:
T
A
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VOL. XIII.
THAT BRITISH MILITARY POST
' Governor Heard Makes a Vigorous Protest
Against British Soldiers In the State
of Louisiana
Washington, D. C, April 7, 1902.
(Special Correspondence.) At last we
are to have some action by the govern
ment on the shipment of British sup
plies to South Africa. The thought is
very pleasant Indeed, but will the
action be strong enough to drive this
British supply station from the Amer
ican shores, and will the statement of
affairs resulting from an investigation
lead the American congress, to ex
press its sympathy for that brave and
heroic people who are battling for Just
the game freedom from just the same
oppressor that we fought? Attorney
General Knox doubts the facts In the'
case as they are presented by Gov
ernor Heard of Louisiana, who In a
formal statement to the government
describes the exact condition of Port
Chalmette. A great lawyer, as Knox
really is, cannot help admitting that
if the statement furnished by the gov
ernor of Louisiana is accurate, then
the situation at Port Chalmette is a
defiant breach of the obligations of
neutrality. But how will the govern
ment act? Will or will not the delib
erate statement of the deliberate gov
ernor be accepted or even honestly in
vestigated? Does the administration
want to ascertain the truth and act
upon it?
To this conundrum, the Washington
Post admits it can give no solution. J
I am very sure that the neutrality obli
gations have been violated flagrantly
for the past few months, and even
though the attention of the govern
ment has been called to the true status
on several occasions in an unofficial
manner, nothing has been done by the
federal authorities In way of investi
gation. It appears that the governor
of Louisiana has satisfied himself of
the exact condition as an eye witness,
and therefore he informs the govern
ment officially that the British officers
are violating the obligations of neu
trality. He has told the president
that he is ready as the governor of
the state whose shores are outraged,
to erase the blot and meanwhile he re
gards the situation with extreme in
dignation. The New Orleans Times
Democrat, in an editorial referring to
the governor'3 protest, says:
"Now that the period of discussion
has passed and the hour for definite
action has arrived, there can be no
doubt that the chief magistrate of this
state has in this unhappy we shall
use no severe word incident perfect
ly represented the, intelligence, . the
character and the conscience of Louis
iana. Investigation has at last proved
beyond the shadow of a doubt what
every one here has indubitatly be
lieved for two years, namely, that the
soil of Louisiana is being perverted
into a means by which a powerful na
tion may work its merciless will upon
a numerically weak, but truly heroic
people. It is now known of all men
that Port Chalmette is, and has been
for months past, a British military
camp, and that this camp is furnishing
the British army in South Africa with
the sinews of war."
Of course this is not the way that
a diplomat would put the case. It is
an exact statement of affairs leaving
the administration to do the quibbling.
We have known it for a year that the
British were purchasing supplies and
shipping them from New Orleans, but
the government, which was so friend
ly to the British cause in opposition
to the united pro-Boer sentiment of
the country's people has allowed the
matter to drift placidly on. British
transports, commanded by British offi
cers, are carrying to the British army
in South Africa the most important,
not to say indispensible munitions of
war. I cannot help quoting the Times
Democrat again for its editor puts the
situation so strongly:
"Here, then, is a case that should
be decided by a court of equity as well
as by a court of law; and though we
should deprecate any attempt by state
authority to break up this British
camp at Port Chalmette we ardently
hope the people of Louisiana fervent
ly pray that the United States gov
ernment may devise some means by
which the national arm may drive
from this commonwealth these British
soldiers who, at our very doors, are
prosecuting an unrighteous war
against a brave and liberty-loving peo
ple. It is clear that, bound by author
ity of law, the state of Louisiana can
not do what its people are eager to
accomplish. It becomes the duty of
this nation to strike a blow for lib
erty." General Pearson, the Boer envoy, Is
In town for a few-days, and called on
the president who received him unof
ficially. Pearson has just returned
from New Orleans where he has been
prosecuting a libel suit against the
British consul there. He has left that
in order to be in Washington when
the consideration of Governor Heard's
proclamation was going on. All honor
to Governor Heard!
