Kansas agitator. [volume] (Garnett, Kan.) 1890-1905, 1901-09-06
PROSPERITY RIGHTS.
NO PERSON NAY OWN REAL
ESTATE.
Every Acre OF Land In the Country Is
owned by the Whole People Through the
National Government - Taxes Are
Simply Rent.

There is more superstition IN reSaru
to property rights than there is in re-
gard to religion. For example, the
average property holder believes that
what he owns he owns absolutely, and
he becomes indignant when told that
he cannot do as he pleases with his
own. Yet this Is exactly what he can
not do. Title to real estate originates
from the sovereign power. and the
land is inherently subject to he right
of eminent domain. The man who
owns lands through which the stale
wishes to extend some public improve
ment, and who does not wish to sell,
finds that the government takes his
property and gives what it thinks is
fair compensation. In other words, he
learns swiftly and surely the lesson
that the governments title is superior
to his own. His property may be taken
even without compensation, whenever
tie sovereign power sees fit to do SO.
1t is impossible for the state to en-
tirely ALLEVIATE property and to give
to any holder the absolute control. In
its ultimate sense, property simply
means dominion-a dominion that is
entirely artificial and is simply guar
anteed by the state, which is created
in this country by the people.
Neither is the title to personal prop
erty absolute. 1t is subject to the
rights of the state Stocks, bonds,
notes and mortgages are merely the
creation of statutes. The provisions
for enforcing rights under them are
also created by and subject to the will
of the people. They could not exist
without laws for the enforcement of
debt.
The individuals who consider them
selves absolute monarchs of what they
survey should be reminded that with
out the slightest pretense of injustice
the public can at any time, repeal GER
tain statutes which will give the peo-
pie back a portion of that of which
they have been robbed in other ways
than those pertaining to taxation. The
so-called owners would be utterly
powerless to prevent such step. Re
peal the wills act and man may still
make a will, but it would be absolute
ly nugatory. His property would de-
scend according to the statutes Of de-
scent. Repeal the statutes of descent
and the property would revert in the
state, or be open to the first conner.
This is a fact recognized by the SUI
preme court of the United States and
by every tribunal that attempts to use
reason as basis of decisions. The
remedy can be applied at any time.
There Is absolutely no right in the
dead, so far as the disposal of prop,
erty is concerned, and wills only speak
from the time of death. The only re-
course of the owner would be to dis
pose of his holdings during life. Even
this method can be made SO onerous
as to bring about the same result.
Provisions for registering documents
showing change of title may be made
stricter heavy fees may be imposed on
the transfers, the ordinary taxes on
real estate might be so graded as to
take for taxation all rents above the
cost of repairs, insurance and rea-
sonable rate of interest on the value.
AS to corporations and trusts, they
are not dangerous, If people wish to
control them. Foreign corporations
can be prevented from doing business
in the different states. The law for
bidding such bodies to exist may be
repealed, and in cases where the cor
poration has been granted exclusive
rights under charters these can be null
lifted by counter licenses and restric-
tions. When the people have become
convinced that the foolish persons who
are allowed to rule by means of prop
erty laws are not grateful enough for
the privilege which they now possess
to honestly pay their taxes, then the
people should adopt the simple remedy
of repeating some of the laws enumer-
ated.-H. M. Ashton in Chicago Amer
lean.