LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

Dominion, Volume 1, Issue 201, 19 May 1908, Page 4

LETTERS TO THE EDITOR.

A QUERY FOR .THE•.SOCIALIST:

Sir,—'Your correspondent "T.A.E.", in his. reply to Bitter Endor" opens up a wido question and an-interesting one. As vbu say in your footnote, "T.A.E.V effort contains ? ( fact. No one can deny that a •jot ot oppression exists in the world'and that many persons exist by exploiting their follow moii. ' But I fail to'sco how capital is responsible for this. I am rather inclined to ascribe it to governmental interference with freo and open competition, by their granting of monopolies, ctc. "T.A.E." seems to tako this view in .his .roforcaco: to'legalised swindling.; Whatever the cause, I wolild lilso mm to point out, by a dofniito example, how the privileged class, as lie calls them socuro 'tho fruits-of other people's labow wuhout giving them any value in return: also the unturo of these privileges, and tho legal enactments that uphold them, for'to enforce any monopoly there must be law bohind it-. M ill .lie kindly inform us how lie : intends to begin in applying his' remedy? socialism reforms must conic gradually.—l am, ANARCHIST. May 15. ■

SOCIALISM. Sif) A word with a variety of meanings, a term which is used "in such a looso manner by many who are of democratic inclinations, and think, the one word will'sum-up their, aspirations and convictions. . Indeed there are several varying grades of Socialists, but the revolutionary Socialist will not have this. They dcclaro that none'art real' Socialists but those who stand for the, abolition of capitalism and tho displacement of competition by corporation arid production for profit by production for use. "Willi a humanity anything like what W6 now-know it, the only form of Socialism conceivable to the impartial thinker ivould bo a system where ■the State absorbed all private enterprise and 'all became civil servants. The tendency is at present in this direction.

' But the revolutionary Socialist -will not . entertain: *step-l)y-step .Socialism;. Tlicy 'do not like the word nationalise'/ but would socialise all'capital. But-with the votes in the hands'of the people there is no difference in the meaning, of the terms/ Indeed, it makes little br 110 difference whether the people have -universal "suffrage" or not! . Under all forms of "Government, in all-countries, at all times the 1 ' people aro governed as well as they deserve to be. That is, of course," on tho average. Sonie aro not governed as :well as they, .deserve ' to. be', .and'' others ;aro governed'; bettor-; than they , deserve ; to . . be,. ■ but ;; there .is no" such-' thing (possible tas a sudden chango' either.. in' humanity '- or tho system under which" they jhavo sought' to govern themselves; The projblem' of the' world is s howto Secure tho.•greatest amount of individual liberty, coupled' ■with the'corporative ownership of the raw imatorial of tho universe. There are some'who(think that there is 'no standing ground between Socialism- andi the present ■ wanting but there are tliose wllo stand for (equality-. "of: opportunity aiid.'less . State in-' iterferenco. ■'Tho'"law 6f-competition is as iindispon'Sable as tho law of gravity.. .All; that is wanted is economic freedom and jus-, itico, by. granting equal rights to natural '"opportunities,; and labour would no longer .bo a slave to tlie capitalist or landlord.—l 'am, etc., .... E. STEVENSON; ; Hastings, May IS. THE.BIBLE AND PRIVATE PROPERTY. Sir,—ln ■ your issue of to-day • appears, an. interesting report' of Sunday's meeting of thij Political Labour League..' It 'is'-' not' slirpris-. ■ing- that much .. dissatisfaction.- should have. ;been expressed at tlie high rents, prevalbnt .in Wellington.; .Possiblyj though I disagree 'with them, in this, -nationalisation; of tho .land may be the only effective panacea; btit it is surely a matter, of regret .that a Chris-tian'-,minister should have twisted,a ; : Biblicsl, .quotation into an' argument in favour of, State-, landlordism,,..':... ...y T oi,»jß . ■ ■ > • ,o!vbr,and ovenagniii- has.tnat ..test,'-" The .earth is, tlie . Lord's,*' bjeen . qiiotpd.,to shoiv SI to ..the will of. God;.; and equally of.tfen has, the .fallacy .beeii!. pojntbd, out.!. ~Aiij;onb, who' ;carps ; 't0.,, investigate., .the. passage.. .where _ it ; .'occurs, in" tho Bible can' see "that it' tail have! !no such* ifcaiimg ; ,. a ; .'cleJgymahf oi all"' imM,. .shftilM not .dfe? it'ltf s'ridi ' a ■setise'.V 7 ,1f.' iit' were legitimate'so'to' iisfe it, a .Cliina'maii', ;beiiig one of God's; drqatiires, 'just, ais niubll' ;as"is atiy s .Ncw Zealarido'r; might" well''ask' :what. right, wo' havb., to '"exclude. .Him from': his jiist heritagoin the land of! New Zealand;' ; arid-a Jl.aori'might ask"what'i'ight. tlje' white mail had to.dispossess him. v :..■ ■•'•• '■ Not only is the earth said,' to •' be . tlie' ; Lord's,; but- all that is on the "earth'i So' .that if the text be held to mean'that there' should bp no' private property ill .land,-' it would legically imply the hbolitioh of rill' privato prbperty,'and;.tho; establishment of i Cbmimtnism,: pure and simple, .ifhioh God forbid am, etb., " ',' !'. . G.E.A. • Wellington, May 18. ' . ■ . . -

