Publisher's Synopsis
This historic book may have numerous typos and missing text. Purchasers can usually download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. Not indexed. Not illustrated. 1898 edition. Excerpt: ...gives them such enormous advantages over their fellowmen, and are quick to denounce those who find fault with the system, as "agitators," "demagogues," "socialists" and what not. But calling names is poor argument, and will not avail a moment against a well defined policy backed by a solid economic principle. The people are becoming very tired and impatient. They have lost confidence in the two great parties, and from sheer desperation to obtain relief, have alternately punished them by overwhelming defeats. They are tired of promises and apologies; they want reform and they will have reform. CHAPTER V. We have thus far confined our remarks to the money question and the evils of interest, but the solution of the money problem involves the solution of the land question. Money and Land are the two economic factors for the use of which industrial effort is taxed. Money and the products of its function take their toll in interest, and land in rent. Thanks to the classical works of Mr. Henry George, very little if anything remains to be said on the land question that has not already been discussed with great eloquence and ability in his books. Up to a certain point, the private ownership of land might be indifferently defended on the plea of expediency, but when immense tracts of land are monopolized for speculative purposes and rent is charged as the price of idle possession, then such forestallment becomes a question of ethics. Titles to land when traced far enough back are found in their last analyses to rest on forestallment, with possible intermediate stages of conquest or plunder, which condition of acquisition could hardly be considered valid claims to ownership. Forty-seven years ago Mr. Herbert Spencer clearly and conclusively proved...
