FEBRUARY 11, 1004.
THE NEBRASKA INDEPENDENT
The Philosophy of Freedom
An Open Forum for Sing! TaxC )
a
MARY'S LITTLE LOT.
Mary had a little lot. !
The soil was very poor;
But still she kept it all the tame,
And struggled to get more.
f&e kept the lot until one day
"The people settled down
where a wilderness had been
Grew up a thriving town.
Then Mary rented out her lot,
(She would not sell, you know)
And waited patiently about
For prices still to grow. . . .
They grew, as population came,
And Mary raised the rent.
iWith common food and raiment now,
She could not be content;
She built her vp a mansion flue
Had bric-a-brac galore.
And every time the prices rose,
She raised the rent some more.
"What makes the lot keep Mary so?'
The starving people cry
"Why, Mary keeps the lot, you know,
The' wealthy would reply.
And so each one of you might be
"Wealthy, refined and wise"
U you had only hogged, some land
And held it for the rise. -
MARY C. HUDSON.
Every permanent improvement of
the soil, every railway and road, ev
ery bettering of the general condition
of sosi&ty, every facility given, for pro
duction, every stimulus supplied to
consumption, raises (ground) rent.
The landowner sleeps, but thrives.
ffhorold Rogers, Tolitical ; Economy.
Would it pay to own land without
Using it, if it were fairly taxed?
THE FARMER AND THE SINGLE
TAX.
In The Independent of January 11,
the associate editor, commenting on
Dr. Barnes' letter, says: "Under pres
ent conditions the farmer gets a bare
living out of Ms current production,
and but little more; but the unearned
increment' rise . in land values does
give the land-owning farmer some
thing more : than a bare living in the
course' Of say ihirty years. This un
earned 'increment, single lasers pro
pose to take away from the farmer
and their representations of what he
Will get in return are generally so
tague as to fail to convert the aver
age farmer to the single tax proposi
tion' As the farmer not only feeds all
mankind, but also furnishes the raw
material for a great many manufac
tures, farming is a necessary occupa
tion; and the community must offer
sufficient inducements to farmers to
attract enough men to that calling io
supply the wants of all. If wages are
low and opportunities to labor scarce
in other lines of industry, smancr in
ducements will be required tc attract
men to engage in farming than if
wages are high and opportunities to
lalor plentiful. If wages are high
and "all who are able and willing to
work employed, there will be a much
greater demand for farm produce than
at present, and people will pay enough
for farm products to attract enough
men to farming to supply the demand.
Is it not clear that a condition of gen
eral prosperity, and high wages is
what the farmer need3?
What inducements are offered to
farmers at present? According to Mr.
Dc France be "gets a bare living out
of his current production," he also
gels what his labor adds to the value
ol hi. farm in the v way of improve
ments of any kind, such as tenets,
buildings, live slock, orchards, etc.
'He also sets the "unearned lucre
ment" the rise In land values caused
by improved r Jails, schaoU. Inr ica.se
of population, or -any other Improve
ment made by other people and vol
on UU land. Now under present con
editions the hope or getting th!s uti
"carrml Increment in often the strong
est Inducement offered to engage in
farming and it I the mot unsatis
factory Inducement offered, it Is im
moral; for It glvHH him what la rlfcht
fully the property of the romuiumtjr,
to which the Individual has no rUht.
and It filves him the power to opi rest
his brother, man, a ower that no In
dividual should ptrt.HS. The govern
tnetil takes i part of thl unearned In
crement at prrnt; and Klnrle taw
propose that thU tat l ra4m!y In
treaiwd until there U UU! or no un
earned luorfmt'iit It ft, and In this way
they will take away onu Imhmtnetit
to .r.KRiT In farrnluij.
liut whit aVout the other Induct
merits? 1'nder punt tomhtionj the
government taxes personal property
and improvements, which discourages
all improvements that do not pioduce
revenue. Single taxers propose abol
ishing these taxes entirely; and this
inducement would In many cases com
pensate for the loss of the unearned
increment. Tho single tax would
raise wages, for by taking the taxes
off the products of labor more wealth
would be produced, and consequently
there would be a greater demand for
labor. Increasing the tax on land val
ues would also increase wages as land
would be much cheaper and more
men could employ themselves, ani al
though more laborers could find em
ployment working for wages, fewer
would be compelled to seek it in that
wav.
Under these conditions could farm
ers fail to be prosperous? It is true
that they would have to pay mgn
waees to their heln: but would they
continue to supply the Increased de
mands of the community unless they
shared In the general prosperity?
Such a question scarcely requires an
answer.
