Workmen's advocate. (New Haven, Conn.) 1883-1891, 1888-07-28
NOT A SAFE GUIDE.
TRUTH AND ERROR DEFTLY
lNTERMIXED.
To COniiScate Rent il not to National.
ize Iand-NOr Does il Lead TO
Socialism --IndiyidualiSm
and Compctition-Thc
Road to Ruin.

"t iht"f" fHf"H, IluSn ".
Pentecost djScourses as follows:
"EdWard Rellamy's Looking Back
ward, a social study in the form of
novel, which | have read with great
pleasure, may be obtained'for fifty cents
at or from the Labor News Company, p
East Fourth street, New York. | spe-
cially recommend the reading Of this
book because it enables any ordinary
mind to understand what modern State
socialism is hoping for and working for,
although the word socialism does
not occur in the book. Whether we are
to know what socialism is. If, after
reading Mr.. Bellamy's book (or Mr. Lau-
renee Gronlund's cooperative Common
wealth, which in Looking Backward
Mr.. Bellamy has reproduced in the form
of romance), the reader is disposed to
think the organization of society therein
supposed is desirable the question will
Immediately arise, How are we to
reach such!a millennial stateT This ques-
ton will lead the reader to a thorough
study OF our present social condition
and the various proposed methods of
social evolution. The satisfactory an
swer to the above question, | think, will
be found i'll Henry Georges Progress
and Poverty which may be obtained in
cheap form dovel's Library, from any
bookseller. Mr., George proposes a nat
ural method of Matchmaking land, and
atterward the railroads and telegraph
lines, and placing under municipal con-
troll street railroads, water and gas
works, and whatever industries the
community has more interest in than
the individual, ssas an individual. All
these measures are in the direction of
socialism, If, after they are accom-
plished it seems advisable to put milk
and ice production and distribution un-
der municipal control, and so 20 on and
on in the same direction, it will be easy
enough to do so.
Admit, if you please, that the co oper-
ative commonwealth of Mr.. Gronlund
and Mr. Bellamy is to be the final out
come of the logic of events, and it is
clear to my mind that Mr. George is the
safe and sure guide as to h0tc to Qet there
and Poverty Book lX) under the head,
Effects of the Remedy; Il am in
clined to think that the result of conlis-
eating rent in the manner | have pro-
posed, would be to cause the organiza-
ton of labor, whenever large capitals
were used, 10 assume the cooperative
fOrm."
1t is decidedly a great advance
to have come to understand what
State Socialism "--as it is styled
is hoping and working for" and
we ought to be very grateful to Mr..
Bellamy for having written the first
American novel that breathes
truly Socialist spirit, and one that
undoubtedly will enlighten a great
many Americans. But what a mis-
take to think that Mr.. George is
the safe and sure guide as to how 10
get there"
1t is absolutely incomprehensible
how Pentecost could get that idea,
if the above article did not disclose
the exact spot in his mind where
"the screw is loose"
"Mr. George proposes natural
method Of natiOnallziag land" All,
Brother Pentecost, that is precisely
what George does not propose. If
he did, Mr.. George would have been
quite different " leader" than he
turned out to be, and the United
Labor Party would by this time,
probably, be the grand conquering
Labor Party which 80 many of our
comrades, at its inception, fondly
hoped it would be. For it should be
distinctly understood that Socialists
supported George so enthusiastically
! precisely becanse he led them to be-
tiere that he had come to see that
land should be nationalized.
True, Brother Pentecost, to ma
tionalize land-among other things,
and, as | think, exclusive of ag-
ricultural lands for the presents in
the direction of socialism, is one Of
the steps to take to "get there" is,
in fact, socialism.
But how can you say George pro-
poses any such thing? You GER