The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-10-22
FIVE HUNDRED DOLLARS WELL
SPENT.
That Is the Sum One aIan Paid to Get
a Sound Opinion.

That Is the Sum One aIan Paid to Get
a Sound Opinion.
| A former Louisvillian, who is largely
interested in the large corporations,
tells this interesting story of how he
became acquainted with Henry George s
ideas
II was travelling on railroad train in
Northern Ohio one day." said he, sand
the newsboy came through and flung a
book into my seat. l picked it up, look
ed at the title page and read: Social
Problems, by Henry George l had
never read any of Georges books, and
from the political dispatches concerning
him, had taken up the idea that he
was nero labor agitator. So threw
down the book. and amused myself by
gazing out Of the car window. Pres
emily the conductor, who knew me, came
up, took up the book carelessly and ask.
ed me if had read it.
No. said I, I haven't
Well said he, you ought to. 1t is
one OF the most remarkable books ever
read, and to man like yourself, who
has made his own way in the world it
will be particularly interesting
'The conductors remarks struck me,
and l paid the boy fifty cents for tho
book and began to read. 1t nailed my
attention from the beginning, and every
now and then the conductor would come
through and smile knowingly as he saw
me glued to the pages. / read it all day,
took it home, read it all evening, and
for the next week my head was greatly
bothered. Finally l took the book to
my lawyer, member of rich firm of cor
poration counsel, and asked him if he
had read it,
"'No,' said he, Il have no time for
such rubbish
"I have read it, replied, and some.
how it strikes me as being remarkable.
l wish you would read it and tell me
what you think of it.
F" If | were to do that he answered,
4 would charge fee of $780,
I'll pay it, said /, because | want
to have an expert opinion upon it's logic.
l have had no school discipline, and
am not sure of my ability to Judge this
book l want you to read it carefully,
mark such passages as you may find
where there are flaws in the logic, and
then go over it with me and give me
your opinion of it,
''He agreed to do it for $500 and told
me to call in a week. l did So and he
said: Tve read that book and marked
good deal of it up for you, but I'm not
through. Call again Several days after
l met him on the street and he stopped
me and said: Look here, Eve read that
book through again, carefully, and I've
rubbed out good many marks l made
against it last week AT the end of the
week l called again
"'Well,' said he, I've studied that
book carefully, and I've rubbed out all
the marks in it. There may be differ
ence of opinion as to some of his facts
and the premises from which he starts,
but if one accept these no human being
can deny the irresistible logic of his
There are no flaws there.
and so I've nothing to discuss with
you
But said !, what about his prem
ises?
"'Ah,' said he that's moro than |
know. He is as likely to be right as any
body, and more likely to be right than
!, because he has devoted his life to the
study
After that" concluded the speaker,
Il bought and read all of Henry Georges
looks What do think of them. Well
think | never paid $500 for any legal
opinion that gave me more satisfaction
md information. Courier Journal.