St. Landry democrat., 1881-05-07


A new work entitled "Progress and
Poverty" by Mr.. Henry George, is at
tracing good deal of attention just
now, and is severely censured, or lauded
to the skies, according to the various
opinions of people upon tn" subject OF
labor and capital. We II. III familiar
with every phase at '"Hl mach con-
tested subject. Lung ~" Herbert
Spencer affirmed the tt'c"t, that land
being something not pr"ducrh 10y hu-
man labor, should be shared in common
by all dwellers on earth. John Stuart
Mills with some notifications prnia-
gated the same idea. Since these two
great thinkers the world has been full
of blatant howlers for aud against The
theory, whilst all the same pov, rN
increases in proportion as wealth in
creases, and there seems no remedy for
the evil.
Now. unlike his brother writer's who
set forth all the evils of d Capitalization
of wealth without pointing to a remedy,
Mr.. Henry George comes to the front
with suggestion, which he seems to
think will land every poor man under
his own vine and fig tree.
He proposes to place every man on a
level and destroy monOpolies, not by a
general confiscation of land, but by
taxing land to the full extent of its
rental value. 1t is impossible to see
how thisplan will remedy the landless
many or benefit the small farmer or
householder. Rich men would be COM
PEELED to pay a little more for their
costly possessions, which they could
we'll afford, but the farmer or small
proprietor would find the increase of
tax hard to meet, and would too often
be compelled to sacrifice his all under
this grinding remedy. Renters would
raise rents in order to meet their taxes,
so that the unlucky many who generally
belong to the poorer class, would find
their labor only sufficient to give them
board and lodging.
Mr.. George proposes that the large
fund accumulated by this appropria-
ton of the entire rent value of land
should be divided among the people,
giving to every boy a sum Of money
to start him in life and to every girl a
dover. Or free libraries, lectures, mu-
seums, art-galleries gymnasiums, baths,
theatres, should cultivate the tastes OF
the people, and refine them. The poor
farmer who has seen bis land swallowed
by taxation, will Iardly find the dole
given to his son or daughter conner
sation for his lost home. A taste for
the fine arts aud refinement VIII be TOO
costly 4 luxury w t.e grooming over
taxed millin..S. together Mr.. Georges
brochure forcih'y reminds US of the
devil, who departing out of man
s0ul aud finding II swept and gatn!shou
returned With seven others worse thar
himself. MIR. George has swept away al
old theories for the amelioration Of the
human species to give place to bis own
and readers can judge for themselves
even by this cursory glance at his ideas
what weight they will have in removing
the curse of poverty or destroying thu
Capitalization of wealth. His ntteranc'
is the last and most absurd "n TIN
vexed question of the increase" p"vert,
in the world and the m"n"p"''zat'"n o
wealth by the few. The world is shaker
to its very centre to-day by this ques
ton. If the hard problem is ever solved
which IL doubtful, it will not be by al
utopian dreamer like Mr.. George, mai
who would have government ro'
grandly with it's right hand, to give
pitiful aims with its left.