140 PROCEEDINGS OF THE CANADIAN INSTITUTE. 



forests, mines, and water privileges. But increased population 

 facilitates production of some commodities in two ways — first, by 

 permitting better organization, and second, by permitting the more 

 extended use of machinery. Hence, in the sale of labor-produced 

 commodities there is intensified competition. While we witness 

 the values of town lots advance from almost nothing per acre to 

 sums ranging amongst the millions, we at the same time see the 

 price of steel rails decline from two hundred and fifty dollars per 

 ton to one-tenth that figure. The holders of scarcity values there- 

 fore become richer in a compounded degree — first, by the advanced 

 price of their own possessions, and second, by the diminished price 

 of the commodities with which they are paid. As the brokers say, 

 the market is "bulled" when they sell and "beared" when they 

 buy. Thus is still further widened the breach between the toiler 

 and the non-toiler. 



One of the most intense passions of man is for wealth. For the 

 gratification of this passion we see him on the one hand using every 

 device to increase production, and thus enrich, at the same time by 

 allowing the appropriation of the scarcity values by individuals we 

 see a disposition to push the scarcity values to their utmost limit, 

 thus tending to impoverish the producer for the benefit of the 

 non-producer. 



If I have correctly interpreted these phenomena I have shown why 

 it is that our social development pi-esents such remarkable contrasts — 

 toil degraded and impoverished, while many enjoy lives of luxurious 

 idleness, why every city on this continent presents the same features 

 — ostentatious wealth at one end and penury at the other ; and I 

 have shown further that our social mechanism is iiot arranged 

 according to the principle of mutual assistance and mutual elevation ; 

 but that we make the advantage of one part of society dependent on 

 the degradation and impoverishment of another part. The scarcity 

 values of our mines, our town sites and other natural opportunittes 

 have risen to emormous figures. These values aj-e increasing and 

 persistent. What is the relation of these values 1 What is the 

 meaning of a ground rental of ten thousand dollars yearly 1 It 

 means, on the one side, an ever-lasting surrender by the toilers of the 

 products of their labour to the value of ten thousand dollars yearly, 

 and on the other side, the appropriation of these products without 

 the obligation to render any service in return. 



