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About The independent. (Lincoln, Neb.) 1902-1907 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 8, 1903)
6 THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT OCTOBER 8, 1203. The Philosophy of Freedom An OpQ Forum for Single Taxers SOCIALISTS AND SINGLE TAXERS. Editor Independent: Apropos of the numerous communications that have appeared in The Independent concern ing the agreements and disagreements of socialists and single taxers, I beg to be allowed to call the attention ol your readers to a recent very small pamphlet published by Franii Vierth, Cedar Rapids, la., under the tide "Look Ahead." In this pamphlet will be tound the fairest and clearest state ment I have anywhere seen of the real difference between the ultimate prin ciples of the single tax and that of so cialism. I do not say the difference between single taxers and socialists, but be tween the single tax and socialism. For 1 believe in all sincerity that there are thousands of socialists who do tot really believe in socialism. I have rot tail ed with a thousand, but I have with some, who, while professing to be socialists,' certainly did not be lieve in socialism, except as all of us ,more or less do, namely, in the things that are properly neither "thine" nor "mine," but "ours." I am sure there are many other socialists, who have the same attitude toward socialism as . luurtc wiiu nuuiu i nave nui-cii. , This distinction between socialism and any socialist party is alluded to by the author, Mr. Louis F. Post, in the little pamphlet to which I have re ferred. I am quite sure that the fol lowing quotation will be of interest to those who -have followed the discus sions in your paper: "The principle which animates the single tax policy is one of two forces that today are gathering for conflict. The other is the socialist principle. I do not aljude to the socialist party. That may or may not figure in the struggle before us as the representa tive of the principle of socialism. No one can tell. What I do allude to if the force of which the socialist party Is now an expression. Whether it finds ultimate expression in a party calling itself socialist, or otherwise, gle tax principle. This raises no ques tion of particular political parties or platforms or programs. It is the vital principle of practical individualism. It 'is the principle, with reference . to property, not of the sacredness of "mine," or of "thine" nor of "mine and thine," but of the sacredness of mine, the sacredness of thine, and the eacredness of ours. In the conflict between these two principles, social Ism and the single tax, every man who lives much longer will be compelled to choose. "The quest'on he must sit in judg ment upon is whetner, on tiiC Cue hand, he will promote a social prin ciple the philosophy of which is eco nomic fatalism and its ideal to ma? e everything of society and nothing of the individual; or will, on the other hand, promote the principle which distinguishes social from individual functions, social from individual rights, social from individual dnties conserving them all by ta'Ing for so ciety what belongs to society and leav ing to each individual rhat belongs to him. This is the issue. We mav fully agree in the spirit of Mr. Ernest Crosbv's fine article in the ' Henry George Edition of The Inde pendent in wishing to minimize differ ences, yet where there are real dif ferences of principle, bf wrse there is no profit in hiding the fact. J. H. DILLARD. LIGON TO SPALDING. William Spalding of Murray. Idaho, calls my question a stunner. His an swer may be sufficient for him: bit for a renter here In the Chickasaw natfon it's not. Rent has increased here Feme: and some are required to keep itp the Improvements, which is taxa tion added to taxation. Rp answer mieht and woild do where there were ten places to rent and only,, one or two renters. Come "again, Mr. Spalding. ' - . G. LIGON. Graham, I. T. SITRPI US VAT UE. Editor Independent: I" your Karl Kar Fditfoi there is a lonr ertWe hv H. M. Hvndman nnon the Tvfrv Hionry of p"rrl"f vVie. wMh Is a pood i'i"s trt'on of how clear logical r"rnfngr my be vitiated lv tenors? fTomn t'l facto. It Is trm that te selling prjre of commodities p-enerollv n cldeq n additional vale hcMs ronMh"ted bv -hor and canWol fMs he farms Rrnlnl Vl'ie and aertbe it whollv to labor terpen it "rr"al-lt-ed or Thi" ded"tfon f hacp4 rron the fallacv tht lnr the nie ner"urv fartor In nrol"ftton or t least that lalor and capital alone are required, ignoring wholly the equally necessary factor land. It is the varying productiveness of land and the conditions which limit access to land which alone are re sponsible for this so-called surplus value. In the first place the cost of production, interest and wages being the same, will vary with the fertility of landvand the poorer the land the smaller the return from the applica tion of a given amount of labor and capital. In the case of production from the poorest land in use,- and which pays no rent, the price will just cover the cost of the labor and capita en gaged and there will be no surplus value. If the returns did not cover the cost of production the land would speedily go out of cultivation; if it ex ceeded it, it would be because of in creased demand and poorer land would be forced into use. It is evident, then, that from all land more productive than this free lend, the cost of production will be less than the value; in other words, after paying the usual returns to la bor and capital, there is something left. As a result this land will be in su perior demand to the free land and men will ,be willing to pay for the privile.ee of using it. What they will pay will. be an amount equal to the value of this extra productiveness above the free land. In plain