The republicans in the senate are
in another quandary. The committee
on insular affairs has, in its report,
favored practically the free coinage
of silver in the Philippines. Loud
and strong are the shout3 of the ultra
gold standardists. The house bill had
provided for the gold standard, but
when the matter was referred to the
senate, they promptly referred it to a
sub-committee composed of Senators
Allison (rep.), Beveridge (rep.), and
Dubois (dem.). This committee
brought in a report which entirely de
stroyed the gold standard idea and
substituted Instead a provision for the
establishment of a mint at Manila for
the coinage of silver. Any owner of
silver might take it to the mint and
have it coined at the nominal price of
claimed that if congress does continue
the Philippines as a silver standard
country, it will be a marked weaken
ing on the part of the republican party
on the money, question. The fight for
the gold standard was made in 1896
and again in 1900 and it proved suc
cessfulon both occasions. Why con
gress should decide that it is a "good
thing for the United States and a bad
thing for the Philippines, they cannot
understand. If it is right in the Unit
ed States why then, they argue, is it
not right for the Filipinos. But there
is one thing that is significant in the
whole question and that Is that the
committee which drew up the measure
did not seek the views of Secretary of
the Treasury Shaw, Secretary of War
Root or even Director of the Mint
Roberts. Effort will be made by the
extreme gold men to have the presi
dent take a hand in the affair and
rescue the gold standard andromeda
from the horrible fate of being kept
away from the unsuspecting natives.
The senate early in the week passed
the oleomargarine bill by a small ma
jority. Senator Bailey made a magni
ficent speech against the provisions
of the bill, basing his argument that
we should not discriminate in the
taxing of articles. He also argued
that the measure should be left to the
state authorities. It was a strong
speech and one that will likely live in
tht annals of the senate. How a man
could work himself up to the pitch to
make such a speech on the subject of
factory-made butter and lard, is a
proposition that is hard to understand.
The vote upon the question was 39
affirmative and 31 votes in the nega
tive. Both houses of congress are at pres
ent discussing the Chinese exclusion
act as introduced In the senate by
Senator Mitchell of Oregon and in the
house by Representative Clark of
Missouri. The argument is taking a
lively turn and many good speeches
are being made for the exclusion of
Li. So far the lack of humor in the
situation has caused much comment.
But so much was used on the oleo
margarine bill that the reserve sup
ply of jokes, etc., must be thoroughly
exhausted. The house also passed the
sundry civil appropriation bill and
heard the report of the committee
on military affairs and coast defenses
which makes the appropriation of $6,
562,455. The Philippine government bill as
introduced in the senate by Chairman
Lodge the Philippine committee has
now been made "unfinished business."
which in the senate gives it the right
of way. The Philippine bill will be
considered this week and. the discus
sion will probably take until the first
of May, or even later. The democrats
are determined that thist bill will be
thoroughly considered in its every as
pect by congress. It has displaced the
Hepburn canal bill In regular .order
after the earnest pleadings of those
opposed to its passage. They argue
that we should as soon as possible
pass the Philippine government bill
because we should soon give them a
working government which is intended
at least to have a tint of permanency.
They are also arguing that We should
shelve the canal bill until the state
department has made whatever ar
rangements can be, made with Colum
tia regarding the release of whatever
claims she has against the Panama
canal. They argue that we should be
very' careful before taking this step
and really their position seems reason
able. We certainly should know all
before digging the canal.
