Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1880-02-21

ton has always been a transitional one.
Even at this moment, in that land of settled
customs and veneration for presidents, Great
Britain, Parliament is about to attack the
ime-honored practices of primogeniture and
entail. The question of the subdivision of
land is one which is certain to be determined
in accordance with the prevailing view of
public feeling. in every modern country.
But the abolition of private ownership in
land, which Mr.. George advocates, involves
not merely change in land tenure, but
revolution in civilization.
There is no instance in history Of the sue
cess of people who had not private owner
ship in land. There are instances of aborted
civilizations which have never got beyond
community in land. Community in land has
always been associated with the lower stages
OF civilization never with its higher stages.
And when we seek and find the explanation
of this we shall have pat our finger upon the
fatal blot in Mr.. Georges book. He admits
frankly that one result of his plan to
put all taxes upon land would be to
check enterprise. He endeayors to
gloss over this consequence by arguing
that the world would be made better if greed
of gain was eliminated, and by picturing state
of society in which men would devote much
more time to the generous emulation of intel
lectual contests, and the elevating influence
of scientific research. But it does not seem
to have occurred to him that his revolution
airy change would have to be introduced to
world in which, rightly or wrongly, the lust
of gain and the ambition for material
prosperity constitute the dominant social
influences and that in eliminating the
means Of satisfying these desires he would
of necessity destroy the only motive
for active exertions capable Of influencing
the men and women then in existence. In
short, he does not perceive that the present
civilization is a product of evolution; that
it has developed slowly out of changing con-
ditions; that the stinulants which conduce
to the advancement of society are of the very
essence of human nature; and that to re-
move the means of exercising tendencies SO
firmly associated with this human nature
could only paralyze the civilization in which
the experiment was tried, but could not re-
organize it.
The stimulus to exertion gone, the means
of building for posterity withdrawn, the field
Of enterprise circumscribed, the decay of that
civilization would follow. The development
90 that b;,,bar ;r+olIoo+,,o1 +o,do,,a,. ,,.l;ol,
Mr.. George imagines as a substitute for the
greed of gain, would be looked for in vain.
The standard of average intelligence and
culture now marked by the average devo-
ton to sordid pursuits, would remain un-
changed. There would be- as before, world
full of vulgar, greedy, selfish people, but they
would be to large extent deprived of the
means of gratifying their vulgarity, rapacity
and egoism. Does Mr.. George think
that his paadcea would have the eff
feet of purifying and elevating human
nature? Did the adoption of code or a law
ever produce such result? We are tempted
to say of Mr.. Georges reasoning on this
head, c'est m0gaifgUe, nsais &c NEST pas la
gue1Te; it is splendid rhetoric but it is not
craftsmanship nor sober argument. Yet it
By no means follows that there is no force in
his theory. The inequitable nature of the
gains which accrue from the increase in the
value of land under given circumstances is
not to be denied, and it is so glaring that for
some time past the tendency has been greater
and greater to find remedy for it. That in
the fullness of time such remedy viii be
discovered, we do not doubt. and it is quite
possible that this work may help the search
considerably.
1t is necessity of high enthusiasm to
gather all humanity into the field of its Wis
ion, and to fortify itself with the belief that
it is working for the whole race. 1t is alike
the charm and the blemish of Mr.. Georges
book that he has undertaken to regener-
ate the world, and that his catholic sympa-
thies embrace all peoples and races in one
grand and comprehensive scheme of reform.
The possession of such a genuine fervor of
philanthropy as he exhibits on every
page is of itself refreshing and gratifying,
OLio lLs bdACc IL Hdo
a certain fire and eloquence to his pen which
will, we think, make of his book a great
source of attraction to those whose intellectual
condition causes them to prefer reason
adorned with sentiment to reason unadorned
We do not hesitate to say that Mr.. George
has written really delightful volume. and
one which is full of that high and somewhat
excited thought which for want of better
name is called inspiration. What COM
mends it to the. average mind, however,
is its sincere sympathy with humanity.
its tenderness, its passionate desire for
better things. We are inclined to think that
it is destined to have a very great success,
because in many of its features it appeals
specially to that spirit of free inquiry which
is one of the most marked characteristics of
the age.
We have endeavored, while fully recogniz-
ing the merits Of the work, to point out some
of its defects. OF these, we are of opinion
that the last mentioned is fatal to the plausi-
bility of the whole hypothesis 1t is not.
however, by any means the only objection
that could be urged against the book, though
it would require far more time and space
than we can command to even touch upon such
other points as have impressed themselves
upon us. In some notices of Progress and
Poverty" we have seen it spoken of as dan
gerous book. We do not think it is danger
Gus. 1t is candid and outspoken presenta.
ton of views the adoption of which would
revolutionize society, and bring the existing
civilization to dead stop. As we are as
sured that the interests enlisted for the main
tenance of the existing civilization are
tar stronger than any which can be
mustered against it, and as moreover.
the tendency in modern society is more
and more towards the orderly elimination of
prescriptive abuses, and the removal of need
less inequalities, we believe that the only
effect the general perusal OF such a hook can