LXVIXI ADMINISTEATIVE EEPORT [eth. ann. 20 



In all these classes of arts something is produced for con- 

 sumption, and we have already learned that the something- 

 produced does not immediately reach its entelic purpose, but 

 may remain in a state of disuse until an event of production 

 changes it in some manner so that it may reach its entelic 

 consumption. 



During- all these stages it remains as property. Tliis is true 

 of all property of whatever nature. Then there is nuich prop- 

 erty which requires a long time for its consumption; for 

 example, houses may remain to be consumed by a generation 

 or even a succession of generations, but the liouses are origi- 

 nally produced from substances which men produce, and a 

 house may not be wholly consumed by the domiciliary user 

 without the production of intermitteiit repair*. Land is not 

 produced by man from original substances; it is only improved 

 by niMu that it ma}' be rendered more useful througli tlie pro- 

 duction of improvements. 



We are thus led to understand the nature of propertA' itself. 

 It is something which serves men's purposes and whicli remains 

 for a time more or less e])hemeral in the possession of individ- 

 uals, or of corporations, or even of governments, and may l)e 

 exchanged from one possessor to another at any time while it 

 yet remains; and its continuance in time is ended by the 

 entelic consumption, except in the case of land itself, which 

 does not cease with the production of one crop, liut continues 

 ior the production of others indetinitely as long as proper c\\\- 

 tivation is continued. 



Men create property l)y producing it through hiljor; when 

 produced to the entelic state it is consumed, yet it may remain 

 in stages of production and also in stages of consumption. In 

 any of these stages it may be accumulated. 



The foundation of property is primordial appropriation trom 

 nature through labor. Tlie tribal man who appropriates fish 

 from the sea constitutes it pro[)ert\', though it nniy be of an 

 ephemeral natui'e. Still, wliile the food may Ije ephemeral, 

 there may be appropriated other substances of longer value; 

 thus, he may take whalebone, which remains a longer time as 

 property; if he appropriates animals from the forest, their 