Representative Jackson (dem., Kas.)
the man who nominated James L. Nor
ris for his position on the democratic
congressional campaign1 committee, re
ceived a letter from a man named
"William Coleman" In which he was
roasted for his attitude. I am in
formed by a member of congress to
whom he showed the letter that it has
worried him considerably about the
interest this man "Coleman" has taken
in the case. The letter charges that
Jackson cannot be an anti-trust man
out in Kansas and a trust man in
Washington without his constituents
knowing of it. Many of the members
of the committee are receiving like
letters from all parts of the country
denouncing the attitude of the com
mittee in placing a man like Norris on
the committee. He is a thorough trust
man through and through. He and
several others sold out the United
States Electric Light company to the
Standard Oil company and for several
years he has been the attorney of the
American Tobacco company, the to
bacco trust. His daughter is married
to the son of Arthur Pue Gorman,
senator-elect from Maryland, and he
is the Handy Andy of the boss. He
is the man who formally announced
Gorman's candidacy for the presidency
and was thoroughly - opposed to the
nomination of Bryan before the last
convention. His delegation would
have been entirely unseated before
the last convention, had It not been
for the influence of Gorman and the
tears . that flowed from the eyes of
Norris as he "pleaded what he had
done for democracy.": He was charged
in a sworn statement before the com
mittee with attempting to bribe one
George Killeen, a true democrat and a
delegate to the convention which nom
inated Bryan in Chicago. He was
charged in like manner by many other
affidavits sworn to by other reputable
men. His election to the Kansas city
convention was reached only after the
grossest frauds frauds which your
correspondent had the opportunity to
witness and the national committee
refused to seat him on that committee
after he was elected by his delega
tion. The charges were sol strong
against him that the convention at
Kansas City refuged to seat his dele
gation and allowed but one-half of
them to be seated, , while giving the
LINCOLN, NEBRASKA, APEIL 10, 1902.
Hero of a Hundred Fights.
NO. 47.
' ' $AN JUAN
Bearing the wounds and scars of. battles won,
Many years of service, every duty done,
Now at last a youngster cries:
"Halt! Salute! For I above you rise,
Not by service but by" assassin's 4shot.
Your record counts not, His all forgot.
Up with hand! Quick to me salute,
You old timer, civil-war galoot."
is really opposed to trusts. If they
prefer to keep him and then oppose
the trusts, this should be hurled at
them in every district with as much
force as 08 ."ice trust", was used.
against Van "Wyck and Croker and as
the cotton bale trust was used against
Senator Jones. He. is more of a trust
man than all three of them.
Representative Sulspr of New ;York,
the intrepid young leader of democ
racy, whose leadership is marked' with
great ability, has introduced a resolu
tion in the house declaring sympathy
with the Boers. Mr. Sulzer's name has
been prominently mentioned as a can
didate for governor of New York.
WM. W. BRIDE.
THE LIGHT WENT OUT
rninpri. Opposition other seats to the contesting delega-
The Statu of Liberty Will Stand With a
Torchless Hand a a Momento of the
Time When a Republic Was
Changed Into an Empire
Some time ago The Independent an
nounced the fact that the light in the
torch held in the hand of the statute
called "Liberty Enlightening the
World," located in the harbor of New
York, had been extinguished. The
government navigation board had is
sued a warning to mariners, giving
them notice of the fact. It would seem
from that, that it had a commercial
use. But now it has been extinguished
forever, or at least as long as the re
publicans shall continue in power at
Washington. The extinguishment of
the light Is appropriate. The fact of
its existence will no longer vaunt our
hypocrisy. The next step should be
to pull the statue down and raise
one in its place that will proclaim the
overthrow of the Declaration of In
dependence and the establishment of
the doctrine of government by force
instead of a government by the con
sent of the governed. The account of
its final extinguishment as sent out
from Washington was as follows:
The house today made rapid progress
with the sundry civil appropriation
bill, completing 93 of the 139 pages. A
proposition to provide for a light in
the torch of the statue of liberty in
New York harbor was defeated.
Mr. Sulzer (N. Y.) offered the amend
ment to appropriate $50,000 for light
ing the torch of Bartholdi's statue In
New York harbor. Mr. Sulzer said
this light was put out on March 1.
