The independent., 1903-05-14


BILE to apply the principle. That this
principle was freely recognized in the
earliest ages of society is not now dis
puted by any reputable writer upon
archaic law. Professor Maine in his
Ancient Law shows it very clearly, as
does also Laveleye. 1t Is admitted in
Washburn on Real Property, and, in
general, wherever touched upon by
any standard writer upon the subject.
Blackstone ln his Commentaries says.
There is no foundation in nature or
-tural law, why set of words upon
parchment should convey the domin-
ion of land" (B1. Comm, Book H.,
Gu IL, and he shows further that In
the beginning there was no right OF
private property in land, but only
possessory right. (See, also, Will
lar Real Prop. 18th ed. p. 6;;
Speeches of John Bright, Vol. l, ed.
of 1868; Froude, Hist. of Ireland, blk.
l., ch. 2, sec. s, p. 131; and Hist. OF
England, vol. /, ch. l, p. 20; Locke,
Essay on Civ. Govt, secs. rs and "a;
Voltaire, Dict. Philos., tit. Droit Ca
nonique, sec. 2, Oeuvres. vol. LlV..
D. 1873; Prof. Alfred Wallace, Land
Naturalization, ch. viii, p. 229; Her
bert Spencer in 1850, Social States,
eh. ix.; Gerr,t Smith, Speech in Con-
gress. 1854 (Speeches Gerrit Smith, p.
1872; Sismondi, New Prin. OF Pol.
Econ, (1S20), blk. ILL.,, ch. 5, p. 2o2
(2nd French ed.), Essay on Landed
Prop, Pol. Econ. English ed. of 1S47),
b. 161; John Ruskin, Munera Pulveris
(1S63), ch. 5, sec. 131; Prof. Simon
Newcomb Gland and Labor Question:
North American Review, July, 1870, p.
ISL; Thomas Carlyle, Past and Pres
ent, III. s. m.)
In all ages learned men have almost
universally conceded that all men have
an equal right to the use OF the earth.
But If nobody had ever conceded this
right-if everybody had disputed it
that fact OF itself could not destroy
the validity of that right Natural
rights exist regardless Of what men
may say either for or against them.
Men do not create them, and men cam
not alter them. They belong to man
by virtue of his birth into this world,
and are inferred from the very fact
of his existence because necessary to
life itself.
TO quote Jefferson again: Men
are born free and with equal oppor-
tunities; not equal in mental force or
physical endurance, but opportunities
to live and labor upon the earth and
enjoy the fruits of their industry.
Jefferson states the truth precisely.
Without equal opportunities there can
be no such thing as equal rights.
Now, If the soil originally belonged
to mankind, and not to few, how and
wnen and where did mankind part
with that right? They did not part
with it. Mankind cannot yield up a
natural right, and If they attempted
to do so they could not thus barter
away the rights Of their children, for,
ais David sang in the 115th Psalm,
'the earth hath He given to the chill
.dren of men,"
How, then, is this natural right to
be asserted? 1t must be done through
the single tax. 1t can be done in no
other way. And the transition from
wrong to right would be easy. t
could be made without disturbing q
single land title. Those who possess
land would still possess it, and would
continue to sell or devise it at their
pleasure, just, as they do now. But
the ground rents, which are values
created by society, and not by the
land owner, would be turned over to
society every year in the form of
taxes to the government. This single
fund would provide abundant revenue.
Sixty-five per cent of the annual
land values of the United States, ac-
cording to reliable statistics, would be
sufficient for all purposes, national,
state and municipal. And as growing
population increased the expenses of
government, 1t would also increase the
values of the land, thus producing an
inexhanstihle natural fund for public
purposes, always ample to meet the
public needs. 1t would be natural
tax, and it is the only natural tax.
founded In the fundamental principles
OF natural law. No man could then
afford to hold land out Of use for spec
ulatiye purposes. The great centres
of population, where land values are
highest, would yield the most rev.
enue, and in the remote rural districts,
where land values are low, the tax
would be but nominal. All other taxes