land
on one condition--that is, they must pay rent to the few for the
privilege of being permitted to live in the land of their birth. The
amount of rent demanded by those who own this country is so large that,
in order to pay it, the greater number of the majority have often to
deprive themselves and their children, not only of the comforts, but
even the necessaries of life. In the case of the working classes the
rent absorbs at the lowest possible estimate, about one-third of their
total earnings, for it must be remembered that the rent is an expense
that goes on all the time, whether they are employed or not. If they
get into arrears when out of work, they have to pay double when they
get employment again.

'The majority work hard and live in poverty in order that the minority
may live in luxury without working at all, and as the majority are
mostly fools, they not only agree to pass their lives in incessant
slavery and want, in order to pay this rent to those who own the
country, but they say it is quite right that they should have to do so,
and are very grateful to the little minority for allowing them to
remain in the country at all.'

Owen paused, and immediately there arose a great clamour from his
listeners.

'So it IS right, ain't it?' shouted Crass. 'If you 'ad a 'ouse and let
it to someone, you'd want your rent, wouldn't yer?'

'I suppose,' said Slyme with resentment, for he had some shares in a
local building society, 'after a man's been careful, and scraping and
saving and going without things he ought to 'ave 'ad all 'is life, and
managed to buy a few 'ouses to support 'im in 'is old age--they ought
all to be took away from 'im? Some people,' he added, 'ain't got
common honesty.'

Nearly everyone had something to say in reprobation of the views
suggested by Owen. Harlow, in a brief but powerful speech, bristling
with numerous sanguinary references to the bottomless pit, protested
against any interference with the sacred rights of property. Easton
listened with a puzzled expression, and Philpot's goggle eyes rolled
horribly as he glared silently at the circle and the two squares.

'By far the greatest part of the land,' said Owen when the row had
ceased, 'is held by people who have absolutely no moral right to it.
Possession of much of it was obtained by means of murder and theft
perpetrated by the ancestors of the present holders. In other cases,
when some king or prince wanted to get rid