Since the statue was erected in 1886
until now, he said, the sundrj' civil
bill always carried an appropriation
for this light. . He had read a poem
written by an anti-imperialist on the
extinguishment of the light of liberty's
torch.
When Mr. Sulzer. concluded Mr. Can
non congratulated him on the speech
and the poem, and then asked him if
he withdrew bis amendment.
Mr. Sulzer replied in the negative,
whereupon Mr. Cannon said that the
pending bill carried $1,900,000 for
lights, the expenditure of which, he
said, was entirely within the discre
tion of the lighthouse, board. Mr.
Cannon said the appropriation com
mittee had v made some investigation
and has ascertained that the light on
the Bartholdl statue was valueless for
commercial purposes.
; On a rising vote the amendment was
carried 43 to 33. Some New York
school teachers in the gallery ap
plauded . vociferously,
by tellers and an aye and no vote be
fore it is adopted finally. " he declared
emphatically, Great, interest was tak
en in the vote by tellers. The pages
scurried out .to , the restaurant . andl
committee-rooms tarbring In the ab
sentees. When the vote Was com
pleted the first vote was reversed, and
the amendment stood defeated 61
to 67. '
The Independent does . not believe
that anything effective will ever be ac
complished in the way of checking the
greed of the trusts and railroad cor
porations while the present set of fed
eral judges live. They were in reality
appointed by the corporations and
their decisions for the last twenty
years go to show that they are faith
ful servants of those who secured their
appointment. The next "paramount
issue" is likely to be a demand for a
constitutional amendment that will
make the judges elective by the people
or curtailing their term Bf office to
four years.
Accusations were brought against
two of the fusion state officials. In
one instance the charges were sub
mitted to one of the most partisan of
political committees ever appointed by
a state legislature and in the other
to a republican judge. In both in
stances the verdict was: "Not guilty."
Notwithstanding that these are facts,
known and acknowledged by all men,
yet there are some fusion editors who
are not satisfied and join with the
republican press in criticism that will
only tend to make votes for the cor
porations and trusts.
One of the lately appointed federal
judges, Baker of Indiana, turns out to
be an anarchist or at least a pro
moter of anarchy. He told some par
ties who appealed to him to "let the
assaults go on until the people them
selves held courts on the street cor
ners and deal with strikers in., that
manner." There seems to be a pair of
heavenly twins on the federal bench,
Baker of Nebraska and Baker of Indiana..
If "value is crystalized labor," how
is it that the believers in that doctrine
are never able to show one of the
crystals? Or If It is "stored-up labor,"
why will they never show us the store
house where it is kept? If it is stored
up or is a crystal, it must have ex
tent, color, and density. What is the
color of value? Can you taste It, see
it, or handle it? 3
WORSE THAN THE BRITISH
Fnnston'a Campaign of Slaughter la Xorth
' Luzon The Policy of the Turks and
the Creed of Mohammed
So far as can be learned j from best
sources of information, the campaign
directed by General Funston in North
ern Luzon was a carnival of slaughter.
Filipinos who had the misfortune to
meet with soldiers under the command
of Funston and others were killed off
hand as the best means of turning
them Into pacificos. The New York
Evening Post published an interview
with a republican congressman, re
turned from the Islands, which he vis
ited last summer, In which he said:
"But the Filipino is at heart in a
state of rebellion against the United
States authority, and he always will be
""i4J0Cr"iir vmJi a rflof any disturbance.
its pacification is, in my opinion, the
secret of the pacification of the archi
pelago. They never rebel in Northern
Luzon because there isn't anybody
there to rebel. That country was
marched over and cleaned out a
most resolute manner. The good Lord
in heaven only knows the number of
Filipinos that were put under ground,
for our soldiers took no prisoners;
they kept no records; they simply
swept the country, and wherever or
however they came upon a Filipino
they killed him. The women and chil
dren were spared, and can now be no
ticed in disproportionate numbers in
that part of the island. . . . But, as
I gauge American sentiments, there
was no real opposition to the course
pursued by Funston and others iu
Northern Luzon, and there would not
be to a similar course in the rest of
the archipelago."
