Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-12-21
worIingmeu and Property Rights.

Henry George Is no doubt an honest,
philsnlhrOpic and well-meauing man, and
he probably really thought, when he was
writing books and lecturing, that il would
be good thing for the masses of people
who hayn't much property, to ask the few
who have a good deal, TO be so obllgtng as
to make a general distribution. That did
very well for lecturer and author. Ii al
tracted attention to him, and people bought
tickets to his lectures. and bought his books,
mainly out of curiosity. Then they felt
kindly toward man who theOrized in favor
of the great multitude of those of us who
are to get the benefit of the division. But
when Mr.. George began to run for Office, he
found that he had mounted gray horse Of
quite another color. There were some peo-
pie who had little property of their own,
who were expected 10 vote for HIM, and
they wanted to know, you know, whether
Mr.. George, when he was elected
mayor, was going to take possession OF ther
homesteads and balances at the saw
ings banks, for the purpo>e
of distributing them among those who
had nothing. Mr.. George, as matter OF
course, explained that he wasn't-and
couldn't if he wished tO-but then one can t
most always tell about these candidates be-
forehand. They frequently present won
derful transformations after election.
And now DR.. McGlynn. the Catholic
priest, is called to Rome to explain to the
Pope what he means by supporting for
Office man who is supposed not to recog-
nize the right of holding property-the
Roman Catholic church owning millions In
real estate in America. For the Pope has
read Mr.. Georges hooks, without doubt, and
as man of perception, sees in what dlrec-
ton Mr.. Georges theories lead him. 1t Is
quite true, that as Americans we do not ap-
prove of an American citizen accounting Ia
a foreign power for his political action; still
we must admit that the Pope shows his
practical sense in inviting Dr. McGlynn
over to Rome, so that his holiness can have
a little interview with him.
What Mr.. George really believes, hOwev-
er; or, rather. what he proposes 10 believe
and do. now that he has entered politics,
will be learned from his new weekly paper,
the first issue of which will soon appear.
We venture TO predict, however, that those
who wish the paper will be forced to pay
for it, and that the concern will be Mr..
Georges individual property, to have and
to hold and not to be- distributed among
the masses of the people. But Mr.. George
will be putting himself on the record,
in black and white, every week,
and everybody will know how to
take him."
The right of man to the property-in
houses OF lands. or bank balances-t that he
has earned. is foundation principle, and
no platform that contains plank that can
be construed TO mean anything else, will
stand. The American idea of all others is
that all Americans shall be prOperty-Own-
ers, and it is supposed to be the generous
Uncle SamuelS purpose that every man Of
US shall have a farm or its equivalent.
Theorizing should point its nose-not in the
direction of confiscatiOn and distribution,
but in the direction of plans which can be
so worked and developed that the working
men of the country can he assisted in the
purchase of homes and in making their
payments upon them. Capital can assist in
movement of this sort, and it can 50 assist
that the wOrkingmen can be helped to put
himself into a home of his own. Work
ingmen who have shelter for their fami-
lies-a castle sacred to themselves and their
loved ones, into which no man may
enter except with their permissiOn-feel
that they have made some provisions for
rainy days and old age; they enjoy some
thing like content and satisfaction; they
settle down to hard work with the feeling
that no portion Of their earnings must be
paid out for house rent, and they form one
very large and useful element in good citi-
Zenship: for it is not only to the interest of
the workingmsn himself that he shall have
the state. A mans home is not only
shelter, but it is several other things. 1t is
an anchor 1t is ballast Ii is an ell
1t is an impetus. 1t is an
inspiration.
Let it De understood that whatever pro-
NOTES the real interests of the workingmen
of the country promotes the highest inter
eSt and welfare of the country itself The
are. in a large measure, the
They are the people and the peo-
pie are the country, and it is the duty and
the privilege of the country to take care of
Itself and of its people.