THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
NOVEMBER 12, 1903.
The Philosophy of Freedom
An Open Forum for Single Taxers ;
IT'S THE RENT.
Suppose you plant a garden, and then
reckon what it's earning,
, You at first will feel unusually nay,
wondrously content:
But, alas, your smiles 'are fleeting-
soon, soon your anger's burning
When you find you pay thjo landlord
all the profit with - the Rent! -
It's the Rent! It's, the Rent!
It breaks the back that's bent!
It fills the rich man's larder, the peas
ant's lot makes harder, :
It's a tragedy in payments is the
Rent, Rent, Rent!
If you take a shop and stock it, paint
your name quite bold upon it;
Bell goods of rarest fancy at pretty
good per cent, 1
Your . takings seem prodigious (and
you stand your wife a bonnet) -Bi
t they melt like snow in summer
when the landlord claims his rent!
It's the Rent! It's the Rent
In your pile it makes a dent!
It fills the landlord's belly, pulps the
poor man into jelly,
We'd be better o without it Oh, the
Rent, Rent; Rent!
Next a boarding house at Blackpool,
where you hope to fleece the trip
; pers,
' With schemes to slick and artful for
the gulls to circumvent, -
But the landlord's there before you,
and your diet's tea and kippers,
In order that the Robber Chief may
get his blessed Rent!
It's the Rent! It's the Rent!
It breaks the back that's bent!
It cripples honest labor, makes the
poor man curse his neighbor,
But the landlord thrives and fattens
on his Rent, Rent, Rent!
See the widow with her ; children,
working hard to earn a living,
Seaming, gleaning, washing, charing,
on an honest life intent,
But she toils with pains unending,
with a dark and dire misgiving,
For one-third her paltry earning goes
to swell the Cormorant's Rent!
It's the frent! The thieving .Rent!
Tho' the widow's back fs bent! v.
While the landlord sips his honey,
she has to find "the money! "
Let us sweep away the tragedy and
Nationalize the Rent!
' B. W., iji Pioneer.
SPALDING TO LIGON.
Editor Independent: Mr. Ligon's
question was, in effect, why, the land
lord under the single tax system could
not add the increased tax to rent and
so compel the tenant to pay it.
. My answer was under, the presump
tion that he realized landlords al
ways and everywhere charged all the
rent it was possible to get and hence
could not shift the tax onto the ten
ant. . - ' '
If that were possible he would in
crease the rent now, ' regardless of
whatever tax system is in force.
All economists, of every school, not
only admit, but assert . that a land
tax is the only one that 'cannot be so
shifted, because land is a, fixed quan
tity and can be neither increased nor
diminished by low or high taxes as
human productions are, the taxes on
which are invariably shifted to (he
user or consumer in increased prices.
This Mr. Ligon must see if he buys
anything at the store, from a pair of
ehoes to a plor or threshing ma
chine, in increased prices from per
sonal property taxation, tariff taxa
tion, and monopoly taxation, includ
ing land monopoly, the prolific
mother of the whole brood of lesser !
monopolies that are devouring Ihe
imbalance and threatening the liber
ties of this great people.
Termit mo to add that If a renter,
tinder the single tax Mr. I.lgon would
tare no taxes whatever to pay, while
If a land owner he would have to
pay. ,
The single tax would abolish all
luxation ou human jinnuM-Hun ami
place the entire coat of government
n the value of bare land regardless
f any improvement in or on It bv a
tax on It valuenot areaand this
lax the land owner a owner eon Id
In no way escape. If loth nwnpr and
liner, hi tax would be on the bare
talue of hi land, leaving hi Im
provements,' building, fencf. ma
chinery, croi. and pernor it property
free from fixation. The enormo'i
benefit of thl will not he een until
en realUe how land I made artl
fklallv scarce by the vat amount hrM
out of tme by speculator fur higher
price than the uaer, either renter or
purchaser, can pay and live, Thl
feature of landlord opprcta'an the sin
gle tax would utterly destroy and
open up for use immense tracts of
land that now serve no purpose to the
human race except to help hold the
earth in place. Thi3 would manifest
ly cheapen rents. arid prices of land;
purchase price being simply capital
ized rent.