Americans ought to ask themselves
if they feel proud of a course of con
duct compared to which the course of
the British in the war of the revolu
tion was humane and generous. We
are trying to conquer a country to
which we have no more moral right
than we have to' France or Germany,
and to destroy a people whose yearn
ings for freedom were inspired by our
own Declaration of. Independence.
American history and the lives of
American patriots and statesmen were
the favorite reading of patriotic Fili
pinos. It is about time for the people
of this country to inquire of them
selves if they really wish to continue
harrying, burning and slaying in a
land belonging to a race of strangers
on the other side of the globe. Are we
not trampling on our most cherished
ideals when we adopt the policy taken
by the Turks when fluey began to
spread the gospel of Mohammed?
Not long ago Funston said that any
body who criticised the policy which
is being followed in the Philippines
ought to be hanged offhand. A man
who will express such sentiments is
a man who would be tyrant if he had
the power, and we can very well be
lieve that the reported brutality of
the campaigns in Northern Luzon and
elsewhere occurred as charged.
Ever since the war with the natives
began the reports of casualties have
shown three or four times as many
dead as wounded among the Filipinos,
a ghastly fact which speaks for itself,
because the number of wounded al
ways is several times as great as the
number of dead in ordinary battles.
In his testimony before the senate
committee General Hughes said that
the campaign in Samar got "stiff er"
each year, and that we are not con
ducting what could be called civil
ized warfare. He testified that new
commanders came Into the field and
carried on the warfare on civilized
lines, but "were allowed to get their
lesson."
Mr. Stephen Bonsai, of the New
York Herald, who has just returned
from the islands, says in the Boston
Transcript:
"During my stay in Samar the only
prisoners that were made, so far as I
know, were taken by Waller's com
mand, and I heard this act criticised
by the higher officers as a mistake,
which they believed he would not re
peat when he became better acquainted
with the conditions of Safar. ... If
on their march Waller and his men
shot any natives they met, their ac
tion would be fully covered by the
general orders of General Smith."
cease to blind themselves to the cruel
facts. They must sooner or later face
those facts and decide whether they
like them or not.' They must take
home to themselves the truth that this
great, proud, liberty-loving people Is
permitting to be done in its name
things as fearful as any that blot the
pages of history. Denver News. s
Walter Wellman has a four-column
screed in the Chicago Record-Herald
against General Miles. In some parts
it is even more silly than the three
column one he sent the week before.
He wants General Miles retired and
says that every one in Washington,
democrats as well as republicans, are
demanding it, which statement shows
how much reliance can be placed on
anything that he says. The Record
Herald would be greatly improved if
it would retire the said Walter Well
man. .
TUC lAI tic nc iiVH
MIL TMLUL Ul A
An Easy Problem for Staaents In Algebra
Try Your Art an Judge Gresseup's
Problem
Whenever the federal court attempts
to lay down a rule for determining the
value of corporate property and fran
chises, it is so involved that It can
not be followed. This was noticeable
in the Nebraska maximum freight rate
cases; it is true in the Chicago tax
cases. .
Some time ago the teachers federa
tion of Chicago waged a campaign
for reassessment of the corporations of
that city, claiming they were escaping
just taxation. The circuit court is
sued a writ of mandamus compelling
the state board of equalization to make
a new assessment for 1900, which
should include the value of franchises
and capital stock. This was sustained
by the supreme court of Illinois. Af
terward seven of the public utility
corporations went into the federal
court and asked an injunction to pre
vent the collection of the taxes so
levied. The decision of Judges Gross
cup and Humphrey, recently handed
down, is in the nature of a comprom
ise, holding that the reassessment is
good up to 60 or 70 per cent thereof
and that as soon as that percentage of
the taxes levied is paid in a writ of
injunction will issue.
