v.
. . . .
8 'Cbe Conservative *
WHO LOVES THE TREES BEST ?
Who lovca the trees best ?
"I , " said the Spring.
"Their leaves so beautiful
To them I bring. "
Who loves the trees best ?
"I , " Summer said.
"I give them blossoms ,
White , yellow , red. "
Who loves the trees best ?
"I , " said the Pall.
"I give lucious fruits ,
Bright tints to all. "
Who loves the trees best ?
"I love them best , "
Harsh Winter answered ,
"I give them rest. "
ALICE MAY DOUGLAS ,
In The Independent.
BRYAN STILL AT IT.
Onr prediction was a safe one to
make that the discussion of laws suppressive -
pressive of anarchy would occasion a
revival of demagogy.
Mr. Bryan , discussing such laws ,
says : ' ' While we are legislating to
prevent any manifestation of the an
archistic spirit on American soil , wo
should avoid those things which hreed
anarchy. Partiality in government
kindles discontent the exaltation of
money above human rights , the fatten
ing of a few at the expense of the
many , the making of artificial dis
tinctions between citizens and the les *
scning of the sacrcdness of human
life all these in their full develop
ment breed anarchy. ' '
That is an exact and condensed
statement of the creed of anarchy and
its reason for being. Gori and Bak-
ounin in collaboration could not have
more exactly stated the reason for the
anarchist organization of "the propa
ganda of the deed. ' '
Mr Bryan's statement of it means
that his school of politicians intend
to persist in the propagation of anar
chy by persistent misstatement of con
ditions and of the responsibility of
government therefor. He declares
the conditions which ho describes to
exist in this country , and ascribes
their existence to the favor of the
government that is to say , to the ad
ministration of which the murdered
president was lately the head. His
expression is in generalities. "Par
tiality of govcnment" what is it ?
In what special act or acts of the
government is it manifested ? Who
are its beneficiaries and on whom
does it place burdens that justify
murder ? Mr. Bryan gives no bill of
particulars. He makes a statement ,
sinister and misleading , against his
own country , and every man who for
any reason , usually , because of his
own incapacity , is not sucessful as ho
wishes , immediately shifts the blame
from himself to the government and
becomes a potential anarchist. Then
Mr. Bryan continues to rub the blister
* T K" ir-tV
i , L . . , * VH
he has raised by proclaiming that the
government has compelled the "exal
tation of money above human rights. "
Again , a murder-inciting phrase is
used , with no specifications. Wherein
in all the world are human rights as
well protected , as much respected
and as secure as hero ? Where , indeed ,
is money as much subordinated and
property as much subjected to the ab
solute control of the whole people as
here ?
Nothing can bo hold as property ,
as wealth , except by the consent and
creation of society. Here the voice
of society is uttered with power by
the majoity , which rules. The safe
ty of property in the United States
lies in the fact that hero more men
own property than elsewhere in the
world.
Mr. ' third for
Bryan's argument an
archy , ' 'the fattening of the few at the
expense of the many , ' ' is an untruth
ful statement. The enterprise of the
people , wrought upon the richest nat
ural resources in the world , lias
made the few rich and the many pros
perous , and this nothing can prevent
except repeal of all laws creating
and protecting property. In the di
rection of such repeal Mr. Bryan has
appealed to the people for eight years
unsuccessfully. He has failed , not
because too few have property , but
too many for his purpose. If the con
ditions ho pictures existed anywhere
except in his inflamed and vagrant
fancy , his impassioned appeals would
have produced results , not in murder ,
but in a political revolution. As they
did not existhis appeals have touched
only the idle , thriftless and criminal
minority , who would not be indus
trious , thrifty and law-abiding under
any conditions nor under any form of
government.
We do not charge that Mr. Bryan
has intended it to bo so. Shallow and
ignorant as he is , lie may be able to
cognize as facts the creations of his
fancy. His intentions may have been
good , but all that does not change the
fact that he has defamed his own
country by misrepresenting conditions
which ho ascribes to the administra
tions of its government.
We have no partisan motive in say
ing those things. Indeed , the New
York World , lately a bitter partisan
of Mr. Bryan , rebukes him with great
energy , and says : "It is by fostering
such ideas that shallow speakers and
reckless newspapers do infinite harm.
This is the best country in the world
for workiugmen , as the constantly in
flowing tide of immigration proves.
Instead of teaching that 'wo should
avoid those tilings that breed anar
chy , ' all public speakers and teachers
ought to proclaim the truth that
there is never any excuse for anarchy ,
nor is anarchy a remedy for any evil
or wrong that exists anywhere in the
world. "
When his own partisans tell Mr.
Bryan directly that he is excusing an
archy by an untruthful statement , in
impeachment- his own country , it ,
would seein to bo time for him to re
call his raw fancies and grill them
awhile over the fires of common sense.
San Francisco Call.
SINGLE TAX.
Editor of The Conservative :
Mr. James D. Hancock , who writes
upon the practicability of the single
tax , is evidently sincere ; and his
statement of what the single tax is ,
and what it proposes , is admirable.
Ho asks two questions , the answers
to which , as to all other questions
on the single tax , will be found in
Mr. Louis F. Post's pamphlet called
"The Single Tax , " published by
Frank Vierth , Cedar Rapids , Iowa.
But we will answer them here : He
asks :
"After some practical experience in
connection with the subject , I know
but one method of collecting taxes up
on land. The assessors or other prop
er officers of the community or county ,
visit and fix the commercial value of
every piece of land within their juris
diction. The financial officers of the
community or county , having made
an estimate of the expenses of the
government to which they are appli
cable , then settle the ratio of taxation
to valuation. If this ratio is fixed so
high as to wipe out the laud value , erin
in other words , its commercial value ,
what basis have we for any future
valuation ? " Answer : What it would
rent for , less the amount that any
improvements in it would rent for.
As to the opposition expected from
' ' land owners and lovers of good or
der and morals , " that has not mater
ialized in New Zealand and other
places whore they are beginning the
single tax plan.
I would be glad to send free of
charge to anyone who asks for it , a
pamphlet showing what progress has
been made in this direction.
BOLTON HALL ,
111 Broadway , N. Y. , Sept. 9 , 1901.
A book on Holland , it goes without
saying , has a flavor of the quaint and
picturesque. The authors and illus
trator of "Old Dutch Towns , " by
Van W. J. Turn and W. O. , T. Nipii-
wonkamp , have contrived to bring
within the limits of one large volume
perhaps a greater proportion of what
is truly artistic and characteristic
of its sitbject than have any of their
predecessors. The eye of the artist
and sympathy with the position of
those who have little artistic training
have directed the writing of these
pages of delightful description. The il
lustrations are all that might be asked
for. There are thirty-two full-page
wood cuts , 8 x G inches , and those
have boon reproduced upon heavy
paper. Published by J. B. Lippincott
Company.
-J