Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 35.djvu/690

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THE POPULAR SCIENCE MONTHLY.

order to prove the truth of my assertion, to remind you that neither in Norway, nor in Sweden, nor in Australia, does rabies exist; and yet nothing would be easier than to introduce this terrible disease into those countries by importing a few mad dogs. Let England, which has exterminated its wolves, make a vigorous effort and it will easily succeed in extirpating rabies. If firmly resolved to do so, your country may secure this great benefit in a few years; but, until that has been accomplished, and in the present state of science, it is absolutely necessary that all persons bitten by mad dogs should be compelled to undergo the anti-rabic treatment. Such, it seems, is a summary of the statement of the case by the Lord Mayor. The Pasteur Institute is profoundly touched by the movement in support of the meeting. The interest which his Royal Highness the Prince of Wales has evinced in the proposed manifestation is of itself enough to secure its success. Allow me, my dear colleague, to express my feelings of affectionate devotion."—Nature.

ORIGIN OF THE RIGHTS OF PROPERTY.

By HENRY J. PHILPOTT.

IN the joint enterprise of making a living, human beings not only potentiate but they also stimulate one another. The power and the stimulus are often combined, just as some foods furnish at the same time nutrition and stimulation to the human body. Sometimes we may distinguish between the two elements. It is so in the case of property. Wealth is power. Property is a stimulant. In order to make this distinction clear, we draw another. We must explain the difference in meaning between wealth and property. This will not be a hard task. Property is ownership, and wealth is the thing owned. Wealth is a thing, property a right to it. Wealth is mine and thine, property mineness and thineness. True, we often confuse the terms, and speak of the thing itself as property; especially do we speak of a body of real estate as a piece of property. This is justified by usage and by the dictionaries. For the present, however, I should like to confine the term to its original meaning. In this I shall follow Macleod, who says:

"When we understand the true meaning of the word property, it will throw a blaze of light over the whole science of economics, and clear up difficulties to which the word wealth has given rise; in fact, the meaning of the word property is the key to all economics.

"Most persons, when they hear the word property, think of