The court claims that taking the
market value of stocks for a taxing
basis is erroneous.because market val
ues are largely - fictitious, but lays
down the following rule:
"The basis shall be the net earnings
of the several complainants for the
year ending April 1, 1900, proper al
lowance being made for depreciation
and replacement, but not for extension,
and reduced further by the additional
taxes that the enforcement of this rule
produces. Upon this basis the value
of complainants', capital stock, includ
ing franchises and tangible property,
shall be capitalized upon a ratio of 6
per cant; this equalized by a reduc
tion of 30 per cent and then divided
by five. Upon this (capitalization) the
tax shall be extended at the true rate
for 1900, exclusive of interest and pen
alties, not to exceed 8 37-100 per cent,
from which shall be subtracted the
taxes already paid, and the balance
will be the sum allowed."
It paid the corporations to go Into
the federal court, invoking, of course,
that little clause in the fourteenth
amendment, because the decision will
permit them to escape taxes on some
thing over $2,000,000.
The "rule" presents some curious
features and a problem that will de
light the hearts of those who like to
do hard "figgering." Let us take a
hypothetical case and see how It
Net earnings .......$ 1,000,000
Depreciation and replace- :
ment 100,000
Remainder $ 900,000
Additional taxes produced
by this rule........ ?
Remainder 900,000
Capitalization at 6 per ct. . .$15,000,000
Less 30 per cent.. 4,500,000
Remainder $10,500,000
Divided by 5. 2,100,000
Taxes at 8. per cent........ 168,000
Now, suppose the taxes under the
old plan of assessment to have been
$68,000, it would appear that the "ad
ditional taxes that the enforcement
of this rule produces" ought to be
$100,000. However, when this sum is
substituted for the "?" in the problem
above, an entirely different result Is
obtained, and the total taxes at 8 per
cent amount to $148,333, which would
leave only $81,333 of "additional taxes"
and substituting this for "?" produces
still another result. Perhaps some of
our algebraic friends may be able to
substitute "X" for the "?" and solve
the problem, but the mathematical edi
tor vOf The Independent hasn't been
able to find the value of "X" yet. Who
can solve it? !
If bank clearings are an index to
prosperity and some people think
they are then prosperity is waning
down in Gotham. Bradstreefs report
for the week ended April 3, shows a
falling "off of 32.6 per cent as com
pared to the corresponding week last
year. In the cities outside j of New
York the decrease was only 1.1 per
cent; but New York's big slump
brought down the average ! for the
whole country to 23.1 per cent de
crease.
' Small Farm For Sale
Forty acres adjoining town of West
ern. All under cultivation; house 24
ft. square good well and windmill,
barn, hog house, pens, etc. Complete
and in good condition. A bargain.
Address A. J. ," Storus, Western, Neb.
PROGRESS AND POVERTY
Aa English Criticism of Mr. George'l
Theory of the Single Tax What Is
the Answer?
It is now 31 years since the publi
cation of Henry George's first pamph
let on the single tax, "Our Land anl
Land Policy," and 23 years havo
elapsed since Mr. George finished
writing "Progress and Poverty"no
doubt one of the most widely read
books on the land question ever writ
ten. Whether Mr. George discovered the
true solution to the questions of land
and taxation, and the abolition of pov
erty, is yet uncertain. Although read
and studied and believed by hundreds
of thousands of intelligent, earnest
and well-meaning persons both in the
United States and Great Britain, tha
single tax is yet a tentative proposi
tion and just what effect It might
have if adopted Is only a matter of
speculation something to be reasoned
out, with no historical examples ex
actly in point to guide the investiga
tor. The example of New Zealand la
only partially applicable.