SET-BACK'TO. NO-LICENSE. " ' . Sir,—l am : glad to bo told that " Dis-. gusted " belongs to . the .Brohibitionist party": It only goes to; show .the., party embraces in ;its ranks all sorts'and conditions of men— ievensome that are riot very wise. . "DisIgusted " must bo truly benighted. He; does .not. yet believe that Mr.- Aitken caino out against his own wishes.'*. Let me refresh his memory. A little whilo before Messrs. 'Duthic, Robertson; and po. "'souitdod' v ">tho call to advance," a local paper reported that Mr. Aitken was asked if lie' intended to 'con- ; test the election, he replied,'in that ho not; thought about the matter, .and • went on to add that lie had given tlie public •a considerable sharo of -his time already. Then followed the deputation. .i-Mr;-Aitken obeyed. . y \

'Disgusted ', gaysthe party was out-generalldd. A, prominent' name among temperance'people , appeared on Mr. Hislop's nomination papeiy somo temperAnco leSaderS' voted for him, and riot a few rankers worked llai'd to secure Mr.' 'Hislop's- return. I'wtwderDisgusted " does not'contend' that ;Mr., Davies ; o'utgerieralled the temperarico party- recently, >vhen:hd : Won the chess championship ;.one Contention would bo as relevant' as the other. • : . .- . . :;I dm- disposed te-.think. that " Disgusted,"' with many is now: whipping the" cat for forcing a; contest when-there-Ws no need' for one. ; I -.'nearly forgot to say I do not remomber any No-License-leader who, when a.candidate, failed-to-get the support of the temperance party.—l -am, etc., May 16..- M.O.D.' NO-LICENSE. Sir,—ln your issue.of the 7th,inst.\ "Hard Facts" has made out against "No-License" a case which is, no doubt, most satisfactory— to himself I But as "Plain Truth" has completely knocked "tho stuffing" out of his alleged "har.d facts," and .reduced them : to a jelly-like consistence, I will only deal, with the item.touching lnvercargill. You see; sir though, thefo aro over forty millions of peoplo living under "No-Licenso" in : America '(which fact speaks volumes), I am quite satisfied .'with':'"facts" available iir this Dominion without importing tho American article, admirable--though', it undoubtedly is. "Hard Facts" states that "in 1907 (under ''No-License') tho duty paid on liquor there was greater, by £163. Ss. than that paid in -19&5." I have...not-taken tho trouble to verify his figures, but will accept.them as correct. For—without taking into' account tho plain facts adduced .by "Plain Truth,".which in themselves aro a sufficient 'answer—they provide me with a. striking example of tho efficiency ,of "No-License, of. which I am luartily in favour, after many : years careful aiul 'diligent study of the question' in -all its bearings; ami if "Hard Facts" had only car- ' ried his investigations a little .further, 'lie would havo loft those modest figures severely,alone—lhatMs, of course, if ho is pefsooally linterest-ed in tho continuanco of the greatest curso tiiat ovor afflicted mankind—tho traffic ■ that holds tho toilers in bondago and counts it-s victims by millions.