If farmers were not prosperous un
der such conditions some of the un
fortunate farmers would soon be look
ing for employment in other callings;
but with an increased demand lor
farm products thev would be required
at their old occupation and prices of
farm Droducts would have to rise
enough to make the farmers as pros
perous as those following other occu-
nations. As lone as the "unearned"
increment is one the principal induce
ments to engage In farming the other
Inducements will not be very large,
farmers must ?ive that (tne unearned
increment) up if they, would have
better conditions, .and I hope I hae
shown that the farmer, can claim his
share of the general prosperity tuat
will prevail under the single tax.
JAS. S; PATON..
THE POWER OFPUBLIC OPINION
Editor Independent: "In your note
to Tom Bawden's article . in issue Of
January 21 you interpose the United
States supreme court as an obstacle
to economic Justice. This objection,
if good, applies equally to every plank
in, the populist platform, especially to
covernment ownership or rauroaas
To the free coinage of silver that
court might say that all contracts
since 1873 have been made upon a
gold basis and free silver coinage
would change an implied contract ana
confiscate property of creditors and
security .holders, -ThA
obiGction. however, is not trcod
The United States supreme court and
most state suDreme court decisions
are more political than legal, follow
ing the trend of public opinion of the
dav or of the party in power. Soon
after Chief Justice Horton of the Kan
sas supreme court had concurred in
the court's ODinlon holding the pro
hibitorv amendment constitutional, iu
18S1, he said the decision was not
made on legal grounds nor could have
been, but was dictated by political ex
izeneies.
The theory of our government, na
tional and state, is that the will of the
people is the supreme law. This toe
orv can fail to work out in practice-
as it often does only when the mass
of the neoule have no will: when they
neither know nor care enough to in-
tellieentlv and forciblv exnress them
selves. This "public apathy on public
ouestions Is often lamentable am:
dangerous and is usually the result
of insufficient knowledge upon which
to base an opinion.
Fartisnnshln Is the bane of Rooc
public opinion and the remedy for
partisanship Is the effective ballot.
It is also the remedy for political In
difference and corruption, for men
will vote when they know their bal
lot will bo effective and not wasted
on a dt feated candidate or in piling
up a useless? majority.
You ask single taxers io keep down
to earth, vrt we think we are the moit
practical of all men, knowing just
what we want and how to get It,
something no other school of rtiunn
tau bo truly siy.
When the rx-oplo are Intfllleen
enotiKh to demand tho ningb tax no
tuptemo court dare opp;4s thern,
W. II. T. WAKKKIKI.D.
the experiment conducted bv the Ne
braska State Board of Agriculture and
Corn Imnrovers' association in the
year of 1902 and 1903, of 19 standard
varieties, Hogue's Yellow Dent made
the best average yield of any. siiow-
intr it to be adaDied to Nebraska soil
and climate. For circular or samples
address It. Hogue, Crete, Neb.
t r'
"The Sure Hatch in Alaska"
Minto, Yukon, Jan. 7, 1904. Seattle
Produce Co.. Eucene. Ore. --Gentle
men: Enclosed please find eighteen
dollars (18) for another 150-egg size
ncubator. Please send it as soon as
possible as I want to set it in the
forepart of March. The one you sent
me last fall is all right and I want
to set two in March, or sooner, if the
hens begin to lay. I will want some
more later. I enclose 20 cents for ex
change of Canadian greenbacks. On
my first hatch I got 85 per cent and
have not em less tnan 5 ter cent
since that time. - Ship the machine to
Mrs John Fussell Minto. Yukon, care
of Mr. Wheeler, Royal Mall service,
W hite Horse.
bpeciai ruiiman vesimuie xmin, - vrowim
Koouu, Compartments, Library and Music lioom.
Wlin Uie largest uimni? urui luanuuu.Hiiu mo
. , , ., i Vi I fan ous open Top unscrvauon i;ar, cmmiuj.
The Wabash Railroad. St. Louis special naggage car. Ticket meiude u -
I Tn.tiui.a ovprvwhere.
. r I f I. .1. 4k a
iNpCCWK lOUrt Ol tncxicunuii uniuuri.ua via, mo
TlHrinU (Vntr.il and Now Orleans under the fttlH-
pecies of ltdymfrui WhUcomb, will lesve Chi
cago Friday, Feb. 12.. and St. Louis Saturday,
ri'D. J3, jyo-i, lor Mexico ana lauiormn via new
Th. He st Seed Corn
lli.guo' Yellow lvnt wan th hUh
m morlus or all the rrn ihown at
l.tn.om in January. I'.mii, wnuh wai
nx tliurii as iarce an any othr-r torn
tanv h-l 1 In Nihratki; In fact. It
una nevtr ln brat en in a torn thaw
wlrt th" more card was urd. In
luiiicns geiitrm. a- R.