It is not because the single tax is
p cunning device that we expect such
benefits from it, but that It conforms
to the supreme law of Justice and en
ables us to apply that highest of all.
ethical principles, "Do to others as
we would that others should do to"Bs,
WM. SPALDING.
Murray, Iijaho.
A MONEY SYSTEM.
Editor Independent: I desire to out
line, very briefly, a monetary system
which, in-my opinion, harmonizes
with the principles advocated by sin
gle taxers, meets the requirements
urged by populists and conforms to
the democratic mould of our govern
ment. -
Single taxers of which I am one
Beldom concern themselves in public
print with the much-mooted "money
question," considering it subordinate
to the greater subject of land monop
oly and, monstrous as It is, deferring
Its solution to the time when, in an
atmosphere unpolluted by special
privilege, a clearer view of Its natural
relationship to the social organism
can be obtained. But by pointing out,
however crudely, how much the es
tablishment of a correct monetary sys
tem depends upon the institution of
fundamental reforms, wo may succeed
in diverting the energies now useless
ly expended on the former into an ac
complishment of the latter.
"Money" is but an attribute of gov
e.iment, an organ of the national
body whose proper functions are
properly performed only when that
body is in a state of health. This we
know is not the case with our gov
ernment today, and any attempt to
graft upon it a sound limb would re
sult in death or disease to the limb
without Improvement to the body.
Public service is the cause of mon
ey. Were all governmental services
to be performed gratis we would not
need "money" hence its only func
tion is the payment of public ser
vants. The need admitted, however, we
must next ascertain how it is to be
met. Evidently this can be done only
by a levy upon the -wealth of the citi
zen, but in what proportion?
It Is axiomatic that "taxes should
be levied In direct proportion to the
benefits received," and it is main
tained by single taxers, without suc
cessful refutation, that the benefits of
government are exactly" measured by
the' rental values of land.
Here, then, is the foundation of a
monetary system. The rest is de
tail. The counties being the smallest
assessing divisions of the state become
the unit. Their land values are ascer
tained and reported to the state,
which. In turn, reports the whole
amount within its border to the na
tion. "Money" is then issued for this
amount and returned to the states
which distribute it proportionately
among the counties, where it is paid
cut for public services. State appro
priations would be met by a levy
aeainst the funds of the county in
proportion to their land value assess
ments, and national appropriations
would be levied against the states in
proportion to the entire land value
Assessments of the counties of the
state. v
Primarily this "money" would b
fimtdv a public order against the
beneficiaries of government for a cer
tain amount of wealth owing the
bolder for Ferv Ices "rendered. Of no
'.'Intrinsic" value, it should neverthe
less bo standardized by a fixed rehtlon
to eome form of wealth bearing a
uniform relation to all other form of
wealth, nnd md "leenl tender" by
telnr tamped "Receivable by the gov
ernment in lieu or whatever quan
tity or quality of the standard It rep
resented. A st'idv of tho application and ef.
fept, of thl Hnn, In minute detail,
will demonstrate to any careful
tbtitVer bow tbnrourhly It conform
to the requirement of a Jut and nat
ural pnvrti"ent. K. O. IUII.KY,
Central City, Colo.
The Cattthhm of Hope
Tearh me another hour
Thn that of dl'.outenlj
The heart dlxxatUnVd
Mm quite Ha birthright fpent
Tearh me a litany '
OOOOOOOOOOOOOJOOOOOOOOOOOOO
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IIOWESEEKERS' EXCURSION.
One Fare Plus Two Dollars
For Round Trip.
Dates of Sale November 3rd and 17th.
