The Labor enquirer., 1884-05-24
HENRY GEORGE.
A Careful Review Of His Tour in
Great Britain and Its
Results.
He Refuses 70 squarely Meet the In
terrogations Of Scientific
Socialists.
EDINBURGH, BRIAN, 40 ARTHUR ST., I
May 8, 1884. i

May 8, 1884. j
Editor Labor Enquirer.
4 FRIENDS: In accordance with tn,
promise contained in my last letter,
proceed to place before you an accoun
of the chief events in connection will
Henry Georges visit to Britain and tht
| likely results which may arise from hi
agitation.
| On arriving in London Mr.. George re
ceived fairly good reception, he was
met on landing BY number of friends
a large open-air meeting was held, al
which he received most cordial recep'
ton. A monster meeting in one of the
largest available halls in London was
held few daysafter his arrival, at which
the most gratifying reception was ac-
corded the great writer. At this meet
Ing it was plainly noticeable that when
ever Mr.. George made any illusions
which seemed to 90 farther than mere
land naturalization, the enthusiasm
reached its height. Mr.. George then set
out as an itinerating lecturer In the
English towns he met with very little
sympathy; perhaps the best reception
was accorded him at Newcastle place
where political radicalism is rampant,
but where Socialism is not very strong.
Mr. Georges chief success was in Scot
land. To Scotland she came, and lee
tured, and conquered" In the High
lands, and in the Hebrdes, his doctrines
found especial favor; the inhabitants of
these places were just then engaged in
fierce conflict with their landlords,
force having been actually used upon
some occasions, and when Henry George
went among them with his enthusiasm
and clear convincing style he soon won
their sympathies To-day there are
nearly two hundred thousand people en-
rolled in the organization founded by
Henry George.
AS wish to be something more than
mere neWsmonger to my American
comrades, l will endeavor to account for
what is certainly peculiar in Henry
Georges reception Ia Scotland.
About Mr.. George himself must say
few words, as do not care to allow
any shallow regard for conventionalism
to preclude me from presenting in a
PLAIN light what, to me, seems the true
position of Mr.. George, the Land Ques-
ton, and the Socialists, and their rela-
tions, each to the other.
look upon Mr.. George as a superficial
thinker; man who has not grasped the
idea of the unity and the continuity Of
nature. might easily Gull dozen or
more passages from his Social Problems"
in support Of this statement, but they
will be clear to all who read and can
comprehend. His religion, which almost
amounts to rank evangelicalism, is in
itself weighty proof of this. There are
few things more ridiculous than some of
the passages in the closing chapters Of
Progress and Poverty"
A careful reading of Progress and
Poverty" has given me the impression
that Mr. George has somewhere stum-
bled across the solution of the land
question, and that surprised and de-
lighted with his discovery, he in his en-
thusiasm over it, fondly imagined that
this was the only important truth in
social science. He then sat down and
wrote a book; not so much with the
intention of demonstrating the theory of
rent, as for the purpose of reconclling all
other facts in economic science with his
hobby. The book displays more in
genuity than real philosophical breadth
of thought. We can freely give Mr..
George credit for having rendered great
service to the land restoration movement,
but in reasoning out the rent theory he
carried his conclusions not only as far as
logic would allow but as far as imagina-
ton would permit.
When Mr.. George came to London he
found a people whose wits were -shar-
pened by hunger and whose aspirations
we're being trained into rational thought
by the vigorous teachers of the Demo-
cratic Federation. They easily perceived
Mr.. Georges fallacies, and gave him no
more of reception than was sufficient
to prove to the press men that they &C
cepted his theory and went great deal
further.
But now for his reception in Scotland.
1t is a common saying that Scotchmen
are very shrewd thinkers, this, however
is not quite true. Scotchmen may rather
be said to be narrow thinkers. Their
great men are most remarkable as specu'
lators. Not as patient investigators fol
truth, but as men who hastily Jump a.
conclusions who having got hold OF
small and perhaps insignificant fac
quickly leave the regions of study anc
soar away into the regions of speculation
Now the idea that a mere shifting o
taxation from one class to another will
euualize, or even tend to equalize socia
conditions is only tenable by an exceed
ingly narrow mind. If taxation be re
duced, wages will be reduced. Th
bitter competition for the opportunity o
working, forces the laborers to offer thei
services for sum which, on an average
win only procure bare subsistence
! The fact that they would have to pay les