The Seattle post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, Wash. Terr. [Wash.]) 1888-1914, 1899-11-24

AMUsEMENTs TODAY.
THIRD AVENUE THEATER-'Fogs''
Ferry
SEATTLE, FRIDAY, NOVEMBER p
MIR. oRosBY,s LETTER.


When Mr. John S. Crosby. in his lee
ture at the Seattle theater, declared
Thomas Jefferson to have been be-
lever in the principles urged by the fol-
lowers OF Henry George. the Post-In-
teIligencer challenged the statement
and asked tho lecturer to point out
where, in any Of his writings or
speeches, the sage OF Monticello had
opposed the principle OF private owner
ship Of land. MIR. Crosby agreed to fur
nish the information desired. After an
interval Of several months the Post
Intelligencer Is in receipt OF the letter.
which appears on this page.
The work referred to by Mr.. Crosby
II not to be found In Seattle and the let
ter from Mr., Jefferson to Isaac McPher-
son does not appear In Randairs Life
of Thomas Jefferson" to which we are
confined. The letter to James Madison.
dated Paris. September 6. 1889. together
with Madison's reply thereto. Is pub
liShed in the appendix to Randalfs
work. This letter is annotated by Mr.
Randall: Jefferson TO Madison. on the
question. Can one generation OF men
bind another?'" and seems to have
been brought to the writer's attention
by conditions then existing in France.
II
tail. by which an estate can be incum-
ibered far beyond the life OF the one In
curing the debt. as being unjust to the
succeeding generation, and also sug-
gests that the same Is true OF nations,
which should not be permitted by law
to incur Indebtedness beyond the power
Of one generation To pay. lie assumes
the pos;uiate that the earth belongs
In usufruct to the living: that the dead
have neither powers nor rights over H."
and makes his argument therefrrm. In
his reply. Mr.. Madison. while admitting
that he had not given the subject deep
thought. sums up Mr. Jefferson's argu-
ment as follows;
AS the earth belongs to the living. not
10 the dead, n living generation can bind
itself only. In every society the viii % the
majority hlnds the whole: according TO
the laws OF mortality. a majority % thass
ripe fer the exercise OF their viii 90 not
live beyond the term OF seventeen years,
10 this term, then. Is limited the validity
Of every act of society; nor can any ac;
ia 4tet fsx tpfn
express declaration of the public will"
'"rhss'' he adds. II unferssana TO be ths
outline OF ths argument"
Mr. Madison argues that debts may
be incurred with direc. view TO the
interest of the unborn. as well as OF
the living, Such are the debts incurred
for repeliing a conquest, the evils Of
which descend through many genera
tions. In these instances the debt
cusht not - he disohargeahle within a
period Of seventeen years, etc. IL the
earth be the gift OF nature to the lv-
ing." says Mr.. Madison, their TITLE can
extend 20 the earth in It's natural state
only. The improvements made by the
dead form a debt against the living.
who take the benefit Of them" There
IL nothing sald In either letter which
discloseS the writer's opposition 20 the
private ownership OF land. Mr.. Crosby
quotes Mr. Jefferson as writing to Mr..
Mcpherson In 1878:
cit Is agreed by these who have serl-
Dusty considered toe subject thai no i,s8l-
vidaal has. % natural rsght. q s~aArats
property in an acre o. ls1lt"
What IL this natural rsshte II is the
right Of the noInAd. the savage, ths
man without a government. without
society ana wlthout country n APP
appropriate To his own uSa pnoccupiei
isnds-to hold them - his awa use
s.ntn he chooses "a abandon sAem or
some one stronger than he tisposssSsei
him. The stronger bad the natural
righs" 10 drive away the weaker ar3
possess himself Il TIE desnoii@I oHs's
land or whatever else be chose u take.
When governments were termed. 1en
gave IN certain natural rights for the
good az society, and men were protected
I'm the possession 81 their rroperty and
among other things The rsshs 81 insi~
~.dnai ownership of land N9as PER-
epaaaa A. AAs ssxa Esssx-