To Minnesota, Wisconsin, the Canadiun Northwest, many points in Nebraska, North
and bouth Kalcota, including Bonesteel. Return limit 21 days.
o
Unmingled with despair,
Bring me a glimpse of 'paradise,
Upon the wings of prayer.
Teach me sweet charity
Unmixed with policy;
For giving is a virtue when
The heart gives cheerfully.
Teach me the creed of deeds;
Teach me to smile at pain;
Make me one of the brotherhood;
Learn me to love. Amen.
WM. FELTER.
Blue Mound, Kas.
Thl is a (food Way to Do
v Omaha, Neb., Oct. 24, 1903. J. L.
Mabie, Secretary Trans-Mississippi
Mutual Fire Association, Omaha, Neb.
Dear Sir: Through your city man
ager, Henry Ehrenpfort, I acknowl
edge receipt of check for the sum of
three thousand ($3,000.00) dollars, be
ing amount in full of settlement for
loss on my dwelling an! household
furniture. ' "
I wish to thank you for the" prompt
manner in which the adjustment and
l.ayment was made.
In case of loss by fire many think
it necessary to bring suit in order to
collect from the insurance company,
but I can say if they are insured In
the Trans-Mississippi they will receive
fair treatment for large or small
losses.
It is my policy to patronize home
institutions, and if there is anything
I can do or say to aid the company,
believe me, I am at your service.
Yours very truly, -J.
W. STONE, .Supt.
Bemis Omaha "Bag Co. '
This company writes all classes of
farm business against loss or damage
by fire, lightning or wind storm..
The Best Is In Nebraska
The Security Mutual Life Insurance
company continues to grow. It wrote
1144,000 of new business in October
and has written so far this year $1.-
200,000, which is a large gain over
the business of last year.
Nebraska has a low death rate as
compared with eastern states. A Ne
braska company can loan its reserves
on as good securities as eastern com
panies and can get a better rate of in
terest For these reasons a policy in
the Security Mutual should be and is
a better investment than a policy in
an eastern company. A policy in any
old line eastern company is good a
policy In the Security Mutual is just
as good and must be more profitable.
The laws of Nebraska are a guaran
tee that the Interests of policyholders
will be protected. No other state has
so good a law. No eastern state has a
law that requires the companies to de
posit their reserves with the state.
The Nebraska law does require it. .It
also requires the state auditor to see
to it that any company organized tin
der the law complies with its provi
sions. There is no good reason why
a citizen of Nebraska should send his
monev east to pay for life Insurance
when he can Keep it at home where
it will he a benefit to hhn and his
neighbors.
SPECIAL MARKET LETTER
FROM NYE 4 'BUCHANAN CO.. LIVE
STOCK COMMISSION MER
CHANTS, SO. OMAHA.
Ni:a
Cattle Thl week opened with tC
decided rain over last week' tloste,
the desirable kind f all utu-s
thowlnit an advance. There ha been
a rood demand for toker, rpe-lal
ly yearling Heer. and they have ntd
a hlKh a ft. 30 from speculators.
Wednesday' market a little alow, but
i. tout steady. Kecvlpu so far are
lighter than last wee,
We quo'. choke corn fed steer at
1500 to $U5, flr to od sltort-M
K5S to II.7&, western Wet steer fl
to 14. Choice, hravy fcdri 13 50 to
$170, medium ft to II 40, wmtnoi
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Address:
R. W. McGinnis,
DRUGS
-AT-
Wholesale Prices.
One or a dozen, tame price. Add 25c for
boxing and drojnge outside ol Lincoln.
