The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1903-08-20
BOOK 2.-Chapter XIV.
Ali Rights Reserved.

It Is the nature of error to propagate
after its kind and to increase and null
tiply evils.
The human race either had as it's
Inheritance or else early in its course
adopted the habit of following the sys-
tenn of selfish individualism OF the
beasts and of the plant kingdom. Pre-
destined for dominion over nature and
her forces, by his superiority of form
and faculty, man was guilty OF the
egregious error of attempting to carry
with him in his march to conquest and
dominion. the low-born and inappro-
pirate solitary methods of the tiger
and the tree.
His powerful means of destruction
employed in the battle against each
other soon threatened the extinction of
the species. Then certain legal re-
strictions were thrown around them,
restraining the desperate combat
growing out of the institution of ex-
elusive, private, Individual possession
and ownership of the things which
were universally necessary; and
Eencefcrth the combat between men
for such exclusive possession of those
things must be carried on without viO-
lence.
For the enforcement of these reg
Uiations, government became neces-
sary.
The support and maintenance of the
&c vernment required that it possess
and exercise the taxing power.
In order to do this in an equitable
way, some device became necessary
for expressing the quantity of value
Of the services of men and of commod-
tiles required for operating that gov
eminent.
This being accomplished, govern
ment, by misfortune or extravaganza,
soon found the quantity of things re-
ceived as taxes insufficient for its
needs. A deficit resulted and the taxes
to fall due in future years must be
anticipated" recessitating the issu-
iEg of receipts against future tax lev
les, which is coming money"
Meantime the universal private COM
bat raging among all individuals
(kept within the limits of civilized
warfare" by the laws enacted for that
purpose, prohibiting violence and
fraud) caused the appearance among
them of the force of demand, and it's
mental ascertainment, appraisement
or valuation, which we call ''value."
The device instituted by the govern
r.ent in order to make possible the just
exercise of the taxing power, and by
statutory adaptation employed in the
administration of justice in the courts,
was sliced upon by the people, and by
voluntary adaptation of it to their
private transactions, became the
means by which quantity of value was
expressed in their private affairs and
the orderly exchange of commodities
facilitated.
The government having issued its
receipts against future tax levias and
made them exclusively a peremptory
receipt against tax levies and judg-
nents, in favor of any bearer (thus
subjecting them to the action of an
i'm perious and universal force Of de-
mand, and being of a practically i'm
Lerishable nature), they were sought
after By the people as an investment
OF means of storage for utility liable
to be lost by the decay Or loss of per-
ishable commodities endowed with
Eower to perform beneficial human
service.
Everyone who owned anything or
owed anything was compelled by stat
Ute to obtain possession of these re-
ceipts as the sole means of deliverance
from tax levies and judgments, en-
forced by the waste of his wealth at
forced sale, and by Imprisonment as a
fclon.
The force of demand for them under
such conditions becomes fierce and in
cessant and whoever possesses one of
those receipts, finds every mortal anx-
ious to get hold of it and willing to ex-
| change for it all manner of beneficial