English this is RENT. Surplus value is noth ing but rent and the way to socialize it is to take rent In taxation for com munity purposes and abolish all thoe other taxes which now operate as fines on industry and thrift. let me add that Mr. Stuart in his "rticle on "Scientific Socialism" alo follows worthily in the steps of his master, Karl Marx, and Ignores land, when he states that "all wealth is the product of labor and labor exclusive ly." Without land to work on and without the raw materials which lano s"pni?es, even Mr. Stuart would be helpless. With labor free and the land mo nopolized the people are enslaved as thev are this day. When socialists learn the fundamental imoortance of the land question they will be saved from many economic fallacies ancHvill receive more consideration from think ing reformers. "" AT AN C. THOMPSON. Toronto, Canada. . , WAGES. All must admit that the Ideal stat of society, would be one in which ev ery person nad some useful occupa tion; and retained enough of the prod uct of his labor to live in comfort, where every one had an opportunity eiuier 10 worn at good wages for an employer, or to make e-oort wori lug for himself. If civilization is to advance it must be towards that ideal. Under what conditions win wages be high? What conditions en courage industry, and what idleness? In the first nlace. if all a tn rp. ceive high wages, enough wealth must De produced to allow each a large share, and the more wealth nrnAnoeri the higher the wages each laborer may possibly receive. But although a large production of wealth Is high wages, it is not the only thing necessary, ior the wnole product of labor does not ko to the laborer ar.i his share in the product is often very small even where the erpatMt amounts are produced. A nortion f the 'product is appropriated by gov ernment and we find that as civiliza tion advances this portion continually increases, and although a great deal of the public funds may be very bad ly spent, still there is scarcely a limit to the amount that mieht he used fnr the public good, and if it is not so used, trie remedy Is to give the public more power to control the enpnn. tnre; A second portion goes to the land lord who may or mav not nisn ha a laborer and a capitalist. If he Is sim ply a land owner, his land Is unim proved hi ci1m to tho land I Wo on a paper title received from the rtate wmrn nves ntm the fill control and no ntbpr nprnn i nllnwe-? to " t wfthoit his consent. He has a natural rifht of possesion to as much land values as everv other person in the tte. for the rights of all are equal in rrrd to land. He alo has a nat ural rio-ht to all the prodicts of his ibor whether Improvements on the land or prodots which mav be re moved. Altno'ieh tend Ii practically vnlliefl jn quantify ft differs rreatlv It. fortntV- pnd pome even of the rtuvt forHp tjy q po equated that labor arl'ed OT1 ft Wntid be entirely .wasted. Ot tv oher hand, some land Is so sit'ted that U h an Immense valne. a lot In a great city with nothing on It hut rubbish often has a value great er than a thousand acres of the best improved agricultural land. This val ue is called the unearned increment, because it Is unearned by those who receive it. It is the earned Incre ment of the commuriiy and Increcs 8 with every advance In civilization or increase in population. To permit the private appropriation of ground rent is to encourage Idleness, on the part of land owners as tuey can appropriate a portion of the weaLh produc d wi h out doing anything to aid in produc tion. It also reduces wages for as land values belong of right to society, -are created by society and are required for the expenses of government, to al low private parties to appropriate ground rent compels society to tax things that it does not create and to which it has no right and that should gc to increase wages. A third portion of the product goes tc the capitalist either for improve ments on land, machinery, or any other form of wealth that aids lalx r in production. Capital is necessary to production and a laborer should save a portion of his vages in order to sup ply himself with the best tools, ma chinery, stock or whatever he requires in his particular occupation to make his labor most effective, and the high er wages are the easier it is for him tx accumulate the necessary capital. , Although he should provide himself with capital, he is under no obliga tion to furnish other people with capi tal and an inducement is necessary to cause him to exert himself very much to furnish capital for the use of oth ers. There is a great difference in the amount a man can produce with imr perfect tools and what he can produce when supplied with the best, and he can afford to give a portion of the difference to the person who supplies bim with capital and still be better off than he woul be without it. This portion which the capitalist receives is interest, .it is the inducement the average man requires to save capital for others to u.e; and when not ex cessive benefits both parties In countries wver? the prop'e are barbarous and have few improved methods of production it requires con siderable industry and self-denial to enable a person to save more capital than he requires for his own Use, but as civilization advances it becomes"! easier cand the person who saves de serves less recompense end nature gives him less. Although the demand for capital Increases with civilization the supply increases much faster and the same causes that increase rent, lower Interest Interest seems to be necessary in the present stage of in dustrial progress,' but where natural forces are not Interfered with It is a diminishing quantity. High interest is not to be desired as it establishes an idle class and reduces wages. High wages encourage .ndustry in all classes and