Hut, to tlio point. Just fancy, an inerenso of tho stupendous buui of £163 Bs. in. a'whole twelve months! And. in a Customs ditrict t-00, embracing a population (thrco years ago) of 51.321 souls! Why,-sir, it is absoluto ruination! Seeing that it pans out at tho • enormous.' rato: of (a fraction under)- tlireo.farthings per head!! - . Now, lis tho : Customs and ;Exciso' returns Jor Dominion show [m jndnaaau) 'eipendi'

ture (on liquor) of four shillings and eightpeiico farthing (4s. Bid.) per head of the population, for tho year'ending December 31, 1907,.'the,total/increase for that district Bhiiuld ariioiiiU to tho huge stiiii of £12,788; ; and as the official records show that the popi> lation- of that portion'of tho province increased,, in'ohly ,; 6ight ; 29 to December 31), by 1224 souls (which increase Ims not been taken into account in tho above icomputation, and which is a,much greater proportionate'increaso than any,-other port of the Dominion can show), it is perfectly plain that Invercargill has not kept pac© ■ with tho rest of : tllo Dominion in its .consumption .'of grog, by a-very long way indeed. ■ These "facts" are unanswerable, and I.hope tho person who (lrcf/'attention tt> the "fact'' which revealed them will liavo tho manliness to admit it.

If "Hard Facts", is desirous of knowing the truth, and.will send mo his'ca-rd,.or-address, I will gladly send • hinu-some "additional and very "hard facts," bearing on 'the question, compiled—not ;by tho"New; Zealand Allianeo" or a clergyman, o,i- a"l!anatic,."...or "Voucher"swallowerT^biifc. by. 'the: son of] a publican, the and tho brother of this; business;, iuoia'jjer- of one of tho largest browing qoiicorns this side of Tho Line. • I Thanking. you in- am,' etc., • Foilding, '" ?' ■~.ALF. -C, MORTON. '' .May 13. . , :-v- ; >•.{••' P. :. ' 1 P.S.—I am''not';a' "Prolilbitfoiiist,'' but'l' bcliovo in tho '/ tbo' ' .facts " and having thd'powcr, to' : settle' ,the li<Juof question v&.r^A.C.Jil,;.;':, •'., ' v CANADA' AND 'UNITED STATES.' X > Sir,—Reference to tho mapof . . North! America will show' Mr. Aldrioh- that Ciuiada, before 1867, consisted-only of tiYd r '~sm'iflr : pr6vinces, ' Tipper,. and' LMvfer ;Caiiiidd,. (Ontario' : and Quebec). It is tnriif thaVin, 1791, Canada;, was-'granted .?clf-govei;rime'nt j" ; 'liufc\tliis.- W . called' SelfTgovertiin'ent' c.pnsiy;<s -'or,', a. i'togis;lative Council, composod of- fuidVii}-'. competent Englishmen, appointed by tho Home Government. .The. country was rilled wholly in the' interests of tho Council aud tho Established Church. '/''

These' English' Kc'autiefc' ndfc' onlj ' fared .sumptuously every day; but tliey enrichcd themselves amazingly at;the;dxpe'nsq.;of t rthe taxpayers.''Their ham6s fife enafaVea oil'the tablets of Canadian-history Under the titla of " Family Gompactj'lj owing -~fo •>blood .relationship and the" firm ' stand';. tliev"" took . against colonial interests;-•'' What •''bettffeeh " tithes and fabrint/o astessmbnts "• : !on' : tho ■oilo iiahd,.- atid the tyranny' of? tho'iCoiuicil > on' tho otliGir, England's-new: subjects -pffiid-- : tically lived between the ."'devil! and thd'deep : sea" for fiffe; ybarai-fe •••' t-.v .•coi-iv-t ,The mbro."rapid/'"settlement; of -tTniier ; Canada su^^:.anteßTOpo:}rdito : Mblmcb'«s-. ! : qf; the; '"Family-Compabt.' 1 >TMa"¥aS'n r nioif> ;of the two" provinces:- Under ? i'epresenJative'government' in' 1841. But'it; tfiis'-uiiibn in" name only. ,' The two races 'could; not; ot : would not, see' eye to eye: ' 'Political parties .came to a deadlock in ISG-ii '. As 'a' way, .out) New Brunswick'and ■ Nov'a Seotia..wfeto' invited to " discus's terms'.'Af; union V with ; Canada.-. Confederation of thb- four- pro-: :vincos into the Dominion•• was"tli6 •atitfcome. 'in 1867.'"' - "\i~ :'• ■

