PROBLEMS OF PROPERTY. 331 



a large basket of rice and a quarter of the meat whenever a do- 

 mestic animal is slaughtered ; and he exacts a small toll from every 

 caravan that passes through his domain. His office is hereditary, as 

 is also that of his prime minister, who is called Pomein. The chief 

 himself administers justice; but in important cases he calls a council, 

 which meets either around the fire in the house or in the open air. 

 These chiefs seem to be quite independent, and only indirectly under 

 the influence of the Chinese Government. The relations between the 

 Kacheen and the Burmese are of constant hostility, frequently break- 

 ing out in murderous outrages. The country of this people is a broad 

 strip of land extending from the Snowy Mountains of the north, be- 

 tween the valleys of the Tapeng and the Irrawaddy, to about the 

 twenty-fourth parallel of latitude. 



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PROBLEMS OF PROPERTY. 



By GEORGE ILES. 



THE problems of property form an interesting department of social 

 science. They involve questions as to the growth and distribu- 

 tion of wealth, the province of government with respect thereto, and 

 similar inquiries scarcely susceptible of treatment by formal scientific 

 methods. Still, the subject is one of sufficient importance to warrant 

 a brief sketch of it appearing in the magazine which was the first to 

 give the American public a scientific exposition of the principles of 

 sociology. 



The institution of property is, in many quarters of the world, find- 

 ing active criticism. German and French socialism, Russian nihilism, 

 the Irish Land League, and weighty utterances by the leaders of thought 

 in Europe and America, all declare that the institution of property re- 

 quires reconsideration and reform. It is very commonplace, indeed, to 

 say that respect for the rights of property insures the chief stimulus to 

 industry, intelligence, and thrift ; yet, in the complexity of modern 

 life, the distribution of wealth has become so unequal that discussion of 

 how justice may be feasibly and safely introduced into the laws and 

 customs affecting property is of urgent importance. The natural dif- 

 ferences among men in the way of aptitude and ability are always 

 wide enough to cause a variety in human fortunes sufficiently trying 

 to the less capable classes of mankind, were there at work no other 

 cause for disparity in worldly success. When, however, in addition 

 to having to accept the smaller reward in the smaller sphere, the man 

 of but moderate or little ability has to suffer the restrictions which 

 come from the artificial enactments of law and society, discontent 

 easily takes root in his heart and flourishes. 



