National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-06-30

Mr.. Henry George has attracted deal Of
dceerved attention by his views, spoken and
written, upon the labor problem and It's re-
lated Issues. Wrong as the conclusions are
to which he comes, he has done great pub
lie service by his efforts TO force the ques.
tons he discusses upon consideration by
the information he has brought TO bear
upon these questions and by the liberal
temper he has almost invariably exhibited
in their discussion. Although often erring
in his deductions-oftcn mistaking both the
cause and the cure OF the evil he sees-lt is
undenlable that he Is one OF the most sue
cessful OF those who have recently attempted
to give the true features of the industrial
situation in this aud other countries. This
success is we'll attested, too, by the remark
able attention land respectful attention, at
that which he has secured from all classes
Of people throughout Christendom. His
matter Is most interesting aud his manner
is clear and forcible, II not elegant.
Yet this able man fatally committed him
felf in his very fret work-"Progress and
Poverty" In that startling and somewhat
brilliant volume Mr.. George very fully
and graphically set forth the wrongs of
labor, with many Of the factors implicated
directly or indirectly in bringing these
wrongs about; but In his anxiety TO right
everything at once by "a single universal
panecea he was betrayed into the blunder
the double blunder--of urging that all
taxation should be placed upon land; for
the actual result he thus demands, after
very strikingly showing why the soil should
belong In common TO everybody, Is that II
should belong TO nobody Indeed, under
the system he advocates, the rcidtipc post
tons OF capital and labor even to land
would not be altered one whit, while,
with the whole burden OF taxation laid upon
the very base and source OF all production,
non.production and speculation In all their
avocations to devour and accumulate the
products Of labor would have flush time
beyond any heretofore known In the annals
Of mankind. Capital and labor stand pre-
cisely under ground.rent title TO land as
they do under fee.simple purchase title to
land and the advantages OF the former and
the disadvantages of the latter remain uu-
changed under dHy system which applies
only to land, yet equally to hoth capital aud
labor. Certainly 1t can make precious
little difference to poverty unless against
it) that nobody shall own any land, and
that rent has to be paid to the state instead
Of to private holder.
Even wealth and capital, we take 1t,
would be glad, on the whole, to relnquish
their titles as owners Of land on condition
that they should be exempt from all public
burdens, except in so far as they chose to
incur them by renting land, they still hay
ing every advantage to hold and possess
the soil over labor that they now have, iu
go far as TO hold aud possess 1t may be
profitable or otherwise desirable. Mere
landlords, to be sure, would object, but
they and their wealth form but small
portion Of the main body of capitalists and
capital that now dominates tine world, ye
even mere landlords would find some way
to hold their grip and to sublet, 80 long a.
land should be worth holding In any way
by anybody, for any purpose.