DIRECT TO HAVANA
Via Illinois Central R. R. to New Orleans and
the weemy soumern racuic h. p. "ivouismna io
Havana. Leave Ohicafro and Cincinnati Friday
morninj?. leave St. Louia and Ix)n1Tille Friday ,
noon, arrive New Orleans Saturday 10:00 a. m.t
leave Saturday 2:01) p.-m., arriving at Havana
Monday morning. Round-trip and one-way
through tickets at unusually low rates. Free
Illinois Central K, K.iiiUHtraiea i-oiaeroncuoa,
civliif nil iiRrilcu ars on nnnlloatlon.
OCEAN STEAMSHIPS FROM
NEW ORLEANS
Ocean steamsbip Ballings from New Orleans for
Mexico, ranuma, central ana soum America,
Weft Indict and Kurop concisely set forth In a
emiclal folder Issued by the Illinois Central R. R.
Send lor a copy.
lltYiPn ii'Urorrtu AJCtcovia Illinois v,en
MCAIUU tral R. H., under escort of Reaa
nil ICnD&ill Campbell, tienerai Managertna
UMLII Un II in American T
Tnnrlut AsuoclaLion.
Quincy Rulldlng, 113 Adams Chicago, leave
Chicago January 26. Select clientele. Limited.
All exclusive privileges, lmiepenueni travel.
fcweciai ruiiman vesiiouie irain, ithwiuu
The onlv line with its own station
at main entrance of World'3 lair
grounds. Special rates south on the
first and third Tuesday each incntn.
The Wabash runs on its own rails
from Omaha, Kansas City, Des Moines,
Council Bluffs, St. Louis ana unicago
to Detroit. Toledo. Niagara Falls and
Buffalo with through connections be
yond.
All aeents cau route you via the Wa
bash R. R. For descrmtive World's
Fair matter and all other information
address, HARRY E. MOORES,
u. A. f. jj., 4uinaua, nvu.
Orleans, including a etop-over for the Mardl
i:raa- iiim from rhicHi'n Vriinv. March 4th. and
Bt. Iouls Saturday, March 6th, for Calliornla,
Via me Illinois cenirai anu new unenna. . sa
tire trips madein special private vestibule trains
ol finest rullmans, with dining car service. Fas
cinating trips, complete in every detail.
r.rntri.1 Welkin hlrj-urnimift tn Cali'
fornUx. Excursion Cars through to Los Angeles
' . . - . .... r li. tTI. . 1 -1 .... -.
anu win f rancisco as iouowh: v i iicw unwui
and the Southern Route every Wedn(lay from
I'liinDiir.' uvorv Tnotuliiv trmii f !lnf Innntl. Via
v . v. up, i viy " -
Omaha and the Scenic Route every Wednesday
Blacksmith Shop Wanted
A thorouehlv competent blacksmith,
12 years' experience, desires to pur
chase a blacksmith shop or blacksmith
shon and carnpnter shon combined.
Will pay cash if price and location are
satisfactory. Address John'Bye, 827
No. 16th St., Lincoln, JNeo.
Particular attention is called to the
Daac advertisement of Hay den Bros.
in this issue. The Hayden Bros, store
is by far the largest in the state and
The Independent desires that readers
as far as nossibie send their mall or
der to that store. The coods will be
found entirely satisfactory and the
prices much lower tnan eisewnere.
Pteise meution The Independent when
you write.
FARMERS, ATTENTION.
Do vou wish to sell your farm? It
so, send lull description, lowest price
and best terms, or, ir you wisn io
buy a farm, ranch or Lincoln home,
write to or call on Williams urait.
1105 O st., Lincoln. Neb.
Southern Land
Ar remarkably cheap, especially in
Arkansas and Louisiana. Tfccy are
especially adapted for fruit raising.
and all grains tnrive in wis section.
The Missouri Pacific will run Home-
seekers' Excursions to Arkansas. Lou
isiana. Oklahoma and Texas on Jan-
j
narv 19 ' February 2 and 16. at one
fare nlus S2 for the round trip. For
descriptive pamphlets, time tables,
etc., address city omce, b. vv. cor.
12th and O sts. v
F. D. CORNELL, P. & T. A.
Mammoth Jack For Sale
I have for sale a full blood
ed Mammoth Jack, weight 950
pounds 8 years old. J4jxcel
lent build, heavy bones, splen
did action, guaranteed breeder.
Also, G of hi.4 get 3 yearlings
and 6 colts.
William P. Killen,
324 Omaha Nat'l Uank U'ld'c, Omaha,
NcDraska.
