dissolved, charters annulled, death
sentences repealed. nay, the very
constitution itself is revised for cause
shown. And shall the private owner,
booted and armed. be permitted alone
to keep his heel on the neck of the
state. demanding that nothing ever
agreed to, that made for his interest.
shall ever be reConsidered, can ever
be wrong. This is the anarch insanity
which prevails among the property
class. Scorn. treason and rebellion
ever smouldering in their hearts. ever
ready to break forth in violence
against sentiments of justice. And
since the time has come when senti-
ments of justice can no longer be
kept from growing in human society,
we must make up our minds to part
with the growing heart and the grow
ing brain of the world, or else part
with the growing insolence and di-
minishing oyalty of the property
class.
But it is not with questions of land
and property that the state should be
chiefly concerned today. 1t is with
the crime, the paradox Of poverty.
This alone Is worthy Of our entire
consideration. Nothing else worthy
,of a thought. until this foul disgrace
is removed from our civilization.
And if any property Law fosters pow
erty. that law should 20 at once.
Can the state that gave never take
back, even though She discovers that
hunger j. the consequence: Did the
state expire when Your contract was
signed SO that She cannot resCinds l.
the state alone to remain among un-
peuiteut thieves for your benefit,
Can a state never undo her own mis-
doing or ought NOT the property men
10 throw of their disguise of reason
lug and boldly declare themselves