Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1907-09-11

by the growth of the community, is
ii just. that few should divide
the increased value, which is brought
about by the presence of all?
The right of property" which our
constitution guarantees us, is violated
every day, and every minute of the
day; for the right of property can
rlghtfully attach only to things which
are the products of labor, and not to
that, which nature had created.
aeons before the advent of man.
Man is older than the state, and nature
is Older than either. Our presence on
earth, testifies to the fact that God
has placed us here and it testifies
also to the fact that He intended us
to have, not an equal share of his
bomties to men, but an equal Oppor
tunity to all, to get an equal share.
Very truly does Henry George say,
on page $50, of Progress and Power
ty,' that: Whatever may be said Of
the institution of private property il
, land, it is plain that ii cannot be de-
Tended on the score of justice. The
equal right of all men to the use Of.
land is as clear as their equal right
to breathe the ART is a right pro-
claimed by the fact of their existence
| For we cannot suppose that some men
| have a right to be in this world and
| others no right. If we are ali here
by the equal permission of the create"
we are all here with an equal right
! to the enjoyment of his bounty-with
an equal right to the use of all thac
nature so impartially offers. This Is
a right which is natural and inaliena-
bic; it is a right which vests in every
human being as he enters the world.
and which during his continuance III
the world, can be limited only by the
equal rights of others.
| Cannot Grant Ownership.
There is no power on earth which
can rightfully make grant of eXc:n-
sive ownership i'll land. If all exist
ing men were to unite to grant away
their equal rights, they could not grant
away the rights of those who follow
them. For what are we but tenants
for a day? Have we made the earth
that we should determine the rights
of those who after us shall tenant
it i'll their turn?"
IN the sweat of thy face thou shat
eat bread" But this does not mean
that some shall eat bread by the swe1r
of their brows, whilst a few others
shall eat bread by the sweat of tn
bTows of others. From what | have
said, one might perhaps be lead Il
believe that | desired to wipe on
great corporations. Not so. This i
the age of great combinations, an,
they are but a step forward i'll tn,
march OF progress and civ Utilization
When | say, wipe out MONOPOLY
do not mean that the great corpora
tons should be dissolved. But takt
away that great monopoly in land, an
the other sO-called monopolics, b
come a blessing instead of Il curse
Take away from the great corpora
lions, the agent which gives them th'
power to bleed the people, and tht
evils which now beset us, must quick
: ly disappear.
Why do we build million dolla
churches, when within their shadow
we see breeding the twin vipers, vic
and poverty?
| have said that wages and interc
| do not increase as material progress
: goes on, but this must not be take
: literally, for unions and strikes hav
A done much to increase wages. Blu
4 has the condition of labor, Il use tn
e word labor to indicate anyone VIII
/ produces or aids in production. b
5 hand or brainl, been in any way in
Il proved?
n Has not each raise of wages serve
Y to increase the cost to the consume
y of all commodities? Now when W
2 consider that the laborer is the cor
f sumner, how has he benefited by hi
/ increased wages? 1t is undoubtedl
y true, that each raise of wages, ha