■ During the first Parliament .the. Jitfdsrtii'. ■ Baj; Territory was ''. v'Thts ■ vast ' region,. many times larger ''.than 1 "old* Canada, '■ 'embraced all tho rest-bf,'.British North Amcsr'ica; except- Newfoundland .on . tho '-'Atlafitio j coast- and on '.■■ "tlie" .'-Pr.cific. '/ Tha fatter readily joined the'Dommi6ri ;bn' assured of railway connection with. Ontario" 'and the, Atlantic seaboard. ; Li: platfc,. therefore, of Wo small' provinces tucked atfay in ;the middle' of the' continent; aS Canada Waa' ;in. tho old ' days, .we "have* the! Dominion; ;str6tchihg; frorn ' ocdaii-to ocean, greater '.in • iextent' tliaii the United StWesi . When, fttak-' ing .'treaties ..with "'this countrjv'itv is" all' ifcv 'excusable error to ptesume-that.tho interests' of-> tho." Canada of • to-day cver-'ontbied' tlia' heads of; Englishmen.'? ;> ;• ;; .' j ' If .Mft' Aldrich : l3:_at; albss.tQ' knoiv': whafr;is meant'' by ; exploiting : the colonies,' it. mfoji;;be', sufficient <to. ;reinind : hinl"that'both-Spain.' and; ■: American' colonioajintd rtbMliou'\nnd''indeV)eiidftnce' <beforei and.' . during' tbtf 11 lirsV.ccto'£uryij'by i&X»tifli\.Thisv |was . exploiting', thb colonies.' To .infeifetr 'upoir jErigliiid'S 'N&yy'.is ; tasatioii..'' It jdoiibt"f)il':if she would; submit .taxation:than 'thß*'Am6rican::coloJrioff;didnn'' 1177 G. .vr v " . ir;\

