The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1912-10-29
SOCIALIST HOLDUP SCHEME
COburn of Kansas Says 1t VIII Never
Cut Any Ice With the Farmers
of the Country

Topeka, Kans., Oct. 29.-Secretary F..
of Agriculture, whose fame has trav-
eled far beyond the boundaries of his
state. raises his voice against the pro-
posal of the socialists to confiscate the
farming lands of the country. Mr.. Co
burns attention was called to a recent
statement by Emil Seidel, socialist
candidate for vice president, who de-
clared that whenever socialists secur-
ed political control, their government
will take possession of all the farm
ing land in the nation. Secretary Co
burin is probably in closer touch with
the agricultural interests of the coun-
try than any other man. and he is the
first to strenuously antagonize the
proposition of the socialists as declar-
ed by Emil Seidel. Secretary Coburn
has devoted his life to the interests of
the farmers of his state, and has de-
clined high political office to serve
them. few years ago he was tender
ed the appointment of United States
Senator by the governor, but he said
he could not accept the honor because
he felt he could be more useful to the
people at the head of the agricultural
department. Secretary Coburn vigor-
ously assails the socialist proposition
of confscating the farming lands of
the country.
THAT would simply mean calamity
and chaos" said Mr.. Coburn," but it is
impossible. because the American peo-
pie, and especially the American far
mers, are sane, and are not fools. The
owners of our farms secured them
mainly by hard work, and they will
never surrender them at the behest of
Impractical dreamers.
According to our last census the
rural population numbers 52,000:900
more than half the people of the coun-
try. These citizens who live on the
farms of the nation have acquired
them by lives of industry and fru-
gality. They and their sons who are
coming on to take their places con-
stitute a majority of the voters Of the
United States, as we'll as the bone and
sinew of the land. They will never
vote themselves out of their posses
sions by giving control of affairs over
to socialists, or for the sake of trying
| out the experiment of a dream gov
ernment
"The proposal for collective owner
ship of land is the vaporing of dis
ordered minds. No nation ever had II
and no nation ever will. Ne'er do wells
| and sons of rest whose toll is mostly
| at figuring on methods for acquiring g
| the assets of others who work and
save, and blatherskites who pander tc
| them for the purpose of obtaining no.
| toriety, place or power, are strong in
| the preaching of such doctrines, but
! the people who live out in the sun.
! shine and are able to thing along
| straight line, will see to it that these
| fancies will never reach reality. I
| would be a sad reflection on the in,
telligence of the American farmer Il
| admit for a moment that he would
| give countenance to this visionary
| balderdash. This whole socialis
scheme of confiscating the lands o.
property of others is abhorrent. 1
seems incredible that these dreamer!
would for a moment believe that Am
erican farmers would submit to sucl
an outrage as this would mean.
The theory that the unearned in
crement belongs to the state is an
other fallacy. In 1900. American
farms were valued at $4,000, 200, ,0OO
In 1910, the value, according to tn
census, was $4,000, ,OO0. 900 There i
an unearned increment of $1,000, 900,
600, which. socialistic Missionaries say
should be taken from the owners i,
the way of a tax and given to tn
government. Its equal for impuden
audacity was never before proposed
and, as hold-up scheme, it make
the enterprises of the late Captai
Kidd and the old-time road agent
look like the play of children. D
you think American farmers wi
stand for that? Well, western farm
ers will not. so long as they are I
their right minds.p