The independent., 1903-04-23

ucuC , ouUSCilpcIS dIe ldI moIS, Cultly
farm-owners, but The Independent has
never pretended to run a farm pa
per-that is, the sort of paper which
teaches the best methods of growing
this crop and that. Such is the field
of the agricultural paper, and It is
well filled by excellent journals. The
fear of losing subscribers, however,
causes all but a few agricultural pa
pers to be very careful about express
ing decided opinion upon any politi-
cal question, especially If it savors OF
partisan politics in the least
The independent mission is to
teach political economy. 1t is parti-
san, not SO much OF the peoples par
ty as of the principles enunciated in
the platforms of that party-because
every man concerned in making the
paper believes that the enactment OF
those principles into law would be
beneficial to the many and would
tend to bring economic conditions in
harmony with the peoples party mot
to-"Equal rights for all, special priv
ileges for none."
This department, Farm Econom-
ics," will be run from time to time as
occasion demands-perhaps not every
week. unless there is live matter to
fill it. The aim will be to learn more
about the farmers real place in the
economy of the nation and to investi-
gate, learn and apply the facts.
Our socialist friends, as well as our
friends the single takers, argue from
the standpoint of the dwellers in cit
les. The former assume that the farm
er belongs to a dying middle class,
and that, like the dodo, he will be
extinct in the course of no very long
time. The latter assume that under
the single tax the farmer would he
happy anG free from care-almost free
from taxation. The Independent be-
lieves both are wrong.
Due Acknowledgement for the idea
of running this department must be
given to an eastern friend-a socialist
of the Fabian variety, who takes but
little stock in the 'inevitability" the
ory, but who accepts the Marxist idea
of surplus value. In a recent let
ter to the editor he says:
LAS for surplus value, the doctrine
can apply only where men are en-
ployed by others. The petty industries
and petty agriculture form class
apart from the working of this law.
The socialists are coming to see this
more plainly, and in Germany the
tendency among social democrats is
now to protect the petty farmer IN
his holdings. If you can get hold of a
recent copy of JohI Raes 'Contem-
porary Socialism edition OF 1900 or
1901 you will see how, in the attempt
to promote modus vivendi for urban
workmen and rura! peasants in COM
mon socialist movement, radical
change in attitude has been brought
about. It is coming to be recognized
that a considerable part of industry
will be left out of collective control
under the most thorough socialism.
This will be unavoidable. The more
rigid formulas have been given over
in Germany, and the fellows here who
harp away ON them are but keeping
the movement back.
uS ItdI CCOuOAlSo VI eSSoh lSuA uA y
in this country are blank. They are
not understood by anybody-not even
by the farmers. can conceive of moth
ing which would help more to bring
about the beginnings of an under
standing on this intricate problem
tan by the opening in such paper
as yours. of a dis ,ussion of the inn
portant facts regarding farm econcm-
les. 1t could be carried on for cou-
pie of years with profit; for it woul !
assemble body Of facts and infer.
ences therefrom which would be of
the utmost value to economists and
reformers.
What, for instance, is the meaning
of the growth of tenantry? OF emigra-
ton to Canada; of increased mort
cages in some places, of decreased
mortgages in others? Why is it that
in spite of the demand for farm la
Dor, wages should remain so nearly
at the point of subsistence? Why, lii
some places, will an owner rent his
farm to tenants, and in other places
pay rent on increased holdings and
work them with hired labor? There
are a dozen questions of this kind
which could be propounded, and q
general discussion of which would
- l.