New Iberia enterprise and independent observer. (New Iberia, La.) 1902-1944, 1912-11-02

your labor is yours, and no man
nor collection of men has a right
to take any of it from you. Do
you agree to that?
| believe the community mark
value of land belongs to the com
munitv just as the wealth pro-
duced by you belongs to you. Do
you agree to thatY
Therefore | believe that the
fundamental evil, the great Cod
denying crime of society, is the
,, iniquitous system under which
men are permitted to put into
their pockets, confiscate in fact,
the community made values OF
land, while organized society con
+, fiscates for public purposes part
of the wealth created by lnd'-
viduals. Do you agree to thatY
Using a concrete illustra, ion; J
own in the city of Philadelphia
l11L2 acres of land for which
paid $32, 500 few years ago. On
account of increase Of population
and industry in Philadelphia,
that land is now worth about
| $12o, 900. / have expended no la
| Dor or money upon 1T. So l have
done nothing to cause that IN
crease of $92, 500 in a few years.
NV fellow citizens in Philadelphia
created it and | believe it there
fore belongs to them, not to me.
i believe that the man-made law
which gives to me and other
landlords values we have not ere
ated is violation of Divine law.
believe that Justice demands
that these community-made val
ues be taken by the community
or common purposes instead OF
taxing enterprise and industry.
DO you agreeY
That is my creed, my faith, my
religion. Do you teach that or
anything like it. in your theolog-
zeal schooll II not. why mott L
have a right to ask since you have
asked me for money. If you agree
to my propositions but do not
teach them, tell me why. IL
am in error show me in what re-
spect.
am using all the money ! have
no teach my creed, my faith, my
religion as best can. i am us
ing it as best know how to aooi-
! ;sh the He'll of civilization, which
J is want and fear of want. ! an
| using it to bring in the will OF oul
I Father, to establish the Brother
hood of man by giving to each OF
nv brothers an equal opportun
! itv 10 have and use the gifts o.
t onr Father. Am | misusing tina
! money! II so, why and how'
! If my teaching is wrong ane
3 contrary to true religion 1 wan
a % know II. 4 take IL that il ye'
are not teaching religion in it
fullness, you wish to know 1t. AN
!. / correct 49,.
i What / teach may be criticized
u AZ mixing politics with religion
hut can I be successfully attacke'
r on that groundi Politics, in it
o true meaning, is the science 0
y government. Is governments
} thing entirely apart from religion
y or from righteousness Is no
rust government founded upo
= right doingi
7 If my religion is true, Il II az
y cords with the basic principles 9
Q morality taught by Jesus. how
!. il possible for your school to teac
u Christianity when it ignores tn
r science of goveAnmentf Or
n your school so different from otl
70 theological schools that it dot
teach the fundamental mor'
e. principles upon which men ass
Is Is ciate themselves in organized go
= ernmenti !.
ee Do you question the relation b
tween taxation and righteou
q, nessi Let us see. Ii Cover
" ment is a natural growth tn
n, surelv God 3 natural law provid
- food and sustenance for Cover
ment as thSt food is needed; I
where in nature do we find q ere
p ture coming into the world wit
= : out timely provision OF natur
n food for iti 1t is in our syste
ne Of taxsaion that we find the me
V. emphatic denial Of the Fatht
/, hood Of God and the Brotherho'
liu of Man, because first, in order
'ss meet our common needs we ia
- from individuals what does n
~ belong to us in common; secoI
we permit individuals TO take J
re- themselves what does belong
lor ma in common; and thus, thil
under the pretext Of taxation
! public purposes we have est'
- lished A system that permits so
las men to tax other men for prlv'
-. profit.
\. M Does not that violate the :