; 1177 G. u- ir:t (To-day. Canada-iis ■ loyal; - : 'Yet : >ltty.' friohd".is ;■ 'sui'e'.-tliat'-ainioii' \vith:.iiho.-;United;;States ir ;• So:is i • still' So far!r , ;A.'''r6sidonce,'of:'-.mofft-''ihait--a: iquartorvof a :century in Cariadii-'.conyinfcea, i ;me that when tho'timo'comes/for .Separation-' ' : froin England, it'will-not bo. fedol'atiofi with. f * the United States, nor any other-countryyt-i' that Canada' will soelt, . but indopendenco.— .- I am, etc., : . v <rt". ''vr-r , May 18.. • ONTARIO. v i PUBLIC DEBT AND TAXATION.,j .' !-. Sir,—ln' his recent 'addresses'-theT'Pfihia 'i Minister indulged ill the usual. twaddle' that accompanies] pre-olectiom speeches. Those high-sounding platitudes ' -couched.. in ' glittering ./generalising, iiiaj'. a'p:'; ' :pear 'very ornate to tbe/gullibli-.elccto'r,'' but',- ;• Iwhat tho country' his.' ii,..rightto'.-' demand,' •from Sir: Joseph v Ward;', -as' thisi: rdsjaohsiblo ,hoad;'of.' public -affairs, arid, that, it; insists' .on' knowing; Is what definite. policyci«iistnictiVe stxjial'and', political reloras'ha'f tM: -present; so-called'. Liberar.Gpvefiiment'ijj ..'offer.' us. ..Up, to date. we 'liavp. scon. nothing '.foro*; shadowed except tho project vegetables, ; and: tho'penhy-in-thfi-slptjaea, ' - Now, sir, Sir ' Joseph's dofencd.' to M : '.tba,' •chafe's ' that there /.has; bpen. , . in the'public debt per, head '.of'ypbp-;.: illation and : consequently, an''.'extraprdinai-y;, increase .ipi'- the -general' • increase.'of ,-population ;,,by....Gpvprnme.ht7Sub-: /. 'sidi'sed' immiEtratiop,. t.ppplqs.,.,dangei;6 | to-?' wards absurdity. '/.Tlie- ,I'i«mior..; ( sftys: 'that ; comparisons betweon-tho. ptiblic debt pf,.Nc\v. Zealand' and Britain; and. older couiitrips'jis] unfair. Upon what -.grounds" tlip.'- Eremiiir-' .bases this assumption it is ■ difßcult ■to ; cover, unless it; is assumed that the sum. total expenditure upon/ the support of all in- ' -fftut. ought to exceed that of an . adult. • iSurcly it-'ia'daiigcrbu's- groui'id ifoi*. anllalleged . .great Imperial statesman, to take whe-n. Sir_ . Joseph Ward atteiilpts to defend the iinten-' . ahlb position that-tHe'Do'miriiort}'after/'l6 years rof-.'sb-caUed l Liberalismj; hasfborrOvre'd;. moi'6 money " than Countries 'with-"cerituriea; start-of it. " And it is' an aniazins statemdut , ■ emanating from.the :Preitiier, >ho is:-"p9pu-larly .presumed; to bfc a r sticklei','fof ecoffbiny,' •tiiat»ml^M' -; avij , in debt- than' to .before he''reaches' his'.majbrity^tfiat/rlle':'il:financially', in I 'a" bad! state'..;. ! /ouo'S;w6nder3'tliese -aro.\theVbusuifesS''-j-priiVoiplos-"upon w;hicli' : the private firni*of"J.' 6;';-Ward s and.-. Co.. are" conducted.'. -.But 'all :airy persiflage aside': a. comparisoii' 'of- tho : .debt'per capita-of three'-'pf. the states j'of tlio !Austraiia'n . CommonweaM,fiz,j Now: 1 Sbiitlr Wales,- Victoria, aiid •' • • the financial ,'positibn is^' not'..'so' ..rdpeate 'as' . ,oui-' optimistic. Premier- ooiitends.,; .Th',o"'fig-, ui:es show tho dobt;'pcr v c'apit!i;bf New South'; Wales, £56 ; Victoria', £.13 : ;,,Tasmania,^ : £54; and New Zealand caps the cliuias with-£67.' per head. ; . -,- ,■ :. '\V. • ; . V'' Now,"sir, coming to the. question .of' tax- . atioii, your spaco precludes - from; ' dealing with Mr. Duthie's,figures, sliowing .the. :heavy, increaso .ofgeneral taxation. , .'Onp. .item alono will .suffice-' to-pillory- : this[■- socalled Liberal administration! ■ The Prefer-,. ' ent-ial Tariff ; Act. passed tho last - session in-' crease : d the. taxation .on ,tho' -workers/ by. , £430,000. Yet the Premier glibly-talks of; . ■ " a free broakfast tabids", and. bis.;.only ire- ' ply toyhis critics . who show., that' taxation per capita has increased betweon tlid; yoai'a" •1895 to 1907 by £1 14s. 3d;, despite' 'an increase of population fr0nL728,121.-^j;.96?,79/,' is that tboy are unpatriotic," -injuring tho Dominion'm tho London "pawnsllop" aiid f tho threat.-toot unless tho. boiTow'-or-lmrst' • ; ', policy is persisted in,, that'the backblock'a 1 . settlers niust go without.roads and bridges; f and thdt Mr. Massey- is an accossory , before f the fact by ■clamouring for. grants,for. tlieso ' purposes. This won't wash witli tho discern- / ing, and it does not relieve the Premier from . ■ the responsibility of reverting'te the histb- \ i'ric noii-borrowing policy of John Ballanco. \ from • which he and his,-party, has fallen -A ; : away, and' adopting a system of direct : tak-' V ation bn unimproved; land values, to ob'taiiv the natural revenue -which has been-allowed' to slip out of tho Colonial Treasury am, etc., ; a' p.-jy; liumtE, vv ■ Ashburton,' May 12. ■ ... M, v ' ■