The independent. [volume] (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907, 1904-05-12
SERFDOM.


Editor Independent: Mr. Bryan,
when he delivered his address at Chi
cago recently, speaking extemporane-
ously (his address proper being on
paper) said, among other things, How
did we get the people? (meaning the
Filipinos). Did we buy the people at
SO much head? Or were they thrown
in when we bought the islands?
Which will you take! Will you buy
people at SO much apiece? Or will
you say that when you buy dirt you
buy the people who stand upon it?"
Frank G. Carpenter, the traveller
correspondent, when writing from Be-
gotta, in South America, some years
ago, told how, when transfers of land
are made in the country he was de-
scribing, the consideration covers the
people who live on the land SO trans
ferred. Every detail, as to age, gen
eral condition and sex being set forth
as a portion of the document drawn
to legalize the transaction. Now the
people were theoretically free, SO Mr..
Carpenter stated, but practically they
were as SO many cattle, the land all
being owned by syndicates and privl-
legged individuals. The masses are SIM
ply helpless because they are land
animals and have no free land upon
which to go, hence they are appur-
tenances of the estates on which they
are found, and pass rom owner to
owner. just as do the other animals;
the machinery and the improvements
on the land. In this country the
same thing occurs in a milder and less
conspicuous way, but the principle Is
the same. In transferring rental prop
erty, the character of the tenants, oc-
cupying the premises, is inquired into
minutely and If they are steady and
good pay; if they are careful OF the
property and good "stayers" the con-
sideration is correspondingly en-
HANGED.
AS land monopoly becomes more
widespread and it's restrictive fea-
! lures more pronounced making it
impossible for the masses to move
about or change their condition from
renters to owners, the practice OF TAX
ing into consideration the occupants OF
property will become more pronounced
and eventually, If Henry Gerge's plan
Of taxing land values so as to make
unoccupied and unused lands value
less for price fixing and thus turn
them into Commons subject only to
the police power of the state, to pro-
tect natural features, such as forest
trees, deposits of raw material, ETC.,
all of the lands of our country will be-
come the property OF syndicates and
privileged classes, and the people will
have price set upon them whenever
they are transferred with the land oc-
cupied by them from one owner to
another, and their names, their ages,
their physical proportions, their lido
syncracies and other good, bad and in
different points will be set out in the
legal instruments Of exchange. Won't
that be lovely?
Yes, Mr.. Bryan, people can, be
bought and sold at so much head
but the transaction must be yelled
beneath transfer of land on which
the people sold must live, and to make
people free you must make unusued
land free.
Mr.. Bryan is on the right track, all
right, and bye and pye he will get
to the point where che principle he
battles against will be recognized as
the same as that which the followers
Of Henry George wage war upon.
incidentally, desire to say for the
Editor of the Independent and its
readers, that the single takers do not
believe, nor do they wish 1t to be
understood that they believe the single
tax to be the ne plus ultra of all re-
form. They recognize that there are
other vital changes required, particu-
larry In our financial and transporta-
ton systems, and by the way. the
Associate Editor has very recently set
forth deliberately, our position on the
financial question. Henry George was
q "greenbacker" and 40 are large
majority OF his followers. but land we
qualify our admissions with absolute
surety OF our position) all other meas
urea for hcnentting society and better
Ing the condition Of the masses. are
fruitlcss 10 accomplish the purposes
set forth, unless unused lands are