inspires all with hope. NOw,I think we are in a position to answer the question: Under what conditions will wages be high? The first condition necessary Is a large pro duction of wealth; and production should be encouraged in every possible v;ay .Production may be encouraged by removing taxes from the products of labor, by reducing rent cr the price of land, and a tax on land values will accomplish that, as it will make it unprofitable to hold land for specula tion. Anything that makc3 the ex change of wealth easier, such as a cufficient supply of money, or the re moval of tariffs.encourages production. Everything that encourages a greater production of wealth helps to raise wages; as the more wealth produced the more there will be to divide; and the smaller the proportion that will go to the capitalist. To abolish the patent office and reward inventors with, prizes would cheapen machinery and raise wages if accompanied with a' tax on land values. ' . : . JAS. L: PATON. - Riverside, Cal. , . LAND ANIMALS. ; Editor Independent: In your issue of August 13, 1903, a Mr. Isaac High of Janesville, la., objects to the single tax and things single taxers ought to pive us a rest. If he lives a thousand years he will find single taxers as industrious as the bees. I think the brother ought to study the single t?x fr enough to see that laud or the earth is really not pron ertv, bit is the thing from which all r-ropertv comes by applying labor to it. There was a time when nesroes were called pronertv in this countr" that are not property now; . bit st'll are land animaQ nve thur white bro thers. Perhaps they haven't fomd it o"t yet. It seems some of their su perior wtite brother? too. are a little in the dark on thi vital problem. GEO. J. MENGER. Palmyra, Mo.. . i Independent School of Political Economy OBSOLESCENT PROGRESSIVISM. The notice below is from the Medi cal World (Philadelphia) for Octo ber. Dr. Taylor, the editor, is one of the best populists in the United States, and no one has done more to advance the principles of populism. His Equity Series contaii-j books that should be in the hands of every stu dent of political economy. Write for a catalogue to 1520 Chestnut st., Phila delphia. Dr. Taylor is an earnest advocate of the "new thought" in orthography that is, he is a "spelling reformer." Strange to relate, however, he still clings to that obsolescent past parti ciple, "gotten." It wouldn't do to say, "I have just got out a book," although it is quite the thing to tell us that Mr. Horach "worl t" on it three years! However, these inconsistencies do not affect the value of Mr. Horach's work, and we advise readers of The Inde pendent to send for a copy. Mr. Tay lor says: . . "I have just potten out a book en titled "The Control of Industrial Cor porations." Mr. F. E. Horach, a teach er of economics, workt on it for three years. The provisions in the constitu tion and laws of each state concern ing the granting of charters to indus trial corporations are shown, for the purpose of exhibiting the radical and infinit differences jn these provisions among the states, and yet a company, can be incorporated in any state, to do business in all the other states!' Premium is put upon laxity instead of strictness o requirements, and there is competion among the states in the offering of freedom from strict requirements. This condition .has greatly encouraged . the formation of corporations and trusts, without suf ficient control in the interest of the ' public. After the present .condition and its results are clearly shown, a national : incorporation law is advo-' cated, to govern corporations doing an Interstate business. This treatise goes to the bottom of the trust and. cor poration question and points to a ra-' tional and practicable solution of the' problem. The book is one of the Equity Series, 20 pages, paper cover, price onlv 25 cent.. Those who are interested will want the book, so I will' say nothing further about this ques-' tlon here. The book was intended to help congress to, solve the trust pro-' blem along this line, andjevery mem-, ber of the new conres will he imme-' dlately made acquainted with the work, and a copy will be offered free to each member Interested." Sou'h Dakota In Lln Editor Independent: While leading populists were anxiously considering and debating what seemed to he a most delicate and difficult question, the Denver conference was convened and did the business of reuniting populists so easily and naturally, and at the same time so effectually and complete ly, that now nothing further remains to be said or done but to issue the call for the national . nominating conven tion, when populists will be in the saddle again, ready and anxious for the mot aprgres-.ive and determined camp3ign ever waeed bv the economic reform forces In behalf of Industrial and commercial freedom. The Denver conference could have done no more nor Iost than it ha dne. The uniting of populists was the sole purpose of that tlmelv xgatherlmr. and the work was well done, leaving all questions of-permanent' party organi zation plans and the party platform to the national convention of 1904. The South Dak ota populists send hopeful and enthusiastic greeting to all of the populists of all the states. We are anxiously waiting the coming! of Chairman J. A. Edgerton to cal! . us Into state conference for more per- feet state union and organization. JOHN M. PEASE, National Committeeman, Mld-roaders. ' Mt. .Vernon, So. Dak. Good Groceries Cheap Friends of The Independent win confer a favor bv senling an order . for groceries to Rranch & Miller Co., whose ad. appears on another page. " The goods are first class and a great : bargain. Send your order today, -if you are not satisfied you can have ' your monev bac". Mention The Inde fwndent Twhen .you write. ; . "