81 Peruna 640
tl Klliher'sPwamp Koot..., .... "64c
35c CuBlorla (penuine) ', 24c
50c hyrup ol Vips.,.,, , "?yc
25c Hrotno Quinine.... ..-, . .'.Ci'lfic
26c Allcock 's Poroiift Planters 'lac
25c Carter's Little Liver Pills... '..'lhc
25o Menncn's Talcum Powder.. . ...15c
?1 Coke's andmfl Cure 7jc
25c Allen's Foot Ease... kj
f 1 Krorao Feltzer 79c
H liopth's Uyomei " , vjc
$1 Hosteller's liltters .... . .' 7jc
25c Packer's Tar Soap '' 9C
M l)ix Tonic Tablets , 79c
50c IfoHtord's Acid Ptios 3jc
1 Aver's Hnir Tonic. :
jA)c. OmcpaOil ',, .'.'.'.'.'.!'.!.'.';. ffflc
i alanine rrepa rations....... 79c
50c Kadway'g IU-liet
25c Pear's Glycerine oap '. ""9c
'J0c Pear's Unscented Soap ... ""l3c
1 Seven Sisters' Hair (Jrower., ".'..".79c
' ; iiQuoRs. i;
Jl Duffy's Malt Wfliskey.qt..... ).' 89c
tl Ihler's Malt Whiskey, qt , ...".89c
81 Vine Spring Mult Whiskey, qt 9c
2 Old PrentiHH ltye, 1X93, qt r. 1 .49
i Old Prenti."8 Hourbon, 1K93, qt jl.49
J2 ti'iiKenlieimer Kye, qt !1.49
f 1.75 Old Hermitage liye, qt fL25
fl.75 Old Crow Uourbon, qt. fil.25
.81.50 Old Time, qt ,. .
' WINES.
82 Imported Pherry, qt ji.49
81.50 Irondukuoit Sherry, qt Wc
81.50 Irondukuoit Portqt ..!'ti8c
81.50 Catawhit. qt...; .... ; ; 1 ' 9Mc
81 Calitornla Wines, qt.,., '.y.Yi.'i'Jc
MALTS:
25c Pest Tonic I . 19c
25c Schlit. Tonic , i90
iC TvT.r,C ' ' " "15
25c M a 1 1 N 11 1 ri n e 1 9c
25c Kehnester' Tonic.. .. .. .... .!..,'." 15c
26c Hospital Tonic. .' i,L5c
RI
The Drug Cutter.
1321 O St., Lincoln, Neb.
grades down to $3.40. Yearling steers
choice $3.75 to $4, others $3.25 to $3.70.
Good fat cows and heifers $2.70 to $3,
stock heifers $1.90 to $2.50, canners
$1 to $2, milkers and springers $20 to
$35. Steer calves $3 to $4, veal $4 to
$5. Grass bulls $1.50 to $2.50. '
Sheep Receipts heavy, 35,000 Tues
day, a record breaker. Market 10 to
15c higher.
Killers. ' Feeders.
Lambs $4.254.50 $3.904.00
Common 3.003.40
Yearlings 3.704.00 3.353.50
Wethers 3.253.50 3.103 30
Ewes 2-.40 2.G0 1.75-2.30
Hogs lleccipts light. Market de
clining fast. Range $4.50 to $4.90.
Nebraska Antl-Narcotlcs Law
Section 245q. That hereafter no per
son, firm, association, or corporation
In this state, shall, sell, give or fur
nish In any way, any tobacco In any
form whatsoever, or any cigarettes or
cigarette paper to any minor under
eighteen .years of age.
Section 215r, That any perxon. firm,
association, or corporation violating
the provision of this act. shall, upon
conviction thereof, for each ami every
offense be fined In a Bum of not less
than twenty dollars, and not more
than fifty dollars, and tort of kiU,
or be Imprisoned for nut los than
ten, or mro than thirty day. In dis
cretion of the court.
Issued by Nebraska Women's Chrl
tlan Tcniperaiu-n I'nlon.
M. U. UOIIKUTS,
Superintendent.
$16.40 CttlCAUO and KI'.U KN $16.49
ROCK ISLAM) SYSTlIfl
piite of !, Nov. 2 and 3). IVc. 1,
flood for return until IW. ?. Kor In
formation a to trains, etc.. call on or
addre, K. II. HAUNIX. C. P. A,
1015 0 ft., Lincoln, Neb.
ratrcnlte our adrtrtlncra,