The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1885-07-23

words, it is this: ''The reason why in
wages constantly tend to minimum,
which will give but bare living is that,
with increase in productive power, rent
tends to even greater increase, thus pro.
ducing Q constant tendency to forcing
down Of wages" Mr. George has solved
the social problem, aud the solution can.
not be escaped, however much IL may
diverge from universally received opin-
ions, aud even though it run counter to
our own prejudices, and to the dictates
Of so.called authorities, on the subject of
Political Economy. To those. who
without fair hearing Of the "whys aud
wherefores," form judgment from super.
ficiai considerations, the theory will
apper ridiculous, aud he who IS its en-
FOUNDER, will be denominated "crank."
Having carefully paved the way for
the true solution, by clear and decisive
disproofs of existing theories. which
failed to account for the difficulty; hev-
ing substituted for these, theories de.
yeloped from first principles, and depend
ing for their acceptance upon no author
ity other than that of correct logical
reasoning; having by means Of these
located tho real cause of the evil 10 be
| Al lho VI luuu,
George comes now to the point where he
substitutions of the doctrines Of the
Science, but he has assigned to him the
task Of producing remedy, which shall
fulfill all tho requisites of Justice, expe-
dieney, and capst:! of application.
That remedy, after careful dissection
of remedies heretofore proposed, and an
exposition of their inefficiency, Mr..
George finds to he, not tho conflscation Of
land and its equal division among all
men, as the Communist would say; but
the confscation of rent and the abolition
of ali taxation save that upon land
values. In this way, all the expenses
would be contributed for the support of
the government by tho land ownerB, and
no man could long own very much more
land than be actually needed. Mr.. George
shows that the remedy is in exact accord
With justice, by demonstrating that the
private ownership of land 10 not an
inherent right, but has been assumed
after society had left its primitive state.
1t is not consistent with nature and
natures laws, that few should have q
monopoly Of what is absolutely the frat
great and essential factor of production.
Space will not allow, here, review of
| hhO EAOuho OfcI WutCA tu6 RUe9,
III his careful discussion of the Justice,
Tie application and the effects of remedy.
Our object has been more especially to
follow Mr.. George through his inquiry.
In doing 30, we have found the argu.
menta upon which the final conclusion is
reached, sound and forcible. This being
true, it only remains for the intelligent
reader to discern for himself the beauti.
full simplicity and exquisite adaptability
of the remedy, which Mr.. George has
offered. Though radical in its effects, its
application need be attended with no
| upheayal of the social organism. The
social state would be changed, but the
change would be gradual aud would be
from O condition founded on injustice to
one based on nature and Gods own laws.
The machinery Of Government, as now
administered, would be more than suffi.
cient to carry out tho idea, as the taxa.
tion would only be changed with regard
to the articles taxed.
It is in the discussion of the benefits
arising from the execution of this remedy,
that Mr.. George, If anywhere, exceeds
the bounds Of legitimate. logical reason.
Ing, and becomes eloquent, while descant-
prevail then. Perhaps his specnlations
| ehS WV SAs'osoSohs' Siaht SdhbJ yCt w
the most cautious reasoner, the results Of
such an action can but appear glorious.
Mr.. George devotes the latter portion
| of his work to discussion of the law of
Human Progress. With that we are not
called upon to deal, for while it Ia init.
mately connected with the evils of the
existing social state, It only adds empha.
sis to the necessity for an immediate
change in that state, as outlined in the
preceding pages. Suffice 1t to say, that
in the treatment Of that subject, he has
displayed no less ability as an {independ-
ent reasoner, than in the primary inquiry
into the social problem. The last chapter
Is mastetly prose poem on the "Prob.
lena Of Individual Life" It is a pro.
duction worthy of the work OF which it
/ forms the fitting finale.
Throughout his work, Mr.. George
displays mastery of style at onco
vigorous, clear and refreshing. Out of q
dry discussion, he has made .philoso.
phical romance. He has exploded the
old war.cry of Labor uersus Capital, and
shown that the real antagonism lies
between Labor and Land. The sum of
it all is that, with all ita imperfections,
Progress and Poverty" is beyond com.
pare the most powerful prodaction on
the subject of which It treata that this
present age has had the privilege Of
perus'ng. FELIX HoLT.