The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1901-10-26
The RIGHTS Of NAN
Civilization involves government.

Civilization involves government.
Government IN the power Of all.
delegated to chosen number, with
view to the conservation Of the
rights Of each, and the defense of such
rights against the encroachment Of
any. ~ ..
The existence Of government involves
expense.
The only source from which this ex-
pense can be met is taxation.
Taxation meets q contribution from
each individual to the common fund,
the amount contributed in each case
being the fair and just equivalent of
the benefit conferred by government.
The payment Of taxes, therefore,
means the giving up to the common
fund by each citizen of some portion
Of that which he possesses, as the
price of the benefit which he obtains
in the conveniences supplied and the
protection afforded by government.
All that the individual possesses is
included in the terms, his rights; and
the payment of taxes accordingly in
wolves the REIMBURSEMENT of the
portion of his individual rights fof
the general benefit.
Individual rights are of two kinds
natural and legal.
Natural rights are those liberties
and authorities which a man pos
sesses by virtue OF human law, which
is to be regarded as expressing the
consent and permission of his fellow
men.
I. Amongst the natural rights Of
man may be enumerated:
l. The right OF life which involves:
a. The right to himself, and there
fore to the use Of his powers and facul-
ties in the providing Of those things
which are essential to the support of
life.
b. The right Of access to those ma
terials from which alone food, clothing,
and shelter con be produced.
c. The right of access to the
natural elements and conditions which
are essential to life, such as air, water,
land, sunlight, rest, sleep, etc.
d. The right to the possession and
use of the product of his own toll.
2. The right Of liberty:
a. Liberty of body, that it's powers
may be adequately used.
b. That he may pass from place to
place and from climate to climate, as
his judgment may direct.
c. Liberty of mind, that he may full
ly enjoy his own thoughts.
d. Liberty Of speech that he may full
~ express his thoughts.
3. The right to the pursuit Of hap
piness:
a. In the choice of physical sur
roundings.
b. In the exercise Of the mental and
moral powers and emotions.
c. In worshiping according to con-
science, etc.
These natural rights are inalienable;
they belong to every man without ex-
ception; they cannot be justly invaded
either by other individuals or by gov
ernments; and their only limitation is
that imposed by the recognition OF
equal natural rights in all other in
dividuals.
III. Among the legal rights Of man
are:
1. The right to enjoy secure and
peaceful possession of specific portions
OF land, that the same may be held or
used by specific individually, to the ex-
clusion of all others, notwithstanding
the natural right of all to all land.
2. The right to enjoy private pos
session of railways, telegraphs, tele-
phones, water works, electric light
plants, and other franchises, notwith-
standing that in every such case a
transference Of authority or sovereign
ty on behalf of the public is necessary,
in the nature Of q public charter.
These legal rights are not inalien-
able; they do not belong to all indi-
viduals, but only to some: they can
be Justly removed or modified by the
human power which has conferred
them; and their Limitation is the
well-being of the community, as that
may from time to time be determined
Now, since taxation is inevitable; and
since it is in its very nature an inva-
sion Of rights-being compulsory levy
on private possessions-the only ques-
ton to be settled is as to which set of
rights shall be invaded.
My contention is that justice and
sound policy dictate that the legal
rights of men and not their natural
rights are the proper subject of tax
alton; that no interference whatever
with the latter can be justified until
the utmost resources Of the former
have been exhausted. For, as al
ready stated, these rights stand on
separate and distinct grounds. L.
gal rights are man-made, man-con-
ferred, and in the true sense secular;
natural rights are God-conferred and
in the true sense sacred. To ask a man
in the name of the well-being Of the
state, to give up in the form of taxes
some portion-or even the whole-of
the value of law-conferred right
(Which is only another name for q
privilege) is only to ask him for some
thing which society has first given to
him; and is something essentially diff
ferent from asking him, for the gen.
eral benefit, to give up some portion
or the whole Of right which he
enjoys direct from his creator. Al
all events, no such demand as the lat
ter should be made except upon the
ground Of absolute necessity: that Is
until it is shown that the taxable re:
sources Of legal rights have been ex.
hausted, and yet the revenue secured
IS inadequate and requires a call to b.
1T 49, M