The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-07-16
DID GOD ORDAIN THE SINGLE
TAY3

DID GOD ORDAIN THE SINGLE
TAX?
We should hope not, if it Is the
same God that the world has claimed
rs it's ruler thus far.
Up to the time that Henry George
began to write, no reformer had ever
questioned but what the Christian God
was back of all political movements,
and bestowed His favors where it was
the most pleasing for Him to do so.
Every despot and tyrant, claimed the
Divine favor, and all the suffering and
misery was supposed to be the abb
sence of Divine acknowledgment.
Faith was made to take the place OF
reason, and upon that foundation, pa
triotism as well as all forms OF re-
ligious beliefs was securely built up.
Every country so far in the worlds
history has been form OF superstl-
ton, in which slavery is a necessity
to perfect it, or bring it up to the
ideal. So if we look the world over
carefully we must come to the con-
clusion that if the God that the world
has claimed in the past as ruler, IS
still to continue the same work, we
must still look for wars, and rumors
of wars, and all the suffering that is
possible, where faith takes the place
Of reason.
Political economy up to the time
that Henry George wrote his Progress
and Poverty was written with the
idea. that the laws of trade and all
laws governing social life, were as
natural as any law of the universe
they might possibly be understood, but
could never be changed. This shows
how firm hold the superstitious idea
has upon the minds of men even
though they may have their minds
developed by the best learning the
world affords.
It seems sometimes as though, If
we should have scientific form OF
government, that the fancies OF man
kind would entirely change. What a
vast amount of poetry, and eloquence
of the highest order has been pro-
duced, to exalt heroes that have been
supposed to manifest devotion that
was far above the average man. even
equal to the angels, as to Divine ap-
proval. The unselfish quality is sup
posed to be the ideal of true manhood.
and so far in the worlds history it is
the only thing to be relied upon for
worldly salvation.
But with scientific form OF gov
eminent, based upon the single tax,
all this would be changed. Sentiment
would no longer be needed if science
pointed out the way. The world would
at once become human, and cease to
labor so earnestly to please God
that delights in suffering, caused by
slavery or some form of seryitude.
The selfish quality in the human race
can no more be done away with than
that power we cali gravity that binds
the universe together.
The unselfish principle seems to be
necessary in order to sustain a sys-
tenn that depends upon servitude to
perfect it's organization. So the great
burden of human teaching has always
been to make man believe that he was
made wrong, and nothing but mighty
process with Divine aid and power
could ever make him right. His great
duty was to belittle himself until he
became fully conscious that he was
the meanest of all creatures that the
Maker ever gave existence. One OF
the greatest mistakes was the endow-
ment of reason.
The great effort of all human organ
izations has been to DO away, or null
lily as much as possible the human
reason. The church has substituted
faith, and to be true believer faith
must be above reason. The political
side of life has claimed that loyalty
to it's institutions was to be the chief
element of human thought; so the
saying my own country, right or
wrong" has been applauded many
times as a declaration of profound
wisdom. But the single tax takes the
ground that man was made right.
Instead of suppressing his powers,
he is to use them with their greatest
force and vigor. There was no mis-
take made when the selfish quality was
given, for we are in a world where if
rightly directed it's benefits will be I'M
bounded. Let every man have right
to the natural opportunities, and all
his efforts he they selfish or other