The independent., 1903-05-14
QUESTIONS IN BASIC PHILOSOPHY
Creston, Ia.


of The independently
Out of the silence comes all wisdom.
Hence, the advent of the twentieth
century finds the minds of men reach
ing as never before to gather frora
the great ocean of thought the key
to perfect civilization.
Throughout the ages that have with :.
cred and passed, men have delved and
brought forth PHILOSOPHERS, many Of
which have served their purpose and
gone by the wayside, while others are
timid and elusive.
To the world, the basic prin-
ciple has always been dreaded
bogie whose presence Is tolerated only
as a passing thought. In every age,
men who were first to beard the lion
OF social mal-adjustment have reaped
for their pains a harvest of scorn ana
persecution. But new era has just
daWned, bringing with Ii the light o.
resplendent day-resplendent with the
azure of fearless investigation. Hon
esty Is fast displacing duplicity, and
the counsel OF the saviours Of men is
being more eagerly sought.
That the earth Is the storehouse Of
nature Is being recognized from the
standpoint of him who would demand
an equal right with all other men to
free access to Its surface. But the
fundamental proposition that the
mental, material, and religious prog
ress OF man depends upon such right
Is treated by many with that doubt
which Is born Of the narrow prejudices
Of selfshness. Hence, propagandists
are driven to subterfuge to obscure
the real goal for which their philos-
ophy Is heading. Philosophers have
sought to discover more obscure
pathway by which to lead the selfish
TO the throne Of justice, and educators
have devised methods In which basic
truth Is deftly concealed.
But to him who believes that truth
needs not the cover OF expediency,
honest interrogation seems the easier
way. Holding to this belief, the writer
would ask the world to answer the
following questions: ..4
First-Given planet on which man
| finds himself without shelter or raj
ment and upon the fruits Of which
alone his life can be sustained, Is 1t
not a fundamental Slpposition that
as long as he Is not denied the right
| to gather and SOW and reap at vii, ,
| he will utilize the fruits of the earth
to his own comfort and elevation un-
til he evolves out Of the primitive and
eventually reaches the pinnacle Of per-
| in 1ynn L.,
Second-Given a planet on which
man finds himself without shelter or
raiment and upon the fruits Of which
alone his life can be sustained Is it
not fundamental fact that, If he
is denied access to the fruits of its
soil, he will wither and die? Is it
not also a fundamental fact that
If he Is denied the right to fully reap,
to just the degree Of curtailment of
that right will his progress in civili-
zation be retarded? Then is it not
true that, If some of the men of earth
are compelled to surrender to other
men, for the privilege of the right to
such access, part of the fruits gath
cred by them, all of mankind are re-
tarded to that degree in their progress
in civilization?
Third-Taking as a basis the fun
damental fact that man cannot
sustain life In the flesh without ap-
plying his labor to land, is it not true
that it is not possible for man to
reach the highest ideals in civiiiza-
tion until each and every able-bodie
individual directly or indirectly, ap-
plies his labor thus, reaping and ap-
propriating all, and only, that which
he gathers by his labor? But can such
a condition obtain as long as land is
recognized as private property? Fo-
does not the legalizing of private own
ership Of land imply the right to ex-
clude others from the use OF 1t? And
having once delegated this right to
man, does 1t not follow-it has al
ready done so-that some men will
appropriate more of the land than
they can use, for the selfish purpose OF
compelling other men to divide the
fruits of their labor with them? Then
IL these questions must be answered in
the affirmative Is not private owner
ship Of land fundamental error and
the one great thorn In the side oi
progress in civilization which, wher
removed, will make men free, givinf
their brain and Drawn full sway tt