Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-10-25
HoNoRINe APHuosOPHER.

i Henry George 10 The author oil book on
| the science of political economy, entitled
sProgress and Poverty" That science is
one that is less studied than ii merits, but
it has hitherto been put before US in a man.
| nsr that is repeIlant in most minds. In vain
did Harriet Martineau bend her match
less skill TO sugar-plum political econ
omy, yet with the glamour of the
brilliant fancies in which she envel-
oped its cardinal principles the people
could not be made TO take to it. But
| an American writer performed the impossi-
| be" as the French say, in his Progress and
| Poverty" and he is the first writer that ever
| succeeded in drawing the popular mind 10
b. deeply interested" in the "dism al science.p
| His facts are such as all know, his differences
such as all can understand, and the reader
follows his reasonings not only with patience
bat with delight. He shows that, as thingsare
now managed, just in proportion as progress
builds up large fortunes at one end of the
social scale, poverty makes inroads on the
other; as the rich become richer the poor be-
come poorer. Mr.. George attributes this master
evil of the social system to private owner
ship of land; but many who feel the whole
force of his facts differ from his inference,
still they honor him for the eminent ability
aud the mastery analysis Of his book. Mr..
George recently went to Ireland, when the sort
Of people the English employ to spy and dog
aud provoke Ireland took it into their heads
that he was an sgitator and a irebrand, and
Searched his baggage and arrested him; con-
duct for which the proper official authority
has since apologized. On his return to New
York some OF his admirers including Henry
by honoring him with special festivity at
Delmonico's on Saturday evening. The
president of the Central Labor Union,
Mr.. r. Brissert, said that the
principles of that union were those
laid down in Mr.. Georges book, which
had grandly laid down the basis of true lib
erty. 10 his reply to this and other sd-
dresses, Mr.. George defended the theory OF
his system, which seeks to remove all re-
strictions upon the production of wealth,
and SO to distribute that wealth that what a
man fairly earns he may receive. Suppose
man comes here from Europe, and brings
wealth to use in building a structure and es-
tablishing business, instead OF meeting
with encouragement he is fined for what he is
going to do on every article that passes the
customhouse. He sees a poor neighborhood.
in Which II NIECE OF gronnd- covered Win
unwholesome refuse, and he saye, "I'll clear
this filth away and put up a factory on the
ground, and give these poor people work, so
that they may live in comfort" Is he re-
csived with Joy snd encouraged? No; he
is blsckmaied by heavy fne OF purchase
for making good use of land that had been
of worse than no use at all. He puts up
the factory, and families live in COM
fort in cons, guence that we're al
most poverishing for want. Is he
regarded as a benefactor? No; the tax
gstherer taxes a fine upon him because he
has used his capital so as to create wealth,
to give subsistence to labor and to benefit his
species. This way of Furnishing the bene-
factors of the race Mr.. George would do
away with. He would not tax him who,
with his capital or his labor, was benefting
his country; he would tax the land. Then
nobody would hold land unproductively, as
it would not pay the tax; those would oc-
cupy it who would make it productive of
wealth and 80 could pay the tar on it. In
this way there would be no more dog-in-the-
manger occupancy of land by men who do
nothing with the land themselves, yet pre-.
vent those occupying it that would make il
q source of wealth and a blessing to the
country. This exposition of Mr.. Georges
views will give the reader The key to the
philosophy of his splendid work RO0ress ana.
Poverty, which every intelligent person
should resd. Mr.. Reecher associated the
name of Mr.. George with that of Herbert
Spencer, now present in this country. Both
are striving to make the community &C
quainted with venerable errors we entertain
10 our loss, and those who thus open the
eyes of the intellect and war upon error
merit to be honored as Mr.. George has been
on his visit to New York.