The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1917-10-06
LAND, MONOPOLY.

able city property.
LAND MONOPOLY.
Some time ago appeared news dis
patches to the effect that railroads of
the West were leasing millions of
acres of their idle land at nominal
rentals in an effort to increase the
food supply.
Which naturally raises the in
Quiry, in this era of exorbitant prices
for foodstuffs, why should railroads
be permitted to own millions of acres
of tillable land when there are thou
sands of able-bodied men in the con-
gested industrial centers who would
be more than pleased to own small
plot of ground? The Increased pro-
duction Of foodstuffs resulting from
this cultivation would materially les
sen the world shortage, and serve to
lower prices to within reach of the
most humble worker.
In most cases land which was
meant for the use OF all the people
was virtually stolen by the big rail-
road corporations through land
grants legally sanctioned by law
making bodies, which evidently
served interests other than those of
the people by whom they were
elected to office
The injustice of a system which
permits the withholding of large
areas of land from the public use is
in no wise mitigated by the mere
fact that it has been in the past, and
still is, tolerated by the people.
The time is not far distant when
it will be recognized that the rail-
roads are not entitled to this owner
ship, which, in it's analysis, is re-
sponsible largely for the perpetual
ton of the present industrial system.
The vast stretches of land in this
country primarily belonged to the
people, should at the present time
belong to them, and ultimately must
revert to those able to extract from
the soil that which is vitality essen
ton to the propagation and progress
of the human race.
The unjust distribution of land is
one of the principal causes of the
inequitable distribution of wealth
and the poverty resulting therefrom
Land monopoly is an evil which
calls for immediate rectlfication.
PERJURER OMAN ACQUITTED.
F. c.. Oxman, the Durkee, Ore,
cattleman, whose testimony was re-
sponsible for the conviction of
Thomas Mooney, has been found not
guilty of attempted subornation of
witnesses in connection with the lat
ter's trial.
Oxman, the despicable perjurer,
in the minds O. all fairminded peo-
pie who are acquainted with the
case, is guilty of foul offense, de-
spite the legal whi+ewash given him.
What else but his acquittal could
be expected, in view Of the circum-
stances of his "trial?"
To begin with, the trial judge is
alleged to have stated three days be-
fore his trial that Oxman was an in
nocent man. The "prosecution was
composed of men who are as palpa-
bly, guilty of misconduct as. is OK
man, and who, if they conducted a.
bona fide prosecution, would be sure
to elicit discriminating evidence in
volving themselves in the hideous
conspiracy to railroad Mooney to the
pen. And last, but not least, the
jury was packed, assuring a favor
able verdict, so the ring would not
be exposed.
When our courts miscarry justice
to such an extent that an innocent
man like Mooney can be convicted
and criminal like Oman acquitted,
it is time that the people revolt
against such tactics and manifest
their disapproval.
A time of reckoning is inevitable,
and when it comes, pity the poor
dupes who are outraging all sense of
decency in their frantic endeavor to
serve the corporate wealth of the
Pacific coast.
At conference of the arbitration
board in the settlement of a street
car strike in Seattle, Wash, it was
decided that the average family of
five required an annual income of