Page 4 Advertisements Column 4

Gisborne Times, Volume XXV, Issue 1991, 29 January 1907, Page 4

working man, every working woman to spend time and money on it. 11 tho trade unionists lind half as much sense as lawyers and landlords, they would tiso all their funds in electioneering, and carry this programme at tho next goneral election. The programme is that of lan Jngorsoll, author of “The Labor Question: What it is. and how to settle it.” It is not the' Single Tax, hut it lends up to the Single Tax. I give tho programme as contained in a letter which recently appeared in the Wellington livening Post: A PRACTICAL LABOR PROGRAMME. Sir, —The Ilion. J. Rigs has recently declared that what is wanted arc measures to promote a. hotter distribution of wealth. The labor programmes put forward in New Zealand and Australia do not contain any such measures. Now here is a short and effective Labor programmes which might he carried out in one short session of Parliament, and would givo tho workers immediate and enormous pecuniary benefits: 1. Tax land values 25 per cent., and make tho tax progressive—increasing year by year as Parliament may determine. 2. Tax all unearned incomes (from sources other than land) above .0150 a year, 10 per eont.; above 0000, 20 per cent. 0. Increase the death duties to 20 per cent, on estates above .05000, and 00 per cent, on estates above £IO,OOO. 4. Abolish all taxes on the necessaries of life.

Those finnneiiil reforms would reduce rents of cottages one-half, cheapen commodities, and increase wages at least 25 per cent. The programme is prafrtiebalo when the workers are ropresentd in Parliament hv men who do not own and have no desire to own a yard of land. So long as the workers are represented hy landlords and employers of labor, so long will they bo enslaved and robbed. This just and very simple programme may be carried out without the sanction of the Upper House. What is, wanted is a National Labor Party, including all classes of mental and i.nanual workers for wages, to promote a better distribution of wealth. All wealth is produced by labor; therefore labor has a right to say how it shall bo distributed. —I am, etc., lAN INGEKSOLL. AN OLD TRADE UNIONIST'S ADVICE.

An old trade unionist, wlio lias been through somo scores of political campaigns, thus comments in tho same newspaper on Ingersoll’s programme : Sir, —Tho short labor programme submitted by “lan Ingorsoll” is tho best I have seen, and that is saying a great deal, for I have studied tho programmes of the Labor parties of the colonies, and the Homo Land, and America. This short programme carried, all that is good in the programmes of the Labor Parties would very soon be incorporated in our laws, The programme is one that appeals to all classes of workers for wages, male and female, and it is therefore one which might well unite tl ein in one great party. The main aim of all Labor parties is to secure a better distribution of wealth, but their programmes anti efforts thus far have not been well directed towards that end. “lan Ingorsoll,” who has recently come to the assistance of the parsons against the materialists in his hook entitled “Life after Dc-atli,” has now shown the workers how they may best win justice and freedom. AVitliout doubt, the taxation method he suggests is the simplest and best. Thy Right Hon. John Morley has admitted it. To tax land values, as Mr. Ingersoll proposes, would give immediate and groat relief to both capital and labor, because it is a tax which cannot he shifted from the shoulders of the owner to those of the occupier, as landowners themselves admit; and because it would kill land syndicates, force land into the market, reduce its selling value, and thus reduce rents of dwellings, while at the same time oroating a far greater demand for labor, and thus increasing wages. To tax unearned incomes from sources other than land is also an excellent proposal, because it is a tax which falls on tlio rich idler only. And the third proposal, to raise and graduate the death duties, is as just as it would ho beneficial to the whole community, because it is an injustice to the community that families should be left so much wealth as to he able to live in idleness and feed on the wealth producers all tlieir days. I would suggest that a conference representative of tile J ndepn.edent Political Labor League, the Workers' Association, the Single Tax League, tho Trade Unionists and the Liberal and Labor Federation bo called to discuss this proposed solution of the labor problem, and either adopt or reject it, giving reasons for either course. “lan Ingersoll’s” proposals are so just and reasonable as well as so effective that no true fi iend of labor would reject them Therefore bis programme may be used to test the sincerity of professed friends of labor both inside and outside Parliament. Let the workers see to it that this test is thoroughly applied. It would open tlieir eyes and show them the hollowness and falseness of many of tlieir professed friends. If a conference of tile organisations mentioned rejected this simple, straight, and honest programme then let the minority—it would ho a large minority—proceed to form a

a National Labor party (embracing all workers organised and unorganised, male ? nd female —mental as well as manual) to return to Parliament “men who do not own and do not want to own any portion of the people’s inheritance in the land.” This new party would soon become the greatest in the land, There would be nothing between it and the party led by Mr. Massey. A Liberal j aity, represented and engineered by landlords and employers of labor, is simply a delusion and a snaie. No trade union would have such men to manage their trade affairs. To have them as leaders of the party of reform is no less idiotic than to have them as executive committees of trade unions. The worker cannot have more of the wealth ho produces without landowners and landowning employers having a. less share. They will be careful not to take loss if tlloy can help it. After all the boasted labor legislation of the past fifteen years, the bulk of the produce of labor in this colony still goes into the rich men’s barns and warehouses, and, as leading trade unionists admit, the toilers are no better off. Therefore the people’s policy is to plump for Mr. Ingersoll’s definite and practical programme and a National Labor party. —l am, etc., JOHN BROWN.

Well done, John! Excellent advice ! Brothers, act upon'it. Trade Unionists and Socialists, come along with us, and we will do you good. Together we shall accomplish great things in the way of Socialism, such as free railway travelling; free tramways, free intermediate schools, free universities, and scholarships for all hoys and girls vho are able to take the higher education ; State shipping, municipal socialism, etc. Prohibitionists, put up Single Tax candidates, and Labor will fight'under your banner. Together, wo shall bo a conquering host. I call upon all woikers male and female, in shop and field and factory to join the coming National Labor party, and pay a penny each per week to the funds. It is very little to pay for freedom and a just distributi >.i of wealth, but it will he found enough to secure these great blessings. Countless millions of our race have hied and died in the battle for freedom. Will you slaves of idle, rich landlords and capitalists not sacrifice a pnnnyc a week for it? I appeal to the working women of New Zealand, on whom the burden of life weighs heaviest, to put the men to shame by forming a National Labor party without delay, and srtike a blow for freedom and justice that will resound throughout the world. Great is the power of women—in New Zealand especially. Lot these women use their power not only against the drink traffic, but against landlordism, the cause of so much drunkenness and crime.

No statesman can do much for the country and town toilers of this colony' unless they are united, for the forces of wealth are very powerful. Given the right class of men, a Liberal Premier of the near future will he enabled to carry out an enlightened policy that will make New Zealand the best country' in the world for both labor and capital. What better monument could we erect to the memory of Richard John Seddon? Almost his last words to the landless toilers were. “Those who hold the land hold you!’’ What was this but a call to the landless masses of the whole world —he had the ear of the "hole world—what was this but a shout to them to throw off the oppressor’s yoke and be for ever free. The body of the grand old warrior in the people’s cause lies moulsterlng in the grave, but his soul goes marching on! His voice still rings in our ears; he is still calling to us to load the world to freedom! AVhat monument so grand and glorious can we build over his ashes as that which would be erected by the complete adoption, the fullest application, of those righteous principles he so courageously and so eloquently advocated- —the principles of Freedom and J ustice. AYhy hesitate? Ye are full-beared men, With God-implanted will, and courage if To dare but show it. Never yet was will But found some way or means to work it out, Nor e’er did. Fortune frown on him who dared.