II I Dm PDIO This occurs at New Orleans
Mflnlil HriHA Mnmrf 1 lOftl VtiT It
excursion rates will be in effect to New Orleans
on specific dates which your local ticket agent
will be able to advise you.
LCVy nDlCAUQ A delightfully uniquecitT -ntlf
UnLtAllO lor tho tourist to visit.
Winter tourist rates now In effect. Double daily
service and lost steam heated vestibule trains
With tlirougti sleeping cars, punci-uuniJ-yMH0
ing car service and all inesls en route in dining
rm. Ak for sn Illustrated book on New Orleans.
Mil C DfiDT lllffC Trie Great Southern
Dulr-rUnii MliOi Hotel, at Gulfport,
Miss., on the Mexican Gull Const, has 2iO rooms
single or en suite, vv 1th or without bath. Steam
heat, electric light, not ana coia running wawr,
Memphis and the Illinois Central's last morning
trains, carrying sleeping nun umin-iiurery
with a singlo change, on same train en ronte to
Memphis, Into through sleeping car to Gtilfport v
ftend iot illustrated" lolder describing Gulfort
and the hotel. it v. :
CinDIDA Through ,"Olxie riyer" sieejnng
iLUnlU n Car Lines St. Louis to Jacksonville
and Chicago to Nasnvme, ine laiier ronnecung
Louis. Koute ylft Nashville, C'hattanooga and
Atisnia.
HOT SPRINGS, ARK. Car between Cbica-
fo ana not wpnngs carried on uo vuiri
niim.K tjoi.ntnlo I.lmHRd" trntn. Ann (I for'
iwir fipscrihinethls most interestiog ot health,
And iil ensure resorts.
Full Particulars lllZTJ $ agents of the
Illinois Central, or by addressing the nearest of
the undersigned representatives of the 'iCentrftl
A. II. H NSON G. P. A.. Chicago, III.
J S, ol LUK I , A. u. r. a., uuuque, iowh.
Auunal Statement of the Iltrmsn Bros. Co.
of the City of Lincoln, Lancaster County
Nebraska, at the Close of Business
November 30,1903
inabilities;
r..ul Brlr riold In ' "... 1177.110 fKl
Notes and bills uayoble 94.880 49
Hnklns hind 68 22
Undivided profits iu,w si
f282,826.1S
JOBBING HOUSE:
r . .1
iviase. on dsiiu,
rash value f 112,5-11 80 "
Bills and accounts receiv-
able 110,000 00
Furniture, Fixtures. Tools,
sample, trunns, etc z,tau w s-iiJ.ovi au
ritTonv:
Mdse. on hand t 2l,9l 31
Mnciiinery, nxiurcs,
loois, etc i.siu r.-.p,;w i
ne ai itn k htokk:
Mhe. en hiitid lu-c SI, VMS f M.f'.'H IK)
Fixtures, etc I.imi 0t
Hills recvlvablo I) 00
( hhIi on ln tut ( 77 :
Lll III XCSvV. bill"
owing f 2if Ui J Hll 51H
InveMmeiit Icp. SI, l'.W..t 18,0 W
lleiiitlltd Ui Her-
ninu liri'S. Co., in
U i-. nilM!r ii.'0 00
.- .o r- vHe-l
la lv ember... I ;
i5.:iui
Less rtluUil
lrotlu tn lte. w o
I 5,014 CI
toot iirei
WITH SOOTHING. BALMY OILS
CRSr, Tumor, Ctrrh, int. Futul. I'Wr,
tksfiA4 an4 all Kkla mJ WiklJurt4 Writs
ior iuuirii hook. t irt? Aiirrs
OR. BYE, EM?.?. Kansas City, Hi
W. C. rush. HuntloKdon. Tnn.: "I
an-tni r tu th r.au.p ti nl am inouil
of it. l.tKo Tom waiitvu, l am on
tK,tM ta stay."
InvrKinrut Not ember ), l AU f 21, M n
Ftta t.f Caltfurnla
ltf.rnla
Im t'titialy I
A.I..U.I. l(.r, I'rtwl.li nt at llrfinin TmIK.
rt l'fmt'ny. twins d !y worn say that th
shove nnd Ii.Jii4 U a trts m l con', i tat
inrul in f ufr sua nm i iiim ti tivruxt
I rn. rt i'i iy at tUa irlvit ot bailuts
t utif Ikx
Kiitm-flllf t In Bit I f f m l Of U lit t'
ur nr tt.t IUi 41 il Jour, l.
: ni n"ri
.Ur liiU.K'.
Cf.ln!wl.. Ullrr Jut :. lu
I titrl.t n.-iiiiu.
rrrdrru k IUt insu.
