THE LAND QUESTION.

Wairarapa Age, Volume XXXII, Issue 10428, 20 September 1911, Page 7

THE LAND QUESTION.

AND THE BALLOT-BOX.

(By Our Tdnui Correspondent.)

Noav that the boxing tourney is over, settlers are taking life more seriously, and when a few are gathered together, and the price of wool and sheep, and the usual prediction what the coming summer wall be like have been discussed, the conversation turns to politics, and the chances of the respective candidates. One of the number may venture the opinion that, if the small farmers and workers want their troubles back again, the way to get them is to vote for the Opposition candidate. Thc's remark is usually the result of a heated argument, and winds up, as arguments usually do, in no satisfactory resuilt. Ex-President Roosevelt was once asked to give a definition of. Socialism. He said that Socialism, as far as he could understand it, was in helping a man to help himself, or in giving a man .an opportunity to help himself. Now we have one opportunity, that is through the franchise, and off we do our duty to ourselves, we will use that opportunity to elect candidates w3io will give us another opportunity. This second opportunity will be to help a man to help himself on to the land.

Young New Zealanders are anxiou's to better their positions', as long as it is no,t done at the cost of others. ..But a man (holding a large area of landl, is holding it at the cost of others.

We all know that land is not property, and that nuan cannot make, destroy or steal land. Land is the pubilic feeding ground for man and beast. If a man intakes engines and a fortune results from Jin® efforts, nobody begrudges it to him,, .so long as ihe pays h,i.s. employees a '. living wage, and treats them as. human beings should' be treated, for the (siiniple reason- that amy of Imb employees flha-ve the siame' right to make engines. Engines' are property, because man 'can make 'tihem, and also destroy them. But land is quite different, because there As no ,sucli thing as miaking another piece of lanolin opposition. What is the good of our having this.'[first opportunity unless- we use it .to get another. If we are true to ourselves at the ballot-box, it will he done.