As to whom is entitled the credit
for originating the single tax idea, it
may be said that without doubt
"Progress and Poverty" Is wholly the
product of Mr. George's brain; jet
curiously enough substantially hU en
tire program was carefully worked out
by savants in France during the reign
of Louis XIV., and later in England.
However, Mr. George was wholly un
acquainted with this fact until lone:
after his book had been published.
, Perhaps one of the best criticisms ct
-Progress and Poverty" Is W. II. Mal
lock's "Property and Progress." a col
lection of articles from the pen of Mr.
Mallock printed originally in tha
"Quarterly Review," and published in
book form in 1884. Mr. Mallock writes
from the English standpoint, and aa
Mr. George's ideas spread even mors
rapidly in England than in America, It
is interesting to note how they are
treated by an "English writer. Tho
Independent has not yet been con
verted to the single tax idea and will
give a summary of Mr. Mallock's ob
jections in the hope that American
single taxers may be able to meet
them satisfactorily.
Mr. Mallock summarizes the argu
ment in "Progress and Poverty" as
follows: (1) As the production of
wealth grows greater, the share that
goes to the laboring class grows less.
(2) The laboring class creates its own
wages as It receives them; it being
wholly false that wages are drawn i
from capital. - (3) Population does'not
increase faster than do the means of
subsistence; and thus the current ex
planations of poverty are no explana
tions at all. (4) Poverty really I
caused by the appropriation of laud
by individuals. (5) Poverty would b&
cured by the confiscation of the land
by the state. These are briefly what
Mr. Mallock considers the essential
points In Mr. George's discussion, and
he meets them as follows:
On the first point Mr. Mallock saysr
' "Now, we cannot discuss this "as
sertion at any length. We can only
say, that though It Is contiuiially
made, and though to superficial obser
vation there seems much to justify
It, all who have studied the subject
carefully are unanimous in declar
ing that it is wholly untrue. Th
poverty that underlies civilization !,
no doubt, a terrible evil; it may eas
ily develop into a dangerous oner
but, so far is It from being relatively
an increasing evil, that there Is ev
ery reason to believe it to be some
what diminishing; whilst as to ths
middle classes, instead of being de
stroyed by modern progress, they are.
on the contrary, its special and most
evident product."
The Independent agrees with Mr.
George on this point and believes that
Mr. Mallock dismissed an important
point in "Progress and Poverty" in an
unsatisfactory manner. Agreeing with
George that the rich are growing rich
er and the poor poorer, The Indepen
dent, however, doe3 not admit that
the cause is to be found in 'the private
ownership of land, but suggests that
in their collective capacity the peo
ple have impoverished themselves by
enormous gifts of property and fran
chises to corporations exercising some
functions of government (Riieh as
railroads, national banks, etc.) and
that they have been further Impover
ished by the colossal stealing of theso
self-same corporations.
On the second point Mr. Mallock
takes up Mr. George's proposition that
"wages, instead of being drawn from
capital, are really drawn from the
product of the labor for which they
are paid," or, in other words, that
wages are drawn from "contemporan
eous production" of food, not "prev
ious production" and quotes Mr.
George's words oh page 78:
"In the great San Joaquin valley
there were (in 1877, owing to a total
failure of the crop) many farmers
without food enough to support their
families until the next harvest time,
let alone to support any laborers. But
the rains came again In proper sea
son, and these very farmers proceeded
to hire hands to plow and to sow. For
every here and there was a farmer
who had been holding back part of
his crop. As soon as the rains came,
he was anxious to sell before the next
harvest brought lower prices; and the
grain thus held in reserve, through the
machinery of exchanges and advances,
passed to the use of the cultivators
set free, In effect PRODUCED, by the
work done for the next crop."
To this Mr. Mallock says: : .
"Had Mr. George expressly designed
It-to destroy instead of supporting his
theory, he could have written nothing
better adapted to his purpose. The
farmers, he admits, are enabled to go
on with their labors only because some
ov. erorr friji ayeeorn alread v ac
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