The Louisiana Democrat. [volume] (Alexandria, La.) 1845-1918, 1890-10-22
Henry George on the Conference.
Tho

| Henry George on the Conference.
The Standards:
The impression made upon the public
mind by the conference of single tax
men held in this city last week is indi-
Gated in the reports and comments of
the daily press.
| But even to those of us who have.
| known the movement from the begin
ming and who, being at the center, as it
were, have been most fully appraised of
its wonderful spread and of the zeal and
devotion it is arousing, this gathering
was revelation of strength.
But the difficulties of bringing togcth-
er men from all parts of SO wide {. coun-
try at such large personal expense, in
gathering involving no business interest
or pecuniary return, and having no Of
fees to nominate for, no political pro-
gramme to make, no honors to bestow,
have all along seemed to me so great that
| have been timid about national con-
ference, and whenever it has been propos-
ed have favored putting it off, This con-
ference owes nothing to my exertion or
influence. 1t is the work, in my absence,
OF more sanguine men, and it's greats sue
cess has amply vindicated their iudg-
ment and faith
The effect of this gathering upon the
single tax movement in the United
States can not fail to be most important
and most happy. Confident as we may
have been before, we are all more con.
fident now. The bringing together of
so many earnest and intelligent men
from all parts of the country has given
them knowledge of each other, and a
faith and pride in each other, which
inspire new hope and fresh zeal. And
while it has shown us that the move
ment was even stronger than we imag-
ined, the conference has given to the
general public clearer idea of our pur-
pose, and a more intelligent comprehen-
sion of the progress our principles are
making.
One of the indications of this is in the
numerous press comments which assume
that we have abandoned our original ex.
travagances and have become more rea-
sonable. The truth is that we stand
precisely where our feet were first
planted. The change is in public opin-
ion. What then seemed extravagant
now seems more reasonable, because it
has become familiar and is better un-
derstood. And just as our work of edu.
cation progresses, so will our principles
appear more and more reasonable to
those who at first most bitterly opposed
them. But so long as men face right,
we need not, to use Mr.. Garrison's sim.
lie, quarrel with their impression
that the points of the compass have
changed.
There are now 942 submarine cables.
exclusive of the seven Atlantic cables, |
with an aggregate of 1870 nautical |
miles. The overland telegraph is al.
ready worldwide institution in which
there is a total of 1850, 900 miles of wire
enough of the attenuated metal to 60
around the equatorial belt of the globe
just thirty times. The United States
has ZIG, 500 miles of wire, and in 1889
had no less than Sc, 900, 600 messages
travelling the country. France has e20..
'90 miles OF wire, on which in 1889 were
transmitted sO,O5o, 600 dispatches. Great
Britain has hung up 10000 miles OF
METAL line, and in 1889 sent sc, 900, Ooa
messages on their silent tlight-Ags ci
steel.